Convict Guide - published 2006 - Manual / Resource - Page 93
Guide to New South Wales State archives relating to convicts and convict administration
was changed in 1831 when private settlers were again required to
provide the same ration as the government. (Hirst, Convict Society,
p.48).
Weekly rations at
the Female Factory
In the Female Factory at Parramatta each woman received a weekly
ration of 7 pounds of bread (one-third made of maize flour), 3½ pounds
of fresh meat, 1 pound of sugar, and 2 ounces of tea.
After the inmates were divided into three classes the diet was regulated
along class lines with the first receiving the most and the third class
substantially less. Tea could also be removed as a punishment. (Salt,
Outcast Women, pp.72-3, 92).
Mismanagement in
distributing rations
at the Female
Factory
Government enquiries produced evidence of mismanagement at the
Factory and of corruption in the distribution of rations. Occasionally
women of the third, or worst class, escaped with the object of finding
food in the township of Parramatta. (Salt, Outcast Women, pp.96-7,
Kass et al, Parramatta, p.98).
Clothing for convicts
Convicts were given clothing on board the convict transports or on
arrival, but their apparel was often worn out within a few months. (Salt,
Outcast Women, p.62). The clothing was described in 1814 by Surgeon
Redfern as consisting of 'blue cloth, or kersey jackets and waistcoats,
duck trousers, check or coarse linen shirts, yarn stockings and woollen
caps'. (HRA vol. 8, p.281).
Items of clothing
supplied to male
convicts
In his evidence to the Bigge Commission on 29 October 1819, Major
George Druitt described how, 'When each convict lands from the Ship,
he receives a suit consisting of a coarse woollen jacket and waistcoat of
Yellow or grey cloth, a pair duck or cloth trowsers a pair of worsted
Stockings a pair of shoes two cotton or linen shirts a neck handkerchief
and a woollen cap. The clothing given in the Colony generally every six
months and when no other can be had from the Commissariat Supplies
is a woollen Jacket and trowsers of the Colonial Manufacture, a pair of
shoes, a Shirt of linen purchased and made up in the Lumbar Yard. The
Stone quarry men, the Grass cutters, the woodcutters, Bullock drivers
and carters each receive a pair of shoes every three months. No hats
caps or stockings are issued except those sent from England. In the
Summer months when the Commissariat Supplies admit of it, each
Convict receives one Smock frock, one shirt, one pair of trowsers one
pair of Shoes and one cap; His Excellency the Governor ordered an
additional pair of trowsers to be issued to each man to appear clean at
church on Sunday.' (Ritchie, Evidence to the Bigge Reports, vol. 1,
p.15).
Clothing of convicts
in government and
private employment
Distinctive dress (the yellow attire) was usually worn by convicts in
government employment but those in private employ had no such
uniform and this made it difficult to distinguish free immigrant workers
from convicts. (Hirst, Convict Society, pp.126, 177). Bigge and others
favoured uniforms but there was a general resistance to this,
particularly among the wealthy who dressed their assigned servants in
livery. (Hirst, Convict Society, p.126).
Items of clothing
supplied to female
convicts in the
Female Factory
From 1821-1824 women in the Female Factory wore 'blue or brown
serge, or stuff-fawn, and white apron, and straw bonnet for Sunday, a
jacket and coarse apron for week days, with a common straw bonnet of
a strong texture'. (Hirst, Convict Society, p.72). Following the division of
women prisoners into three classes, distinctions in dress were
introduced with the first class receiving special clothes for Sunday wear.
The Third class wore 'a dress by which they could be clearly
distinguished' and were further singled out by 'having their hair closely
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State Records Authority of New South Wales