Convicts and the British colonies in Australia
In 1788, the eleven ships of the First Fleet landed their ‘cargo’ of around 780 British convicts at Botany Bay in New South Wales. Two more convict fleets arrived in 1790 and 1791, and the first free settlers arrived in 1793.
From 1788 to 1823, the Colony of New South Wales was officially a penal colony comprised mainly of convicts, marines and the wives of the marines. for more click here
