Convict Nationalities - Flags of Origin

A register of the nationalities of the Convict

This Register of Convict Flags of Origin has been created to honour the cosmopolitan nature of our modern Australian nation. Two distinct groups of people arrived from England in 1788. The first group, the English Imperial Forces and their civilian attachments were exclusively English in their allegiance and would have recognised this flag only.

These were soon supplemented by English "Gentlemen of Name" on the lure of free land and a government regulated slave labour force to work it.

The other group, the Convicts, that government regulated slave labour force, are an entirely different matter.

The Convicts are the true genetic seed stock from which the Australian nation grew. They overwhelmingly out-numbered their Imperial slave masters, to the degree that until the arrival of the "Ten Quid Tourists in the middle of the 20th Century, the non Indigenous population of Australia was predominantly Celtic. (From Ireland, Scotland and Wales, not England.) Australia only became a predominantly English country 50 or 60 years ago, and we've done Multiculturalism since then.

Historical Opinion: "Our history clearly demonstrates that no matter how the order to select prisoners for Transportation may have left the English Parliament, by the time it arrived in the prisons it apparently read "All foreigners plus the following list..." Just look at what a cosmopolitan group the Convicts actually were. See how many continents we come from. Count the languages and religions."

England Scotland,

Wales, Ireland,

These four flags contributed the overwhelming majority of the people who arrived in Australia as Convicts, but just look at the other peoples and nations who joined us in the Great Southern Land. Truly we are a cosmopolitan people.