A Cargo of Women: Susannah Watson and the convicts of the Princess Royal

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Allen & Unwin, Oct 1, 2008 - History - 328 pages
Intrigued to discover a convict ancestor in her family tree, Babette Smith decided to investigate her life and the lives of the 99 women who were transported with her on the ship Princess Royal in 1829.

Piece by piece she reveals the story of her ancestor the indomitable Susannah Watson who, trapped in the crowded filthy slums of Nottingham, stole because she could not bear to see her children starving'. Separated forever from her husband and four children, she was transported to Australia for 14 years. She endured the convict system at its worst, yet emerged triumphant to die in her bed aged 83 singing Rock of Ages'.

Babette Smith reconstructs the lives of the women from the Princess Royal from fragments of information in shipping lists, official records, newspapers and court transcripts. Her research overturns stereotypes of women convicts as drunken whores and criminals. Caught in an England convulsed by change, they become the unwitting and unwilling pioneers of a new land. Many proved to be resourceful and resilient, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by a new society.

First published two decades ago, A Cargo of Women became a bestseller and remains one of the most valuable accounts of convict life in Australia. This new edition includes further information about the women from the Princess Royal and new illustrations.

'Smith comes as close as any historian has come to reconstructing the complex experience of a convict woman an absorbing story.' - Kay Daniels, Australian Historical Studies

From inside the book

Contents

Introduction
Into the Maelstrom
Pity Our Distress
The Full Penalty of the Law
Transported Beyond the Seas
A Very Pleasant Town
On Assignment
The Female FactoryThey Must Be Kept Under
Different Journeys
Some Evidence of Affection
Caught in the System
Survivors and Victims
An Affectionate Mother
A Second Chance
The Convicts of the Princess Royal
Picture Credits

With His Excellencys Consent
Female Married
Beating the System
A Dubious Refuge
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Copyright

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About the author (2008)

Babette Smith is an independent historian and author of the groundbreaking Australia's Birthstain: The startling legacy of the convict era.

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