Female Factory

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Female factories were prison workhouses for women convicts transported to Australia during the time when some states were a penal colony.

Most female prisoners transported to Australia were assigned to households as servants. This was generally preferred over being sent to any of the female factories, which were overcrowded and harsh.

Women were sent to the female factories:

• While they awaiting assignment to a household
• While awaiting childbirth or weaning
• For punishment

The female factories were so named because the women were expected to work while there. [1]

[edit] Locations

Female factories were located at the following locations[2]:

• Parramatta, New South Wales
• Newcastle, New South Wales
• Port Macquarie, New South Wales
• Moreton Bay, Queensland

• Five female factories operated in Tasmania, which was called Van Diemen's Land during the period of transportation[3]:
  • Hobart Town
  • George Town
  • Cascades (Hobart)
  • Launceston
  • Ross

[edit] References

• ParraGirls.org
• Female Factories Research Group
• Cascades Female Factory Historic Site
• http://www.hotkey.net.au/~jwilliams4/factory.htm

[edit] See also

• Convictism in Australia