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The W estern A ustralian Convicts
Author(s) -
Meinzer Nicholas J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
australian economic history review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.493
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1467-8446
pISSN - 0004-8992
DOI - 10.1111/aehr.12070
Subject(s) - convict , immigration , government (linguistics) , colonialism , prison , demographic economics , demography , business , advertising , history , sociology , economics , criminology , archaeology , linguistics , philosophy
B ritish convicts transported to W estern A ustralia between 1850 and 1868 were not as positively selected regarding their human capital as early historical accounts suggest. The heights of the convicts were not statistically different from those of B ritish prisoners who were not transported. While few were skilled, the proportion of construction workers was higher than expected, consistent with selection for the needs of the colonial government's works on infrastructure. Data on inmates of F remantle P rison allow validation of height measurements and occupational statements in the convict list. A ustralian‐born prisoners were taller than those who came from B ritain as free immigrants.