Lifestyle

Initially, the male convicts were the first to be off the ships. Their primary jobs were to cut down trees, built huts, hospitals, farms, and bridges, cleared land and anything else the Government needed. Contradict to the male convicts, female convicts were the last to leave the ship, 11 days after. The jobs they had were: set up a place to live, sawing clothes for workers, work as maid or servants and looking after the children.

Unfortunately, the season was summer and therefore many people became sick because they haven't adapted to the unsympathetic Australian sun making their work remarkably worse.

When the first colony arrived to Australia, food was scarce. Crops didn't grow due to the infertile soil. Hence, the colony was severely relied on supplies from England.

The male convicts there were employed by the Government were given 3kg of beef, 3kg of flour, 1.3kg maize meal and 0.3kg of sugar per week. The female convicts were given less rations because their work required less physical activities.

If any of the convicts were caught for minor crimes, such as swearing or stealing a small item, their punishments were to be flogged by cat-o-nine tail. However, if the crime was serious, their punishment would be to work at the leg iron for 3 to 6 years.