A Commonwealth of ThievesIn this spirited history of the remarkable first four years of the convict settlement of Australia, Thomas Keneally offers us a human view of a fascinating piece of history. Combining the authority of a renowned historian with a brilliant narrative flair, Keneally gives us an inside view of this unprecedented experiment from the perspective of the new colony’s governor, Arthur Phillips. Using personal journals and documents, Keneally re-creates the hellish overseas voyage and the challenges Phillips faced upon arrival: unruly convicts, disgruntled officers, bewildered and hostile natives, food shortages, and disease. He also offers captivating portrayals of Aborigines and of convict settlers who were determined to begin their lives anew. A Commonwealth of Thieves immerses us in the fledgling penal colony and conjures up the thrills and hardships of those first four improbable years. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 60
Page 9
... Howard , a prison reformer , discovered in one London prison that the tap was sub- hired out to one of the prisoners . In another , Howard was told that as many as 600 pots of beer had been brought into A COMMONWEALTH of THIEVES / 9.
... Howard , a prison reformer , discovered in one London prison that the tap was sub- hired out to one of the prisoners . In another , Howard was told that as many as 600 pots of beer had been brought into A COMMONWEALTH of THIEVES / 9.
Page 16
... told the committee that the blacks were of wandering habits and would " speedily abandon whatever land was needed . " The Aboriginals were blithely nomadic ; New South Wales was terra nullius , no man's land . In the end , this Commons ...
... told the committee that the blacks were of wandering habits and would " speedily abandon whatever land was needed . " The Aboriginals were blithely nomadic ; New South Wales was terra nullius , no man's land . In the end , this Commons ...
Page 17
... told him the " government has just decided to send off 700 convicts to New South Wales - where a fort is to be built - and that a man has been found who will take upon him the command of this rabble . " From the alderman's letter it ...
... told him the " government has just decided to send off 700 convicts to New South Wales - where a fort is to be built - and that a man has been found who will take upon him the command of this rabble . " From the alderman's letter it ...
Page 24
... told one witness it was " the third time they had had him within ten days . " They claimed he confessed to them . Brought to court , John Hudson found that Justice Wills and the jury wore nosegays of fresh herbs to counter the ...
... told one witness it was " the third time they had had him within ten days . " They claimed he confessed to them . Brought to court , John Hudson found that Justice Wills and the jury wore nosegays of fresh herbs to counter the ...
Page 27
... told the court , and there was a chance she was . " I have not a witness in the world . " On the jury's verdict , Justice Heath con- demned her to death . She would be one of the women transported on the Lady Penrhyn when reprieved on ...
... told the court , and there was a chance she was . " I have not a witness in the world . " On the jury's verdict , Justice Heath con- demned her to death . She would be one of the women transported on the Lady Penrhyn when reprieved on ...
Contents
Section 16 | 218 |
Section 17 | 230 |
Section 18 | 245 |
Section 19 | 257 |
Section 20 | 270 |
Section 21 | 279 |
Section 22 | 289 |
Section 23 | 295 |
Section 9 | 135 |
Section 10 | 161 |
Section 11 | 171 |
Section 12 | 186 |
Section 13 | 190 |
Section 14 | 197 |
Section 15 | 204 |
Section 24 | 305 |
Section 25 | 320 |
Section 26 | 339 |
Section 27 | 363 |
Section 28 | 369 |
Other editions - View all
A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia Thomas Keneally No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
aboard Aboriginal alphabetical listing amongst Arabanoo arrived Arthur Phillip ashore Australia Barangaroo Bateson Bennelong boat Botany Bay Bowes Smyth British brought Bryant Cape Town Captain clothing coast Colby colony convict women Cook crew David Collins death England Eora European Evan Nepean fish Flynn Gorgon Government House governor harbour head honour hulks Irish John Johnson journey Kable King Lady Juliana Lady Penrhyn land Lieutenant London Lord Sydney Macarthur Major Ross male convicts marines Mary McEntire Nagle named natives Nepean Neptune Newgate Nicol Norfolk Island officers Parramatta Parramatta River party Pemulwuy penal Pérouse Philip Gidley King Phillip in Hunter Port Jackson Portsmouth pounds prison deck punishment Ralph Clark rations River sail sailors Second Fleet sent sentenced settlement ships Sirius soldiers South Wales Corps spear Supply Surgeon White Sydney Cove told transportation victs voyage Watkin Tench Wentworth wife woman wound wrote young