Between 1788 and 1868, a total of 25 convict ships transported female convicts to Australia. These ships carried thousands of women, many of whom were serving sentences for crimes committed in Britain.
Some of the most notorious convict ships carrying female convicts included the Lady Juliana, which arrived in Sydney in 1790 carrying 226 women, and the Rajah, which arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) in 1841 carrying 180 women.
Unfortunately, some convict ships carrying female convicts did sink during their voyages to Australia. One of the most infamous incidents occurred in 1833, when the Amphitrite sank off the coast of Boulogne, France, while carrying 108 female convicts and 12 children. All aboard perished in the disaster.
Other convict ships carrying female convicts also encountered difficulties during their voyages, including outbreaks of disease, food shortages, and other logistical challenges. The conditions aboard these ships were often very difficult, and many women suffered from illness, injury, or other health problems as a result of their time at sea.
The following is a list of Female Convict Ships that sailed to Sydney, New South Wales and the female convicts were assigned from the ship or sent to the Parramatta Female Factory.
1788 (First Fleet)
Charlotte (F) – 22 January 1788
Friendship (F) – 21 January 1788
Lady Penrhyn (F) – 22 January 1788
Prince of Wales (F) – 22 January 1788
1790 (Second Fleet)
Lady Juliana (F) – 3 June 1790
Neptune – 28 June 1790
1791 (Third Fleet)
Mary Ann (F) – 9 July 1791
Queen (F) – 26 September 1791
Albermarle (F) – 13 October 1791
1792
Pitt (F) – 14 February 1792
Royal Admiral (F) – 7 October 1792
Kitty (F)- 18 November 1792
1793
Bellona (F) – 16 January 1793
Boddingtons (F) (I) (P) – 7 August 1793
Sugar Cane (F) – 17 September 1793
1794
William (F) – 10 March 1794
Surprize (F) – 25 October 1794
1795
1796
Marquis Cornwallis (F) – 11 February 1796
Indispensable (F) – 30 April 1796
1797
Lady Shore (F) – 28 August 1797
Britannia (F) (I) (P) – 27 May 1797
1798
Britannia (F) – 18 July 1798
1799
1800
Minerva (F) – 11 January 1800
Speedy (F) – 15 April 1800
1801
Anne (F) (I) (P) – 21 February 1801
Earl Cornwallis (F) – 12 June 1801
Nile (F) – 14 December 1801
1802
Atlas (I) (I) (F) – 7 July 1802
1803
Glatton (F) – 11 March 1803
Rolla (F) – 12 May 1803
1804
Experiment (F) – 12 June 1804
1806
Tellicherry (F) – 15 February 1806
William Pitt (F) – 11 April 1806
Alexander (F) – 20 August 1806
1807
Sydney Cove (F) – 18 June 1807
1808
Speke (F) – 16 November 1808
1809
Aeolus (F) – 26 January 1809
Experiment (F) (I) – 25 June 1809
Indispensable (F) – 18 August 1809
1810
Canada (F) – 8 September 1810
1811
Providence (F) – 2 July 1811
Friends (F) – 10 October 1811
1812
1813
Archduke Charles (F) (I) – 16 February 1813
1814
Wanstead (F) – 9 January 1814
Catherine (F) – 4 May 1814
Broxbornebury (F) – 27 July 1814
1815
Northampton (F) – 18 June 1815
Francis and Eliza (F) (I) – 8 August 1815
1816
Mary Anne (F) – 19 January 1816
Alexander (F) (I) – 4 April 1816
1817
Lord Melville (F) – 24 February 1817
Canada (I) (F) – 6 August 1817
Frederick – October 1817 (VDL; NSW)
1818
Friendship (F) – 14 January 1818
Maria (F) – 17 September 1818
Elizabeth (F) (I) – 19 November 1818
1819
1820
Lord Wellington (F) – 20 January 1820
Janus (F) – 3 May 1820
Morley (F) – 30 September 1820
1821
John Bull (F) – 18 December 1821
1822
Providence (F) – 7 January 1822 (53 to NSW)
Mary Anne (F) – 20 May 1822
1823
Lord Sidmouth (F) – 27 February 1823 (VDL; NSW)
Woodman (F) – 25 June 1823
Mary (F) – 18 October 1823 (VDL; NSW)
1824
Brothers (F) – 7 May 1824 (VDL) (39 to NSW)
Almorah (F) (I) – 20 August 1824
1825
Grenada (F) – 23 January 1825
Henry (F) – 27 February 1825 (VDL) (2 to NSW)
Mariner (F) – 10 July 1825
Midas (F) – 17 December 1825 (VDL) (50 to NSW, 3 children)
1826
Providence (F) – 16 May 1826 (VDL)
Lady Rowena (F) – 17 May 1826
1827
Sir Charles Forbes (F) – 3 January 1827 (VDL)
Grenada (F) – 23 January 1827
Brothers (F) (I) – 2 February 1827
Persion (1) (F) 5 August 1827
Princess Charlotte (F) – 6 August 1827
Harmony (F) – 27 September 1827
Louisa (F) – 3 December 1827
1828
Elizabeth (F) (I) – 12 January 1828
Competitor (F) – 10 October 1828
City of Edinburgh (F) (I) – 12 November 1828
1829
Edward (F) (I) – 26 April 1829
Princess Royal (F) – 19 May 1829
Sovereign (F) – 3 August 1829
Lucy Davidson (F) – 29 November 1829
1830
Asia (F) (I) – 13 January 1830
Roslin Castle (F) – 29 June 1830
Forth (2) (F) (I) – 12 October 1830
1831
Kains (F) – 11 March 1831
Earl of Liverpool (F) – 5 April 1831
Palambam (F) – 31 July 1831
Hooghley (F) – 27 September 1831
1832
Pyramus (F) – 5 March 1832
Burrell (F) – 20 May 1832
Southworth (F) – 14 June 1832
1833
Fanny (F) – 2 February 1833
Surry (F) – 9 March 1833
Diana (F) – 25 May 1833
Caroline (F) (I) – 6 August 1833
Buffalo (F) – 5 October 1833
1834
Numa (F) – 13 June 1834
Dart (F) – 9 July 1834 (Mauritius to NSW)
George Hibbert (F) – 1 December 1834
1835
Mary (F) – 6 September 1835
1836
Henry Wellesley (F) – 7 February 1836
Roslin Castle (F) – 25 February 1836
Thomas Harrison (F) – 9 June 1836
Elizabeth (F) – 12 October 1836
1837
Sarah and Elizabeth (F) – 23 April 1837
Margaret (F) – 30 May 1837
Henry Wellesley (F) – 22 December 1837
Sir Charles Forbes (F) – 25 December 1837
1838
Diamond (F) (I) – 28 March 1838
John Renwick (F) – 27 August 1838
1839
Margaret (F) – 5 January 1839
Planter (F) – 9 March 1839
Whitby (F) – 23 June 1839
Mary Anne (F) – 10 November 1839
Minerva (F) – 26 December 1839
1840
Gilbert Henderson – 24 April 1840 (VDL)
Surry (F) – 13 July 1840
Isabella (F) – 24 July 1840
Margaret (F) – 17 August 1840