State Library of Queensland > Collections > Family history > Convicts

CONVICTS

Artist's impression of the Convict Barracks, Queen Street, Brisbane, Image No. 31216

Image of a watercolour painting of Moreton Bay Settlement New South Wales in 1835, Image No. 3944-1v000r001

Thomas Dowse, Town Clerk of Brisbane and ex-convict, Image No. 63310

Windmill from Wickham Terrace, Brisbane, ca. 1885, Image No. 11359

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 on-site ‘Closed Access’ storage with your e-services card. If you order Closed Access items via the One Search catalogue 24 hours ahead of your visit, items should be waiting for you when you arrive. You can order up to 3 days in advance.
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 off-site

If you are at home, 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.

Last updated: 2nd November 2009

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