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Who was the youngest convict sent to Australia?

Author

William Rodriguez

Published Jan 20, 2026

John Hudson, described as 'sometimes a chimney sweeper', was the youngest known convict to sail with the First Fleet. Voyaging on board the Friendship to NSW, the boy thief was 13 years old on arrival at Sydney Cove. He was only nine when first sentenced.

How old was Mary Wade when she was sent to Australia?

This book presents details of her life and descendents. Mary Wade was transported to New South Wales at the age of 11 in 1789. She had been found guilty of highway robbery and sentenced to death by hanging at her trial.

Who was the last Australian convict?

Samuel Speed, the last convict to die in Australia. The Mirror (Perth), 1938. Speed was born in Birmingham, England in 1841. He had one brother and one sister, but little else about his family or early life is known.

What did female convicts do in Australia?

Convict women were employed in domestic service, washing and on government farms, and were expected to find their own food and lodging. Punishment for those who transgressed was humiliating and public. Exile itself was considered a catalyst for reform.

Who was the most famous convict on the First Fleet?

John Hudson, described as 'sometimes a chimney sweeper', was the youngest known convict to sail with the First Fleet. Voyaging on board the Friendship to NSW, the boy thief was 13 years old on arrival at Sydney Cove. He was only nine when first sentenced.

20 related questions found

When was the first convict ship to Australia?

On May 13, 1787, the “First Fleet” of military leaders, sailors, and convicts set sail from Portsmouth, England, to found the first European colony in Australia, Botany Bay.

When did the last convicts arrive in Australia?

On 9 January 1868 the convict transport Hougoumont arrived at the port of Fremantle. On board were 269 convicts, the last to be sent to Western Australia. The ship's arrival marked the end of 80 years of continuous penal transportation to the Australian continent.

What were the 19 crimes that sent prisoners to Australia?

The crimes that make up 19 Crimes include:

  • Grand Larceny, theft above the value of one shilling.
  • Petty Larceny, theft under one shilling.
  • Buying or receiving stolen goods, jewels, and plate...
  • Stealing lead, iron, or copper, or buying or receiving.
  • Impersonating an Egyptian.
  • Stealing from furnished lodgings.

What was John Kellys crime?

John Kelly, who had been transported from Ireland to Australia for stealing two pigs, had to stand trial in Avenel Courthouse for cattle stealing, though he was later acquitted for the theft but charged with 'unlawful possession of a hide', for which he served four months.

Was Red Kelly a convict?

In 1865, Red was convicted in relation to the theft of a calf and sentenced to a fine of £25 or six months' hard labour. Although the family could not afford to pay the fine, there is no record of him being transferred to Kilmore Gaol. In December 1866 Red was fined for being drunk and disorderly.

What crimes did female convicts commit?

The crime of stealing clothes, along with jewellery, fabrics, and other household items, was particularly common among female convicts, especially those who worked as domestic servants or prostitutes.

How old was Mary Wade when she stole?

Mary Wade born 5 Oct 1777 in southwark London, Christened 21 Dec at St Olaves london and died 17 Dec 1859 at Fairy Meadow, Wollongong, New South Wales. She was 11 years old when tried and convicted of violent theft and highway robbery at the old bailey on the 14 Jan 1789.

How long did it take the convicts to get to Australia?

The eleven ships which arrived on 26 January 1788 are known as the First Fleet. They carried around 1400 convicts, soldiers and free people. The journey from England to Australia took 252 days and there were around 48 deaths on the voyage.

Why were Irish convicts sent to Australia?

Some of those who were transported to Australia, were prisoners of war, mainly those who fought in the 1798 Irish rebellion for independence, others were settlers who could not find a life during the Irish famine and the harsh years in Ireland afterwards.

When did they stop sending convicts to Tasmania?

From 1818 until 1853, convict ships were sent direct to Van Diemens Land rather than stopping in Sydney. In the 41 years of transportation, about 67,000 convicts (64,206 of which arrived direct from Britiain), around 22% of whom were Irish, arrived on over 300 transport ships.

What was Australia called in 1788?

After the Dutch era

Cook first named the land New Wales, but revised it to New South Wales. With the establishment of a settlement at Sydney in 1788, the British solidified its claim to the eastern part of Australia, now officially called New South Wales.

How many convict ships went to Australia?

In all, about 164,000 convicts were transported to the Australian colonies between 1788 and 1868 onboard 806 ships.

Who first landed on Australia?

James Cook was the first recorded explorer to land on the east coast in 1770. He had with him maps showing the north, west and south coasts based on the earlier Dutch exploration.

How many female convicts were on the First Fleet?

The ships departed with an estimated 775 convicts (582 men and 193 women), as well as officers, marines, their wives and children, and provisions and agricultural implements.

Who were the child convicts on the First Fleet?

There were about 50 children on the First Fleet when it arrived in Sydney. Some were convicts, some were children of marines and others were born on the ship on the journey out.

Where did the convicts sleep?

Convicts slept in hammocks that were folded away each morning. Each ward had a large wooden tub that served as a communal toilet. The convicts had to carefully carry these tubs outside daily to be emptied and cleaned. Each of the wards held up to 60 men.

What clothes did convicts wear?

Convict shirt

  • a cotton shirt.
  • white canvas trousers.
  • a thick blue woollen jacket.
  • a yellow and grey waistcoat.
  • stockings (long socks)
  • shoes.
  • a neckerchief.
  • a woollen or. leather cap. .