Correspondence and papers, Domestic and general. George III, 1782-1820

Component identifier:

Series HO 42

Extent:

144 items

Content Summary:

Most of the documents filmed by the Australian Joing Copying Project comprise correspondence and other papers of the Secretary of State and officials of the Home Office relating to prisons and the transportation of convicts. They include reports on overcrowding in prisons and requests for the removal of convicts; petitions by or on behalf of convicts; proposals for convict settlements in several countries; reports on the convict hulks; lists of convicts under sentence of transportation; estimates of the cost of sending convicts to New South Wales (1786); reports on the chartering of convict ships; conditions on the ships and incidents on voyages; the proposals of Jeremy Bentham for Panopticon penitentiaries (1794-1810) and pardons granted to convicts by governors.

Other papers deal with the organisation of the First Fleet (1786-1787); applications for appointments in New South Wales; provisions and stores sent to New South Wales; the expedition to the South Seas to procure breadfruit (1787); the Pacific-exploring expedition led by Capt. G. Vancouver (1790-1794); returns from the governors on expenses in New South Wales; lists of colonial officials and their salaries; and petitions for passages from free settlers (including families of convicts).

Correspondents include Sir Joseph Banks, John Beckett, Jeremy Bentham, John Blankett, J. Bradley, John Call, Duncan Campbell, John Capper, Samuel Enderby, Sir Jerome Fitzpatrick, Aaron Graham, Capt. John Hunter, Lachlan Macquarie, Maurice Margarot, Sir Henry Martin, Sir Charles Middleton, Sir Evan Nepean, Capt. Arthur Phillip, William Richards, Lord Sidmouth, William Wilberforce and Sir George Young.

The Australian Joint Copying Project filmed selected extracts only from the pieces in this Series, with the exception of pieces 2-5, 9, 11, 14 and 18, which were filmed in full.

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