The Floating Brothel - The Extraordinary True Story of an 18th-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts (Paperback, New Ed)

In the late 18th century The Times estimated that there were some 50,000 prostitutes working in and around London. This was just one reason why women regularly outnumbered men as defendants in trials at the Old Bailey. Since the Transportation Act of 1720 there had been an efficient and relatively uncontroversial way of ridding society of its 'unwanted' elements and by the 1780s a new colony in New South Wales was being established. In July 1789, the Lady Julian set sail for Botany Bay and among its cargo were 237 female convicts, about half of whom were taken from Newgate Prison and the remainder from gaols around the country. On board they found themselves subject to the seaman's custom of taking a female 'mate' on such voyages. In this bestselling book, now published in paperback, Rees tells the story of the women who endured this journey of 13,000 miles and almost a year, halfway around the world, to a frontier land where they were expected to play their part in breeding the next generation of colonists. She draws upon the journal kept by the ship's steward, John Nicol, together with other contemporary sources, to take us into life aboard ship and into a grim and often heartrending chapter in our colonial history. (Kirkus UK)

In July 1789, 237 women convicts left England for Botany Bay in Australia on board a ship called The Lady Julian, destined to provide sexual services and a breeding bank for the men already there. This is the enthralling story of the women and their voyage. Based on painstaking research into contemporary sources such as letters, trial records and the first-hand account of the voyage written by the ship's steward, John Nicol, this is a riveting work of recovered history. The Floating Brothel brilliantly conjures up the sights, sounds and particularly the smells of life on board ship at the time and is populated by a cast of larger-than-life characters you will never forget.

General

Imprint:	Headline Review
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	2002
Authors:	Sian Rees
Dimensions:	198 x 128 x 17mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - B-format
Pages:	256
Edition:	New Ed
ISBN-13:	978-0-7472-6632-7
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > Australasian & Pacific history > 1750 to 1900 Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Crime & criminology > Penology & punishment > General Books > History > Australasian & Pacific history > 1750 to 1900 Promotions
LSN:	0-7472-6632-8
Barcode:	9780747266327

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