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Convict-era Port Arthur : Misery of the deepest dye
An evocative narrative of the many tragedies that fell upon those who were forced to serve time in Port Arthur, one of the most remote and feared convict locations in Australia.
Detailing the development of the prison and its outlying stations, including its dreaded coal mines and providing an account of the changing views to convict rehabilitation, Convict-era Port Arthur focuses in on a number of individuals, telling the story through their eyes. Charles O’Hara Booth, a significant commandant of Port Arthur; Mark Jeffrey, a convict who became the grave digger on the Island of the Dead; and William Thompson, who arrived just as the new probation system started and who was forced to work in the treacherous coal mines.
Convict-era Port Arthur will for the first time provide a comprehensive history of Port Arthur, its horrors and its changing role over a fifty-year period. In gripping detail, using the experiences and words of the convicts, soldiers and administrators who spent time there, David W. Cameron brings to life these deeply miserable days.
Detailing the development of the prison and its outlying stations, including its dreaded coal mines and providing an account of the changing views to convict rehabilitation, Convict-era Port Arthur focuses in on a number of individuals, telling the story through their eyes. Charles O’Hara Booth, a significant commandant of Port Arthur; Mark Jeffrey, a convict who became the grave digger on the Island of the Dead; and William Thompson, who arrived just as the new probation system started and who was forced to work in the treacherous coal mines.
Convict-era Port Arthur will for the first time provide a comprehensive history of Port Arthur, its horrors and its changing role over a fifty-year period. In gripping detail, using the experiences and words of the convicts, soldiers and administrators who spent time there, David W. Cameron brings to life these deeply miserable days.
448 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2021
11 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
David W. Cameron
34 books11 followersDavid W. Cameron is a Canberra based author and has written several books on Australian military and convict history and human and primate evolution including over 60 internationally peer reviewed papers for various journals and book chapters. He received 1st Class Honours in Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Sydney and later went on to complete his Ph.D. in palaeoanthropology at the Australian National University.
He is a former Australian Research Council (ARC) Post Doctorial Fellow at the Australian National University (School of Archaeology) and an ARC QEII Fellow at the University of Sydney (Department of Anatomy and Histology). He has participated and led several international fieldwork teams in Australia, the Middle East (Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates); Europe (Hungary) and Asia (Vietnam and India) and has participated in many conferences and museum studies throughout the world.
He is a former Australian Research Council (ARC) Post Doctorial Fellow at the Australian National University (School of Archaeology) and an ARC QEII Fellow at the University of Sydney (Department of Anatomy and Histology). He has participated and led several international fieldwork teams in Australia, the Middle East (Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates); Europe (Hungary) and Asia (Vietnam and India) and has participated in many conferences and museum studies throughout the world.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 21, 2021
‘In all, close to 13,000 convicts spent time at Port Arthur during its 47-year history (with around 8 per cent of serving convicts buried there).'
In this book, Mr Cameron provides background to the establishment of Port Arthur, the history of its operation as a penal colony and its closure in 1877. We learn about the differing approaches to the treatment of convicts. about the semaphore system used to convey messages, about the ships built there as well as the coal mines, the convict operated railway and the attempts at escape. In telling the story of Port Arthur, Mr Cameron incorporates the stories of several individuals within the history, including Charles O’Hara Booth (Commandant of Port Arthur from 1833 to 1844); Mark Jeffrey (a convict who was the gravedigger on the Isle of the Dead between 1874 and 1877); and William Thompson (a cobbler transported for life in 1841 who spent a year working in the underground coal mines).
The responsibility for Port Arthur was transferred from the British government to Tasmania in 1870 and the penal settlement closed in 1877.
‘It was on that day, Monday, 17 September 1877, that the seven remaining convicts were transported to Hobart on board the schooner Harriet and the doors to buildings were locked – Port Arthur ceased to exist as a penal settlement.’
These days, Port Arthur is a tourist destination. I visited twice during the 1970s, trying to imagine convict life amongst the peaceful ruins that remain. I walked around the shell of the church and the remnants of the penitentiary, around to the dockyards. I have not been to the Coal Mine site. And I feel a need, now, to include Mr Cameron’s epilogue:
‘The most pathetic and cowardly criminal to arrive at Port Arthur entered the site on Sunday, 28 April 1996 – he killed 35 innocent people, and physically and emotionally wounded another 23 along with the psychological scarring of surviving witnesses.’
This is a comprehensive account of both the events leading to the establishment of the penal settlement of Port Arthur and its operation. I knew some of this history and learned more. This book is an important addition to Tasmania’s complicated colonial history. Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In this book, Mr Cameron provides background to the establishment of Port Arthur, the history of its operation as a penal colony and its closure in 1877. We learn about the differing approaches to the treatment of convicts. about the semaphore system used to convey messages, about the ships built there as well as the coal mines, the convict operated railway and the attempts at escape. In telling the story of Port Arthur, Mr Cameron incorporates the stories of several individuals within the history, including Charles O’Hara Booth (Commandant of Port Arthur from 1833 to 1844); Mark Jeffrey (a convict who was the gravedigger on the Isle of the Dead between 1874 and 1877); and William Thompson (a cobbler transported for life in 1841 who spent a year working in the underground coal mines).
The responsibility for Port Arthur was transferred from the British government to Tasmania in 1870 and the penal settlement closed in 1877.
‘It was on that day, Monday, 17 September 1877, that the seven remaining convicts were transported to Hobart on board the schooner Harriet and the doors to buildings were locked – Port Arthur ceased to exist as a penal settlement.’
These days, Port Arthur is a tourist destination. I visited twice during the 1970s, trying to imagine convict life amongst the peaceful ruins that remain. I walked around the shell of the church and the remnants of the penitentiary, around to the dockyards. I have not been to the Coal Mine site. And I feel a need, now, to include Mr Cameron’s epilogue:
‘The most pathetic and cowardly criminal to arrive at Port Arthur entered the site on Sunday, 28 April 1996 – he killed 35 innocent people, and physically and emotionally wounded another 23 along with the psychological scarring of surviving witnesses.’
This is a comprehensive account of both the events leading to the establishment of the penal settlement of Port Arthur and its operation. I knew some of this history and learned more. This book is an important addition to Tasmania’s complicated colonial history. Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 20, 2022
Really interesting topic,well written and researched. I'm not sure why it does not get more praise,but I'm wholeheartedly recommending it.
December 28, 2024
An excellent overview of the history and development of Australia's most notorious penal station. In places this book can be a bit of a catalogue of construction projects and development of existing buildings, but this does serve to explain how the site changed over time. This in turn reflects changes in attitudes to the punishment and/or reform of criminals over the period of the station at Port Arthur. In the early years it seems to have reflected the extreme brutality of the penal colonies on Norfolk Island and Macquarie Harbour, both of which were closed, with their remaining inmates sent to Port Arthur. In the middle years there appears to have been a turn from physical punishments - floggings and heavy irons etc. - to the experiment with the "model prison" system. By the end it was recognised that this approach was even more cruel than the early brutality, with long sensory deprivation and solitary confinement sending multiple prisoners insane.
In the end this is a very sad book, though one with a few lighter moments (such as a few of the more creative if less successful escape attempts). The sheer scale and expense of what we would regard as a inhuman system is remarkable. Anyone who has visited Port Arthur - now a site for picnics and outdoor weddings - will get a real understanding of the place from this book.
In the end this is a very sad book, though one with a few lighter moments (such as a few of the more creative if less successful escape attempts). The sheer scale and expense of what we would regard as a inhuman system is remarkable. Anyone who has visited Port Arthur - now a site for picnics and outdoor weddings - will get a real understanding of the place from this book.
September 23, 2023
A very informative insightful history of Tasmania’s involvement as a colonial destination and transit location for convicts from England, New Zealand and other Australian locations such as NSW and Norfolk Island.
This book helped me to contextualise my own family history from Tasmania, the occupations that were prevalent including blacksmithing and whaling, and the impact of convict life on the health of the families that lived in this era with connections to convicts.
It was also interesting to understand how the geography of the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas (separated by the Eaglehawk Neck isthmus) played a part in making Port Arthur one of the most difficult prisons from which to escape.
This book helped me to contextualise my own family history from Tasmania, the occupations that were prevalent including blacksmithing and whaling, and the impact of convict life on the health of the families that lived in this era with connections to convicts.
It was also interesting to understand how the geography of the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas (separated by the Eaglehawk Neck isthmus) played a part in making Port Arthur one of the most difficult prisons from which to escape.
November 26, 2022
Very thorough chronological history of the fascinating yet sad history of Port Arthur. As a bonus Cameron give a great overview of the pre Port Arthur Van Diemons Land. Loved the explanation of Macquarie Harbour and some bigger name convicts of VDL.
July 10, 2023
Thoroughly researched account of Port Arthur. Very detailed, with not as much storytelling but enjoyable nonetheless.
July 18, 2024
An extremely interesting read. For Australian history buffs, I’m certain you will thoroughly enjoy.
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August 21, 2024DNF - started before going to Port Arthur - good background read, but never finished it after trip
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews