{"product_id":"convict-orphans-lucy-frost-9781761067686","title":"Convict Orphans: The Heartbreaking Stories of the Colony's Forgotten Children, and Those Who Succeeded Against All Odds","description":"\u003cb\u003eMany thousands of abandoned children were treated as free labour in late 19th century Australia, yet their stories have been hidden until now, even to their descendants. Lucy Frost's painstaking research has uncovered what really happened to the convict orphans.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAll families have their secrets, and a convict ancestor or an illegitimate birth were shames that families once buried deep. Among the best-hidden stories in Australia's history are those of convict orphans. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAgnes arrived on a convict transport aged four, and was abandoned when her mother needed to escape an abusive husband. After their mother died and their father deserted his children, Maria and Eliza Marriner were taken into state care too. Cut off from family, behind the walls of the imposing sandstone buildings of the Queen's Orphan Schools, they were among hundreds of young children entrusted to the much-feared Matron Smyth. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAt the age of twelve, the children left the orphanage to work without pay on farms and in homes-some of them places where no child should ever have been sent. Although colonists called it white slavery, the authorities turned a blind eye to what was really happening. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThere are stories of abuse and abandonment, and also of great generosity and kindness from individuals who rescued and supported children. Some children managed to build happy lives for themselves, but many could not navigate a system stacked against them. There are disturbing parallels between the Queen's Orphan Schools in Hobart and other children's institutions in Australia into the 21st century. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e'A beautifully written book detailing the evocative, heart-breaking stories of convict orphans painstakingly pieced together' - \u003ci\u003eAssociate Professor Tanya Evans\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e'A fascinating study, richly textured, and extremely well-researched' - \u003ci\u003eProfessor Barry Godfrey, University of Liverpool\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Lucy Frost\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1761067680\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781761067686\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Allen \u0026amp; Unwin\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/01\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Lucy Frost","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46489366429951,"sku":"9781761067686","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_ecc683a6-f299-4e84-9086-6f1ee83a9371.jpg?v=1736953345","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/convict-orphans-lucy-frost-9781761067686","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}