The Men of KokodaOn this day 64 years ago, July 15 in 1942, 95 officers and men of B company 39th Militia battalion arrived at the airstrip at Kokoda...
Salt Water VicPaul Blair Hi Paul, The Maribyrnong River was known as the Salt Water River until about 1913. In...
Hi Roslyn,
Actually I wasn't as correct as I should have been! I think the term Probationary was used more for those arriving in NSW and Exiles for those arriving in VDL and Port Phillip. They were also referred to as Pentonvillains in Port Phillip, where most of them came from Pentonville Prison in London. Others came from Parkhurst, Millbank, and some of the hulks. The years seem to be about 1844-1849.
They were prisoners who had already served a period of their sentence, had been disciplined and trained in a trade in readiness for a useful occupation in the colonies. They were really seen as a partial solution for the labour shortage here. Some were given a Ticket-of-Leave when they landed (my NSW one got a Ticket-of-Leave which he subsequently lost and had to get a replacement!), but more common was a conditional pardon which allowed them to go where they pleased except back to England until the completion of their sentence.
For the ones that ended up in Port Phillip, some or all ships went to VDL first offloading the ones that were "not the pick of the crop".
Ships included: Royal George, Sir George Seymour, Stratheden, Maitlant, Sir Thomas Arbuthnot, Joseph Somes, Marion, Anna Maria, and Eden.
Hope that helps .............. Susie Z
