Quiz - The Life and Crimes of Newcastle's Convict History

1

Newcastle was established in 1804 and had a reputation for harsh and frequent punishment for convicts, but it did not start as "Newcastle." What was the original name of the town/settlement?

Newcastle Upon Hunter

Coal River Settlement

New Albion

Van Diemen's Land

2

Newcastle was established as the Coal River Settlement, because for punishment convicts would have to work tirelessly to mine mostly coal, but also lime and cedar.

3

Which street was the first to be built in Newcastle?

Church Street

King Street

Hunter Street

Watt Street

4

Watt Street was the first street in Newcastle. It was a continuation from a pier built in 1804 and was known as High Street or George Street (after King George) until 1823.

5

Between 1804 and 1966, how many people were buried in the graveyard behind the Christ Church Cathedral?

Up to 800

Approximately 950

Approximately 1,200

At least 3,300

6

At least 3,300 people were thought buried on the hill behind the Cathedral, and approximately one-third of those being children under the age of three.

7

Which of the following offences were punishable by transportation?

Watermen carrying too many passengers on the Thames

Cutting or burning clothes

Stealing fish from a pond or river

Stealing trees or plants above value of 5 shillings

All of the above

8

If you committed any of the above crimes, you were subject to transportation to Australia.

9

Roughly how many months did it take for the First Fleet to reach Australia in 1788?

6 months

8 months

12 months

10

The First Fleet (or the Botany Bay Fleet) took roughly 250 days from departure to landing or about eight months.

11

How many ships made up the First Fleet?

6

11

15

16

12

The First Fleet (1788) had in its convoy: - 2 navy escort ships - 6 convict transport ships - 3 store ships To save you the math, that's 11 ships.

13

What was the nutritional deficiency disease commonly suffered by those convicts who sailed to Australia?

Pellagra (a lack of vitamin B3)

Beriberi (a lack of vitamin B1)

Scurvy (a lack of vitamin C)

Rickets (a lack of vitamin D)

14

Scorbutus (aka scurvy, the pirates' disease, or the grey-death) wiped out many of the convicts before they reached the shore.

15

The "cat o' nine tails" was a common form of punishment for convicts back in the day. What was it?

A whip with 9 knotted tails

Leg irons that were worn for 9 days

Inflicting 9 deep cuts into a convicts lower back

Throwing 9 cats in the convict's face (usually swung from their tails)

16

Luckily for the cats (though unlucky for the convicts), the "cat-o-nine tails" was a whip, with knots tied along its nine tails. The purpose of the knots was to inflict additional damage to the skin, thus producing more pain for the convicts receiving the punishment.

17

Which of the following statements are true about Newcastle's first gaol?

a) Designed for 30 inmates; housed up to 160

b) When it opened it took many years for beds to be provided

c) Prisoners weren't classified properly

d) Inmates would often be forced to spend days in silence as a punishment

e) All of the above

f) None of the above

g) a, b and c

18

Prisoners were subject to overcrowding, poor sleeping conditions, and potentially frightful roommates (a, b, and c).

19

What were some common forms of punishment for Newcastle's early inmates?* This field is required.

Coal mining

Lime-burning

Penal treadmills

Timber-cutting

Turning the crank

Public works programs

20

Although the crank and penal treadmills were both common forms of punishment in 19th-century prisons, they did not find their way into Newcastle Gaol. Prisoners here being subjected to coal mining, lime-burning, timber-cutting, and public works programs.

21

When did Newcastle become a free settlement?

1804

1820

1823

1842

22

Newcastle was established in 1804. When the penal colony at Port Macquaire opened in 1820, most of the Newcastle convicts were sent there. By 1823 military rule ended in Newcastle, and it became a free settlement.

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You finished with a score of {youScored} out of 14.

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You finished with a score of {youScored} out of 14.

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29

You finished with a score of {youScored} out of 14.

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30

You finished with a score of {youScored} out of 14.

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