CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others. with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged ................... (Signed). UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Project Report Sheet Surname or Family name: ROBBINS First name: WILLIAM Other name/s: MURRAY Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: Industrial Relations and Organisational Behaviour Faculty: Commerce Title: The Management of Convict Labour Employed by New South Wales Government 1788·1830 Abstract: This thesis examines how the labour of convicts employed in the public sector was organised, coordinated, supervised, rewarded and punished. In addition the thesis also examines how convict workers responded to management controls: resistance or consent. In doing this the thesis explicitly applies labour process theory and feminist theory to the management of convict labour In three empirical case studies: the convict work gangs, the skilled Lumber Yards and the Female Factory in Parramatta. The convict gangs were an enduring form of work organisation for mainly (but not exclusively) unskilled male convicts. The Lumber Yards were government enterprises established in Sydney and at Parramatta in order to manufacture metal and timber products needed by government projects. The Female Factory at Parramatta was asylum, hospital, prison as well as a place of work for female convicts but the productive employment of the women has often been neglected. The thesis establishes that the management of convict labour in these three areas did not conform to a major theoretical perspective offered by labour process theory, namely that the employment of the convicts would be regulated by a simple model of labour process controls. On the contrary the thesis argues that the management of male convict workers relied on an elaborate and sophisticated system of regulations that were more akin to a bureaucratic model of control. In addition, the thesis argues that between 1788· 1 821 the management of convict males was not as brutal as is commonly characterised by popular opinion. Nevertheless from 1822 harsher controls became a reality for male convicts in public employment although these remained firmly bureaucratic rather than simple or direct. On the other hand the more extensive employment of the female convicts was only apparent at the end of the period under review. Much early feminist theory argued this neglect reflected the values of a patriarchal society but this view can ignore the intensity of resistance by the women. It is argued that the resistance displayed by the women was a critical factor in the government's reluctance to employ more convict women. Declaration relating to disposition of project report/thesis I am fully aware of the policy of the University relating to the retention and use of higher degree profect reports and theses, namely that the University retains the copies submitted for examination and Is free to allow them to be consulted or borrowed. Subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the University may issue a project report or thesis In whole or In part, In photostat or microfilm or other copying medium. I also authorisen the publication by University MicrofilmsBf O word abstract in Dissertation Abstracts International (applicable to . .... Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional�<:: stances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing to the Registrar. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances if accompanied by a letter of support from the Supervisor or Head of School. Such requests must be submitted with the thesis/project report. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Dat f ' requiremen� \ � ?� O� \ THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS THE MANAGEMENT OF CONVICT LABOUR EMPLOYED BY NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT 1788-1830 WILLIAM MURRAY ROBBINS Submitted for the award PhD. 2001 CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments v List of Tables, Charts and Graph VI CHAPTER ONE THE MANAGEMENT OF CONVICT LABOUR 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 The convict labour process 3 1.3 The hypotheses and methodology 5 1.4 Conclusion 8 CHAPTER TWO CONVICT LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 The early debate: the radical and conservative discourse 11 2.3 A new orthodoxy 14 2.4 The new challenge to orthodoxy 17 2.5 The feminist challenge 20 2.6 The current debate 28 2. 7 Conclusion 32 CHAPTER THREE LABOUR PROCESS THEORY: REVIEW AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Introduction 34 3.2 Marx's theory of the labour process 36 3.3 Friedman and worker resistance to the labour process 44 3.4 Edwards and forms of labour process control 46 3.5 Burawoy and the manufacture of consent 52 3.6 Feminism, gender and patriarchy 56 3.7 Conclusion 65 11 Page CHAPTER FOUR THE SYSTEM OF TRANSPORTATION: AN OVERVIEW 4.1 Introduction 68 4.2 Convict numbers and demographics 68 4.3 The policy oftransportation 70 4.4 Role of Governor 71 4.5 The Bigge Inquiry 74 4.6 The problem of coercion 76 4.7 Conclusion 79 CHAPTER FIVE CONTROL AND RESISTANCE: A CASE STUDY OF THE GANG SYSTEM 1788-1830 5.1 Introduction 80 5.2 Size of the gang system 81 5.3 The work of the convict gangs 89 5.3 .1 Gang work 1790 and 1800 90 5.3.2 Gang work in 1820 92 5.3.3 Gang work 1825 and 1829 96 5.4 Organisational structure ofthe gang system 99 5.4 .1 Organisational structure of gang system circa 1814 100 5.4.2 Organisational structure of gang system circa 1820 102 5.4.3 Organisational structure of gang system circa late 1820s 110 5.5 Nature and quality of gang supervision 124 5.6 Convict resistance to management control 132 5. 7 Conclusion 144 CHAPTER SIX THE MANAGEMENT OF SKILLED LABOUR AT THE LUMBERYARDS 6.1 Introduction 147 6.2 The rise and fall of the Lumber Yards 149 6.3 The workforce of the Lumber Yards 156 6.4 Work organisation 160 lll Page 6.5 Work control 165 6.6 Supervision 172 6. 7 Productivity of Lumber Yard labour 180 6.8 Conclusion 184 CHAPTER SEVEN FEMALE CONVICTS AND THE FEMALE FACTORY, PARRAMATTA, 1803-1830 7.1 Introduction 187 7.2 The first female factory-an overview 1788-1820 189 7.3 The new female factory-an overview 1820-1830 195 7.4 The workforce of the female factories 201 7.5 The work performed at the female factories 207 7.6 Industrial output at the female factories 212 7. 7 Control, administration and supervision of factory work 217 7.8 Punishment and resistance 228 7.9 Conclusion 236 CHAPTER EIGHT CONCLUSION 8.1 Introduction 240 8.2 Distinguishing labour power and labour use 241 8.3 Evaluation ofhypotheses 243 8.4 Conclusion 259 BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Sources: Archival Material 265 Primary Sources: Published Material 267 Secondary Sources: Books 269 Secondary Sources: Articles 281 lV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are many people who have helped make the completion of this thesis possible. I would like to thank my supervisors Dr John Shields and Dr Chris Wright. While each contributed enthusiasm for and support of my topic, John helped start the project and Chris helped resolve it. I would also like to publicly acknowledge the support of my colleagues in the School of Business but in particular Mr John Saw and Mr Gerry Voll who did so much more than encourage my efforts. I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the financial and time release assistance given to me by my Faculty and by Charles Sturt University. Finally, I want to thank my family, Karen, Zoe, Odette and Madeline, without whose support I could not have even been dreamed of finishing this thesis. v LIST OF TABLES, CHARTS AND GRAPH Tables Page 5.1 Male Workforce ofGangs and Total Number ofConvicts Maintained by Government for New South Wales, Various Dates 85 5.2 Gang System by Industry Sector 1790 and 1800 91 5.3 Gang System by Industry Sector 1820 93 5.4 Gang System by Industry Sector 1825 and 1829 97 5.5 Numbers of Superintendents and Overseers in Gang System, Sydney, 1796-1820 128 5.6 Numbers of Gang Supervisors 1825 and 1829 130 5. 7 Span of Supervisors Control for Gang System 1796-1829 131 6.1 Size of the Workforce at Sydney and Parramatta Lumber Yards, Various Years 1790-1832 157 6.2 Convict Worker and Supervisory Staff at Parramatta Lumber Yard, Various Years 1811-1821 179 7.1 Female Convicts Victualled and Employed at Public Labour 1803-1807 204 7.2 Female Convicts Employed in the Female Factory, Parramatta 1821,1826-1829 205 7.3 Yards of Coarse Woollen Cloth Various Dates 1800-1824 214 7.4 Quantity and Yards of Blankets Manufactured at the Female Factory 1814-1819 215 7.5 Total Numbers and Value ofltems Produced at the Female Factory 1822, 1823-1824, 1828-1829 216 7.6 Ratio of Supervised to Supervisors at Female Factory Various Years 1800-1829 227 7.7 Incidence ofPunishment at Female Factory Various Months 1826, 1829 234 7.