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 8
... Pitt administration was generally indolent in assembling the Fleet, that it equipped the colonizing party poorly, and that these 8 The First Fleet: The Real Story.
... Pitt administration was generally indolent in assembling the Fleet, that it equipped the colonizing party poorly, and that these 8 The First Fleet: The Real Story.
Page 28
... Pitt administration envisaged the Botany Bay colony developing. The Heads of a Plan and Sydney's letter to the ... administration's expectations for it. The first of these documents is James Matra's addendum to his August 1783 proposal ...
... Pitt administration envisaged the Botany Bay colony developing. The Heads of a Plan and Sydney's letter to the ... administration's expectations for it. The first of these documents is James Matra's addendum to his August 1783 proposal ...
Page 29
... administration's thinking. On 23 September 1786, William Pitt reminded his friend William Wilberforce of his offer to find a suitable person to minister to the convicts. On this same day – and it cannot be coincidental – Wilberforce or ...
... administration's thinking. On 23 September 1786, William Pitt reminded his friend William Wilberforce of his offer to find a suitable person to minister to the convicts. On this same day – and it cannot be coincidental – Wilberforce or ...
Page 30
... administration, and after he had been briefed – certainly by Lord Sydney and Evan Nepean, very probably by Sir Joseph Banks, perhaps even by William Pitt himself. If anything is the 'blueprint' for the colony's development, this ...
... administration, and after he had been briefed – certainly by Lord Sydney and Evan Nepean, very probably by Sir Joseph Banks, perhaps even by William Pitt himself. If anything is the 'blueprint' for the colony's development, this ...
Page 35
... government'.17 This seems also to have been the Pitt administration's view initially, for in informing the Irish government of the venture towards the end of October 1786, Evan Nepean remarked, 'The form of government is not yet settled ...
... government'.17 This seems also to have been the Pitt administration's view initially, for in informing the Irish government of the venture towards the end of October 1786, Evan Nepean remarked, 'The form of government is not yet settled ...
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