Ross Female Factory facts for kids
The Overseer's Cottage, the only building remaining
|
|
| Location | Ross, Tasmania |
|---|---|
| Status | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Security class | Former female factory, penal colony |
| Opened | 1848 |
| Closed | 1854 |
The Ross Female Factory was a special workhouse for women who were sent to Australia as punishment. It was located in a place called Ross in Tasmania. This factory was open from 1848 to 1854.
Today, the Ross Female Factory is one of 11 places in Australia that are part of the Australian Convict Sites. These sites are so important that UNESCO has listed them as World Heritage Sites. This means they are special places that the whole world should protect.
These sites show how people were sent from Britain to Australia as a form of punishment. The Ross Female Factory specifically tells the story of the women who were sent there. It shows how this system was used to punish women and also to try and change their behaviour.
You can visit the Overseer's Cottage at the factory today. It's the only building left and helps people imagine what life was like there. When experts dug up the area, they found that the factory had three main parts. These were called the Crime Class, the Solitary Cells, and the Hiring Class. These sections were like different stages that the women went through while they were there.
Contents
What Was the Ross Female Factory?
The Ross Female Factory opened its doors in March 1848. It closed in November 1854. This was just after Britain stopped sending people to Van Diemen's Land (which is now Tasmania) in 1853.
The factory had many uses. It was a place where women could be hired to work for local families. It was also a stopover point for women travelling between towns. Plus, it had a special area for new mothers and babies.
Why Were Women Sent Here?
Women were often sent to the factory to be hired out. They would work for settlers, mostly as house servants. If a woman broke a rule or caused trouble while working, her employer could send her back to the factory for punishment.
Who Ran the Factory?
The first person in charge was Dr. William J. Irvine. He was also the doctor for the factory. His wife, Ann, was the Matron. She was in charge of the women.
What Happened After It Closed?
After the factory closed in 1854, the police used the buildings. The chapel, which was part of the factory, was used by the Roman Catholic Church.
Discovering the Past
Since 1995, archaeologists have been digging at the Ross Female Factory. An archaeologist named Eleanor Casella has led these digs. They help us learn more about what the factory was like and how people lived there.
Many hundreds of women lived at the Ross Female Factory during the six and a half years it was open. Some of their personal stories are shared in a book called Convict Lives at the Ross Female Factory.
