Unwilling Emigrants by Alexandra Hasluck

Book Description

Secondhand. Near fine condition.

The discovery of a tattered bundle of letters inspired this book. Myra Sykes wrote the letters to her husband, William, who had been transported to the Swan River Colony. In the 1850s, the eastern colonies had either ceased taking convicts or were in the process of ending transportation. However, the Swan River Colony settlers were desperate for labour and petitioned the British government to send convicts. Alexandra Hasluck uses William Sykes as an example of the "prototype "convict sent to Western Australia.