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 5
... appointed governor of the Botany Bay colony: he felt 'sure that Phillip's appointments were due to the influence of Sir George Rose', for the pair had been neighbours near Lyndhurst in the New Forest.22 Showing all the enthusiasm of the ...
... appointed governor of the Botany Bay colony: he felt 'sure that Phillip's appointments were due to the influence of Sir George Rose', for the pair had been neighbours near Lyndhurst in the New Forest.22 Showing all the enthusiasm of the ...
Page 7
... appointed to one of the Royal Navy ships going out to New South Wales. Nepean replied: Captain Phillip, who is to command on the expedition to Botany Bay, offered to take with him any young gentleman I might think fit to recommend, as a ...
... appointed to one of the Royal Navy ships going out to New South Wales. Nepean replied: Captain Phillip, who is to command on the expedition to Botany Bay, offered to take with him any young gentleman I might think fit to recommend, as a ...
Page 11
... appointed to the hundreds of ships; and to maintain an army of workmen, not only at the major home yards of the Thames, Portsmouth and Plymouth, but also those at New York and Charleston, Jamaica and Antigua, and Gibraltar. The meeting ...
... appointed to the hundreds of ships; and to maintain an army of workmen, not only at the major home yards of the Thames, Portsmouth and Plymouth, but also those at New York and Charleston, Jamaica and Antigua, and Gibraltar. The meeting ...
Page 35
... appointed also to control the criminal and civil courts for the trial of matters which might pass between the convicts ... When I mentioned a civil and criminal court his Lordship seemed rather surprised, as he had understood that the ...
... appointed also to control the criminal and civil courts for the trial of matters which might pass between the convicts ... When I mentioned a civil and criminal court his Lordship seemed rather surprised, as he had understood that the ...
Page 37
... appointed in and for such place, together with six officers of His Majesty's forces by sea or land'. It was 'to proceed in a more summary way that is used within this realm' – that is, by calling such offenders respectively before that ...
... appointed in and for such place, together with six officers of His Majesty's forces by sea or land'. It was 'to proceed in a more summary way that is used within this realm' – that is, by calling such offenders respectively before that ...
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