Words from our Past

Article by Max Farley reprinted from the Society Newsletter, June 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Australia’s beginnings spawned words which had particular
meanings. Knowing them is essential to an understanding of
our past. The following related to the convict era. Some were:

Assigned servants. Convicts assigned by the government
to work for nominated employers such as military men, free
settlers and, at times, emancipists.

Certificate of Freedom. Issued from 1810 to convicts who
had completed their sentences. They were allowed to leave
the colony.

Currency lads/lasses. Australian-born children.

Emancipists. Ex convicts who had completed their
sentences and were thus “free by servitude”.

Assisted Exiles. As transportation became unpopular in
Australia the English conceived the notion of “assisted
exiles”. These were convicted persons who had served part
of their sentences in England and then given conditional
pardons and sent to Australia for the balance of their time.
Many went to Melbourne.

Exclusives. Otherwise known as “pure merinos”. Those
of non-convict origin who saw themselves superior to the
convicts and emancipists.

Free settlers. Persons who came to Australia of their own
choice.

Government Servants. Convicts.

Pardons: -(Absolute) Allowed to convicts who had
completed their years of sentence. They could return to
England.
 -(Conditional) Could be awarded to convicts
who had been sentenced to Life and given on the condition
they did not return to England. .

Tickets of Leave. “TOLs” were given to trustworthy
convicts allowing them to work indepenndently within
designated geographic areas.