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Abstract

This thesis is an analysis of the outcomes of the trials of 7,763 committals to
the Salford Hundred quarter sessions between 1828 and 1837, and an examination of
the penal and social experiences of 723 Salford Hundred convicts who were
transported to Van Diemen's Land.
It is presented in three parts. The first contains essential background: an
historiographical survey of frameworks used by recent historians to explain convict
behaviour; the methodology used to identify the convict cohort and analyse
experiences; a description of distinguishing geographic, demographic, economic and
social features of the Salford Hundred; and an account of the historic roles of quarter
sessions, justices of the peace and the law on larceny as they affected trials in the
Salford Hundred.
The second part is a detailed statistical assessment of offences and offenders
at Salford Hundred quarter sessions. It identifies some characteristics of the 7,763
people committed to trial and the 1,728 convicted felons sentenced to transportation,
provides six basic tables which give quantitative assessments of offences, makes
some historiographical evaluations, and compares the outcomes with similar
historiographical examinations. A major feature which emerges is an unmistakable
association between sentencing to transportation and previous criminal conduct. The third part describes social, economic and penal conditions in Van Diemen's Land, identifies some characteristics of the 723 Salford Hundred convicts
actually transported, examines their social and penal experiences, identifies some
important features of their behaviour, and makes comparisons between their criminal
involvement prior to transportation and their experiences in Van Diemen's Land.
This thesis concludes that sentences of transportation at the Salford Hundred
quarter sessions were given to hardened and persistent criminals and not to
occasional or accidental offenders; that women convicts were sentenced to
transportation not because of their gender but because of their criminality; that there
was less criminal behaviour in Van Diemen's Land than was commonly believed in
Britain; that the Salford Hundred convicts generally responded favourably to their
new circumstances in Van Diemen's Land; and that the transportation system in
regard to Salford Hundred convicts was successful as a means of reformation.

Item Type:	Thesis - PhD
Authors/Creators:	Johnson, LD
Keywords:	Crime, Prisoners, Penal colonies
Copyright Information:	Copyright 2002 the author - The University is continuing to endeavour to trace the copyright owner(s) and in the meantime this item has been reproduced here in good faith. We would be pleased to hear from the copyright owner(s).
Additional Information:	Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tasmania, 2002. Includes bibliographical references
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