The First Fleet: The Real Story“Alan Frost is the myth-buster of Australian history...His work should be studied not only by students but anyone interested in the birth of a nation.” — the Age In 1787 a convoy of eleven ships, carrying about 1400 people, set out from England for Botany Bay. According to the conventional account, it was a shambolic affair: under-prepared, poorly equipped and ill-disciplined. Robert Hughes condemned the organisers’ “muddle and lack of foresight”, while Manning Clark described scenes of “indescribable misery and confusion”. In The First Fleet: The Real Story, Alan Frost draws on previously forgotten records to debunk these persistent myths. He shows that the voyage was in fact meticulously planned – reflecting its importance to the British government’s secret ambitions for imperial expansion. He examines the ships and supplies, passengers and behind-the-scenes discussions. In the process, he reveals the hopes and schemes of those who planned the voyage, and the experiences of those who made it. ‘It is almost certain that Frost knows more than anybody else about the early maritime history of this land ... This book will surely alter the way Sydney sees its history.’ — Geoffrey Blainey, The Weekend Australian |
From inside the book
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Page 6
However, while Phillip wrote many letters from New South Wales to Sydney, Nepean and Banks, and at least one to Lansdowne, none is known to Pitt, Carmarthen, Hawkesbury or Rose. Campbell's idea was a will-o'-the-wisp, which should never ...
However, while Phillip wrote many letters from New South Wales to Sydney, Nepean and Banks, and at least one to Lansdowne, none is known to Pitt, Carmarthen, Hawkesbury or Rose. Campbell's idea was a will-o'-the-wisp, which should never ...
Page 7
In the first half of 1784, Phillip was sailing back from India, reaching England again in late April. From October 1784 into 1785, Nepean had Phillip spying in France. In October 1785, he again obtained leave to travel in France – i.e., ...
In the first half of 1784, Phillip was sailing back from India, reaching England again in late April. From October 1784 into 1785, Nepean had Phillip spying in France. In October 1785, he again obtained leave to travel in France – i.e., ...
Page 8
Mr Rose, knowing my intimacy with Captain Phillip, desired me to ask him to take out a young man who had been recommended by Mr ... First, if Rose had engineered Phillip's appointment, he would not have had to ask the favour via Nepean; ...
Mr Rose, knowing my intimacy with Captain Phillip, desired me to ask him to take out a young man who had been recommended by Mr ... First, if Rose had engineered Phillip's appointment, he would not have had to ask the favour via Nepean; ...
Page 11
... when he had Arthur Phillip report on activity in the French dockyards.33 In 1790, after news reached Europe that ... At the height of this crisis, Nepean was receiving, from a variety of sources, weekly reports of the number of ...
... when he had Arthur Phillip report on activity in the French dockyards.33 In 1790, after news reached Europe that ... At the height of this crisis, Nepean was receiving, from a variety of sources, weekly reports of the number of ...
Page 12
... when Phillip was insistent, both that the convicts on board the ships at Portsmouth should be fed fresh food while they waited to depart, and that the expedition should receive more medical supplies, Middleton advised Nepean that he ...
... when Phillip was insistent, both that the convicts on board the ships at Portsmouth should be fed fresh food while they waited to depart, and that the expedition should receive more medical supplies, Middleton advised Nepean that he ...
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The First Fleet
User Review - Thorpe-Bowker and Contributors - Books+PublishingThe First Fleet: The Real Story is a companion volume to Alan Frost¿s earlier book, Botany Bay: The Real Story. It deals with the same subject as David Hill¿s 1788, but unlike Hill, Frost is an ... Read full review
Contents
| 17 | |
| 27 | |
Officials and Officers | 49 |
Ships Crews Marines Convicts | 64 |
The Ships | 81 |
Equipping the Colonists | 95 |
Loading the Ships and Embarking the People | 114 |
AtPortsmouth | 129 |
Preparing Bodiesfor the Voyage | 140 |
Leaving the World | 159 |
No CheaperMode? | 181 |
Conclusion | 198 |
Acknowledgments | 217 |
Select Bibliography | 250 |
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Common terms and phrases
24 October 28 February administration’s Admiralty advised Alexander appointed April arrival Arthur Phillip asked August Botany Bay Campbell Cape Chronicle clothing Collins colonists colony’s command commission cost court crew December Deptford Officers embarked England establishment Evan Nepean expedition expense February female convicts Fleet fresh foods governor Home Office HRNSW Hunter Island January Lady Penrhyn land Lieutenant London March marine officers marines and convicts Memorandum Middleton to Nepean Minute naval Navy Board necessary needed Nepean to Middleton November Ocean Officers to Navy ofthe Phillip to Nepean Phillip to Sydney Pitt administration Plymouth port Portsmouth Privy Council provisions Real Story Record group Rio de Janeiro Ross Royal Navy sailed Scarborough scurvy sent September 1786 settlement ship’s ships Shortland sick Sirius Sirius and Supply SLNSW South Wales Steele surgeon Teer to Navy Tench Tenerife told Treasury USNA Victualling voyage wine women wrote
Bibliographic information
| Title | The First Fleet: The Real Story |
| Author | Alan Frost |
| Publisher | Black Inc., 2012 |
| ISBN | 1921870575, 9781921870576 |
| Length | 288 pages |
| Subjects | › History / Australia & New Zealand |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |