CONVICTS
Over 160 000 convicts were sent to Australia. Are you a descendant of one? How do you find out?
The State Library of Queensland has a rich and diverse collection of convict records including:
- Convict indents
- Tickets of leave
- Conditional and absolute pardons
- Colonial Secretary's papers
- Ships surgeon's journals
Also available is the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database. It contains records for more than 123 000 of the convicts transported to New South Wales, Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania), Port Phillip (Victoria), Moreton Bay (Queensland) and Western Australia.
How do I access items in this collection?
Access at the State Library of Queensland
- Find items in the collection via our One Search catalogue.
- Browse Levels 2, 3 and 4 or request items from onsite ‘Closed Access’ storage with your e-services card. If you order Closed Access items via the One Search catalogue ahead of your visit, items should be waiting for you when you arrive. You can order up to 3 days in advance. See delivery times for more information.
- Use our e-collections computers on level 2 to search the library’s catalogue; to search our databases for electronic journal, magazine and newspaper articles and to view images and manuscripts from our collection. These e-collections computers do not need to be booked and have no time limits on their use.
- You can also access our electronic resources via the State Library’s free wireless service if you have a laptop. Check our Info Guide on how to access wireless for details.
Access offsite
- You can access selected offsite databases to search for electronic journal, magazine and newspaper articles. You will be prompted to login with your e-services card or QPL account.
- Some State Library items are available for loan to other libraries. Contact your local library for information about interlibrary loan and copy services.
Search our collections:
Related links
- Information for family historians
- Family history - Info Guides
- slq family history Nnub
- British convict transportation registers database
- Convict Queenslanders
- View Thomas Dowse's Memoirs
- Convict Barracks, Brisbane
External links
- First Fleet online database - University of Wollongong
- Convicts and the British colonies in Australia
- Convicts - digitised material from the National Library of Australia
- Queensland State Archives - Indexes to the Chronological Register of Prisoners 1824-1839
Last updated: 18th November 2011
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