Alison Alexander - 'They cannot be worse':Van Diemen's Land and the Bigge Enquiry, 1820

Descriptions of Van Diemen's Land in about 1820 tended to see it as perhaps quirky but a well-functioning community  – John West's History of Tasmania, Charles Jeffreys' and G.W. Evans' books, Governor Macquarie's report of his visit. In contrast, witnesses giving evidence to John Bigge in his 1820 enquiry describe  a community riven with crime, corruption, drunkenness, incompetence, smuggling, sheep-stealing, immorality and quarrels – as the Rev. John Youl said of Launceston's ex-convict community, 'They cannot be worse'. What was the colony really like? Alison Alexander explores these questions in her talk.

To view Alison's slide presentation while listening to her talk, click here