Who do you think you are?
Long after the convict era ended, the stigma attached to having convict ancestry remained. The 'stain' of convict heritage was something to be hidden rather than celebrated. Whole branches dropped from family trees when they were found to contain a convict.
The 1970s were a turning point, with changing social values and a new openness to understanding our past. More liberal perspectives emerged with the women's and Aboriginal civil rights movements. Historians began to consider the lives and experiences of 'ordinary' people - the working classes, women, migrants, Aboriginal people, children and even convicts - who had previously been overlooked by history. Yet modern Australian society, early industries and agriculture were founded largely by convicts.
Today finding a convict in the roots of one's family tree has become a badge of honour. The groundswell of interest in researching family origins is reinforced by television programs and online family history resources. It is estimated that one in ten Australians has a convict ancestor.
The 1970s were a turning point, with changing social values and a new openness to understanding our past. More liberal perspectives emerged with the women's and Aboriginal civil rights movements. Historians began to consider the lives and experiences of 'ordinary' people - the working classes, women, migrants, Aboriginal people, children and even convicts - who had previously been overlooked by history. Yet modern Australian society, early industries and agriculture were founded largely by convicts.
Today finding a convict in the roots of one's family tree has become a badge of honour. The groundswell of interest in researching family origins is reinforced by television programs and online family history resources. It is estimated that one in ten Australians has a convict ancestor.