Convict Orphans: The heartbreaking stories of the colony's forgotten children, and those who succeeded against all odds

by Lucy Frost

Many thousands of abandoned children were treated as free labour in late 19th century Australia, yet their stories have been hidden until now, even to their descendants. Lucy Frost's painstaking research has uncovered what really happened to the convict orphans.

'This moving story of thousands of cast away children is a vital part of our nation's history.' - David Hill, author of The Forgotten Children

All families have their secrets, and a convict ancestor or an illegitimate birth were shames that families once buried deep. Among the best-hidden stories in Australia's history are those of the convict orphans.

Agnes arrived on a convict transport aged four and was abandoned when her mother needed to escape an abusive husband. After their mother died and their father deserted them, Maria and Eliza Marriner were taken into state care too. Cut off from family, behind the walls of the imposing sandstone buildings of the Queen's Orphan Schools, they were among hundreds of young children entrusted to the much feared Matron Smyth.

At the age of twelve, the children left the orphanage to work without pay on farms and in homes-some of them places where no child should ever have been sent. Although colonists called it white slavery, the authorities turned a blind eye to what was really happening.

These are stories of abuse and abandonment, and also of great generosity and kindness from individuals who rescued and supported children. Some children managed to build happy lives for themselves, but many could not navigate a system stacked against them. There are disturbing parallels between the Queen's Orphan Schools in Hobart and other children's institutions in Australia into the 21st century.

'A beautifully written book detailing the evocative, heartbreaking stories of convict orphans painstakingly pieced together' - Professor Tanya Evans, author of Fractured Families

'A fascinating study, richly textured, and extremely well-researched' - Professor Barry Godfrey, University of Liverpool

Genres: Nonfiction, History

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2023

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little, lost, unloved, torn from parents who, as deported convicts had no support to help keep their children. As unvalued in their childhood years as the residential schools in the US and Canada, or the orphan train children of the US.
This is meticulousiy researched and written with feeling for its subjects, whether they were overwhelmed by their hard lives or, marvellously, endured and created families and a livelihood.
Orphan Convicts strengthens my belief in the unique value of every human and also provokes thought about the effects of such a history on the ethos of modern Australia and Tasmania.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars for fact and data, so much research.

These are the stories of stolen convict children, have they ever been recognised? Recompensed? Say sorry.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched and interesting book. Not the authors fault, but the stories were repetitive, so it would have been more interesting, if possible, to delve into the families of the children which she did towards the end. Maybe more information on the boats they came on? Just a bit more about the environment these children were surrounded by would have been good.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. The author has obviously done an enormous amount of research, connecting dots that would have been almost impossible to find.

Obviously given the socioeconomic status of the children, there is very limited information about their lives publicly recorded, but it was really interesting to read the snippets the author did find.

It did seem like the presumably awful atmosphere of the orphanage was glossed over a bit, and a lot of assumptions were made, but it was still worth reading. I have read barely any books set in Tasmania in that time period, so it was interesting to learn about it.

[Chelle Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking insight into the lives of children forced to navigate life under the duress of little love and care. Stringent routines controlled their daily tasks with little appreciation or mindfulness to developing skills to help with later life. They were farmed out to families as cheap labour and it was pure luck if the abuse did not continue there. An unsettling read but one that shares the sad truth of our early colony.

[R Fardon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Find

A friend lent me this book because she knew I had an interest in my family history. What neither of us knew was that I would find my GG grandfather amongst the pages of this incredible story. Joseph Longstaff. Son of a Convict who married a child of a Convict. Thank you Lucy for filling in the holes in their lives for me.

[Jill Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the research for this work is thorough and impressive I found the writing pedestrian and stories repetitive.

I did not finish as, with several other tempting titles on my bookshelves, I wanted to use my time for other reading.

[Jay Somethng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very comprehensive and gave a real feeling of being there at the time.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

heartbreaking on wat these children went through..An excellent read

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking.

[Kangelani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding. Heartbreaking. Desperately sad. A stain on our history is an understatement.
Brilliant research by Lucy Frost. I cried many times while reading this book.

[Julie MacKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well researched book detailing the lives of the convict 'orphans' who weren't always actual orphans. Occasionally I felt like it went down little rabbit trails giving more information about the people who took in the orphans as apprentices than I wanted to know. It's not a gripping read, but it is interesting nonetheless, and good to learn about a long hidden part of Australia's history.

[Jennie Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

shocking