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Archiver > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS > 2007-09 > 1189226529


From: Gary Luke <>
Subject: Re: [PJ] RSVP - 150th anniv. Gottorp arrival this month {+ an"ORIGINS" seminar planning for 2008)
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007 14:42:09 +1000
References: <3.0.6.32.20070908141248.0094b4e0@pop.ozemail.com.au>
In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.20070908141248.0094b4e0@pop.ozemail.com.au>


At 02:12 PM 8/09/2007, you wrote:

John

>This post is not convicts-related but is Port Jackson related so I hope
>it's alright to post it here. It concerns the arrival of the German ship
>Gottorp in 1857 (same year as the sinking of the Dunbar but after the Dunbar).
<snip>
>The men were described as per the diary as being mostly as follows:
>"outcasts and not of a progressive type". And it was added "They were even
>paid to leave the country and were given 40 Gulden to assist them on their
>way".


It might be convict related, but not convicts from Britain. It's not
well known that Germany and France shuffled off some of their
criminals to America in the mid 1800s. Their prison sentences were
reduced in return for permanently leaving their country. They were
paid to leave, giver a free voyage, and given papers to appear as
though they were ordinary migrants. From this diary comment it seems
that Australia might also have been one of their destinations. You
may have uncovered a bit of our undocumented history.


Gary




_________________________________
Gary Luke ~
Sydney, Australia

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