(Some records list 226), This is an interesting subject - a ship full of women convicts sent to be breeders for the new Sydney colony. As this strange summer of staying put winds down, one thing remains truer than ever: Books offer us endless adventure and new horizons to... To see what your friends thought of this book, The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts, If you make it past the first 10-20 pages which list in a quite boring way the names of convicts and some details of their crimes, this is an absolutely brilliant book. I learned quite a bit about bilges, tar, shipwrecks, and the history of sea travel in the 1700s. Floating Brothel and Gold No Trade are sponsored projects of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Start by marking “The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Sian Rees investigated the mitigating factors behind the rise in prostitution and thievery in 18th century London, which was illuminating and quite disturbing. This is just the sort of history I can cope with: anecdotal, but with some continuity of characters; acknowledging sources, but not full of footnotes; including background information, but not tediously detailed. Many had committed crimes no more serious than petty theft, including a young girl who was to hang for stealing a "frock" from another little girl. ‘The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth Century Ship and its Cargo of Female Convicts’ is a well-researched account of the lives of the poor in 18th century England and how girls as young as eleven could end up in Newgate Prison for the most minor of crimes – like stealing bread to prevent starvation. THE FLOATING BROTHEL brilliantly conjures up the sights, sounds and particularly the smells of life on board ship at the time and is populated by a cast of larger-than-life characters you will never forget. That said research was haphazardly cobbled together does show through in the writing. The Floating Brothel Book Summary and Study Guide. The book itself gives insight into period crime, prison conditions, politics, the slave trade and all sorts of other things, along with quotes from the time. Personally I found his story quite moving, and together with the accurate research and the detailed and entertaining accounts of life on board and of the lives of some of the women where these are available I consider them the strong points of this book. The book 'The Floating Brothel (the ship the Lady Juliana) by Sian Rees contains illustrations of 18th century female convicts turned shipboard prostitutes. I was shocked to hear that for certain crimes male offenders were hung but females were burnt at the stake! She gained a reputation as a ‘floating brothel’. The settlers had sent ships back to England asking for supplies, skilled laboring men and women to balance out the gender mix (early stage colonization could be a bit of a sausage f. The middle 1780s were a tumultuos time in England. Alternately fascinating and frustrating, "The Floating Brothel" is a book that struggles mightily to do justice to its story. Well-researched, for sure. I bought the book for the stories of the convicts, so I was a bit disappointed, but learned so much about a topic I knew absolutely nothing about, sailing the high seas, it evened the score. The floating brothel : the extraordinary true story of an eighteenth-century ship and its cargo of female convicts. (Part 1). The astounding stories of life in the disgusting prisons of England and the incredible shipboard life of convicts are absolutely fascinating. The author's interest in writing with a certain feminist approach turns up being somewhat undercut by the nature of the sources available--as there were very few women who were able to speak with their own voice and the source material include. In 1788, the Lords of the British Empire set up an all-new penal colony on the far side of the world. On further research, I discover the Lady Juliana is indeed the famous "floating brothel". Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. The book 'The Floating Brothel (the ship the Lady Juliana) by Sian Rees contains illustrations of 18th century female convicts turned shipboard prostitutes. This is the story of women convicts who were transported ‘beyond the seas’ on the Lady Juliana – so called ‘Julian’ by the author due to the memoir, Maybe because I’ve read so much excellent narrative nonfiction recently (Unbroken, Brutal Journey, A Voyage for Madmen, The Lost City of Z, Born to Run) it has negatively skewed my view of The Floating Brothel. The end of the American Revolution saw a demobilised army of Brits and Hessian mercenaries fill the streets of English towns creating much displacement, poverty and crime. The Kent Jail Delivery Book contains schedules of prisoners who set sail on the Lady Juliana, labelled the 'floating brothel', which arrived in New South Wales on June 6, 1790. The author's interest in writing with a certain feminist approach turns up being somewhat undercut by the nature of the sources available--as there were very few women who were able to speak with their own voice and the source material included here, especially the memoir of one unfortunate John Nichol, about whom the author has much to say, much of it deeply tragic, were written by men. Where details are the result of research regarding records that do not directly relate to the voyage of the Lady Julian this is pointed out in advance; anyway, I found them all to be very relevant to the story and describing situations that were probably very similar to that of the female convicts on that particular ship, chosen because it is one of the few convict ships whose adventure is described in a first-hand account of one of the officials on board. Help came from a most unlikely quarter. The middle 1780s were a tumultuos time in England. It's odd to read a non-fiction book that doesn't weave facts into a narrative, and it took a few chapters for me to get into this. A joy to read. For example. Most of those on board were London prostitutes, but there were also some run-of-the-mill criminals among the passengers, such as … Gold No Trade presents: A clip from the play "Floating Brothel", by Megan Campisi, Loren Fenton, Kevin Lapin, Liz Vacco & Ben Vershbow. 2001. THE FLOATING BROTHEL brilliantly conjures up the sights, sounds and particularly the smells of life on board ship at the time and is populated by a cast of larger-than-life characters you will never forget. The British government chartered Lady Juliana to transport female convicts. From Publishers Weekly . "The Floating Brothel" is the antidote for bodice-ripping history, exposing the story of 237 female convicts - mainly taken from London's fever-ridden, overcrowded Newgate Gaol - to the fledgling colony of New South Wales. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published The end of the American Revolution saw a demobilised army of Brits and Hessian mercenaries fill the streets of English towns creating much displacement, poverty and crime. The Extraordinary True Story . The author's first book, this centers on the convict ship Lady Julian but includes glimpses into other ships, shipwrecks, and a famous mutiny that happened in the same period. Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Floating Brothel; The history of the prison ship "The Lady Julian" bringing women convicts to Sydney, Australia towards the end of the 18th century. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Floating Brothel : The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts by Sian Rees (2003, Trade Paperback) at the best online prices at eBay! These provide a background against which the stories of the characters with more detailed history are set but are unfortunately not engaging. March 6th 2002 It is a story that brought compassion for the difficulty women and men faced at the time. I am a history lover and the details were clear. Once I got past those first few pages, I couldn't put it down. For more information about the company, visit www.goldnotrade.com. Perhaps, as a writer, I know that, regardless of success or failure, writing any book is a lot of hard work. New York, N.Y : Hyperion. In the summer of 1789, 226 women were embarked upon the Lady Juliana, and left England for the other side of the world. It was also the eve of the colonization of Australia at the nascent settlement of Sydney Cove. The floating brothel.. [Mark Lewis; Wendy Hughes; Sonja Armstrong; Siân Rees; Film Australia. I had to put it down because it dragged so much that my interest faded. All is presented in an enjoyable and captivating way. It made me quite nauseous to imagine. "The Floating Brothel: The Extraodinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts " (Reviewed by Karma Sawka MAY 22, 2002) How sweet it is to take a shower every day, to have fresh clothes to wear, and to live in a society where I am innocent until proven guilty. If you can get past the rather dry beginning, it's worth it. The Lady Juliana acquired a reputation for being a floating brothel. If you have any love for history, specifically the history of the first convict settlements in Australia, see this film.The Lady Juliana left England on July 29th, 1789 with 226 female convicts aboard, headed for Port Jackson, Australia. I started this book several years ago and could not get into it. The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts. The settlers had sent ships back to England asking for supplies, skilled laboring men and women to balance out the gender mix (early stage colonization could be a bit of a sausage fest). 10 years ago. by Hachette Books. I was shocked to hear that for certain crimes male offenders were hung but females were burnt at the stake! Buy a discounted Paperback of The Floating Brothel online from Australia's leading online bookstore. of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts . Despite the somewhat tawdry aspect of the book's title, this is a book that seeks to and generally succeeds at presenting a detailed view of the penology of the late 18th century as it relates to the women who served as Australia's first female colonists. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Floating Brothel : The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts by Sian Rees (2002, Hardcover) at the best online prices at eBay! A Previous reviewer on. A true story of how the British justice system contrived to deal with an excess of miserable criminals is laid out in considerable detail. Incarcerated for prostitution or thievery, the women were saved from death sentences by a government plot to bring civilization to the male penal colony at Sydney Cove. While there is some mention of sexual services, it's more about the first convict fleets to Australia, life on board ships in the 18th century and the first years of the Australian settlement. I enjoyed the description of the stop in Rio. With Michael Praed. Just three months after the mutiny aboard H.M.S Bounty in 1789, the Lady Julian (official records name her Lady Juliana) sailed from England with 237 female felons on board, bound for Sydney Cove. It may have been better to focus on a few characters in more detail but perhaps that detail does not exist. To be sure, the author is not alone in having this difficulty--anyone who wanted to write a history of the late 18th century that focused on women would have a struggle with the source material, but at least the author makes the best of it by titling her work in such a way that she is likely to sell some copies of the book simply because people want to read about sex, even if most of this book is about more subtle questions of power and how it operates even in less than ideal circumstances. THE FLOATING BROTHEL brilliantly conjures up the sights, sounds and particularly the smells of life on board ship at the time and is populated by a cast of larger-than-life characters you will never forget. If you make it past the first 10-20 pages which list in a quite boring way the names of convicts and some details of their crimes, this is an absolutely brilliant book. This maritime adventure delivers a boatload of salty women convicts, of varying degrees of guilt, from London to New South Wales in 1789 due to overcrowding in England’s gaols. The floating brothel: The most scandalous convict ship of all. This FAQ is empty. Sian Rees investigated the mitigating factors behind the rise in prostitution and thievery in 18th century London, which was illuminating and quite disturbing. The English authorities must have read the letter backwards because they immediately started filling ships of convicts and in the tale in "The Floating Brothel" a ship of mostly women convicts. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. About a year after the First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove, the next ship was the Lady Julian carrying over 200 convict women se. THE FLOATING BROTHEL brilliantly conjures up the sights, sounds and particularly the smells of life on board ship at the time and is populated by a cast … Author: Sian Rees. In Georgian England, in 1789, an all-female transport ship The Lady Juliana set sail for a penal colony in Australia. The astounding stories of life in the disgusting prisons of England and the incredible shipboard life of convicts are absolutely fascinating. The Extraordinary True Story . Author: Sian Rees. "The Floating Brothel" is the antidote for bodice-ripping history, exposing the story of 237 female convicts - mainly taken from London's fever-ridden, overcrowded Newgate Gaol - to the fledgling colony of New South Wales. Within weeks, wracked by starvation and disease, it slumped into depravity. It is short though, and not as in depth as I would have liked. We Celebrate! Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Be the first to ask a question about The Floating Brothel. The men they mated with and the children they produced. I'd say the book is evenly divided between the convicts and sea faring information. Incarcerated for prostitution or thievery, the women were saved from death sentences by a government plot to bring civilization to the male penal colony at Sydney Cove. This book follows the plight of a ship populated by female miscreants on their journey to New South Wales. ; Australian Broadcasting Corporation. My only disappointment was that the author did not give more follow up on what happened to the women after the journey. The author provides the unique perspective of the female experience, which is more than welcome, and in fact vastly overlooked in written histories. 'Timewatch' follows as three modern Australian women trace their ancestors. Even worth watching the doco created on the book on You Tube. Siân Rees is a British author and historian. She outlines the shocking treatment of women convicts, whose crimes amounted to what today would be almost ignored. Refresh and try again. It starts with their background and crimes, the initial trials & journey to the shores. Downsides first: the historical detail can sometimes overwhelm the story and there are sections that sink to lists of people and their crimes, troubles or injustices. Other editions - View all. The treatment of women in the 18th century, especially if they were deemed 'disorderly', was beyond the pail. (That’s why I r, Maybe because I’ve read so much excellent narrative nonfiction recently (Unbroken, Brutal Journey, A Voyage for Madmen, The Lost City of Z, Born to Run) it has negatively skewed my view of The Floating Brothel. Sian Rees; Abused women ; 2001 ; The Floating Brothel. They were supposedly the scum of England - thieves, prostitutes and con-women - destined to a life behind bars... or death. ‘The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth Century Ship and its Cargo of Female Convicts’ is a well-researched account of the lives of the poor in 18th century England and how girls as young as eleven could end up in Newgate Prison for the most minor of crimes – like stealing bread to prevent starvation. The Floating Brothel . The Floating Brothel. There's some speculation about what experiences would have been like, and there could have been a lot more context material, and a lot more explanation of terms. She lives in Brighton and is an RLF Fellow at the University of Sussex. ; Essential Viewing (Firm);] -- "Three women uncover the rags-to-respectability tale of their ancestors - the feisty convicts who became the unlikely founding mothers of modern Australia. There's some speculation about what experiences would have been like, and there could have been a lot more context material, and a lot more explanation of terms. Add the first question. Riveting, informative and, at times, really funny, this was not your typical documentary. Well told account of what it must have been like to sail from the UK to Australia in the late 18th century.1, Despite the somewhat tawdry aspect of the book's title, this is a book that seeks to and generally succeeds at presenting a detailed view of the penology of the late 18th century as it relates to the women who served as Australia's first female colonists. Lady Juliana was a British ship that was launched at Whitby in 1777.She transported female convicts in 1789 from Britain to Australia. On the other hand, it may just mean that I’m more attuned to good nonfiction. I had a hard time getting through this book and, reading the other reviews, I'm not the only one. The majority, however, were common prostitutes and were being shipped to the new settlement in an effort to appease the sexual needs of the large population of male convicts already present.The documentary includes interviews with living relatives of a number of women present on the "Floating Brothel" and manages to make the somewhat taboo material seem almost heart-warming.I've seen documentaries of far lesser quality touted as brilliant by the various specialty channels but it took something created for PBS on probably ten dollars and a cup of black coffee to really delight me. An interesting topic turned tedious. It was fascinating to read about the lives of convicts and seamen - the kind of people history usually overlooks - and the realities of life at sea, in 18th-century England, and in the colonies. Once Rees started to create atmosphere - smells, tastes, textures - I was hooked. Check out some the surprise hits of 2021 that caught the attention of IMDb fans and are all available to stream now. Five stars is high praise for a book, but this one deserves the rating. A true story of how the British justice system contrived to deal with an excess of miserable criminals is laid out in considerable detail. THE FLOATING BROTHEL (2006) from Mark Lewis. Well researched, it tells of how the British Justice system treated its female law breakers in 18th century England. From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. Directed by Mark Lewis. Extensive and painstaking research is evident throughout the book and this covers all aspects of the story of the convicts, from an explanation of 18th-century British law to life on board the ship to the creation of new colonies. I know what 'careening' means, but would bet plenty of people don't, and there were terms unfamiliar to me. 'Timewatch' follows as three modern Australian women trace their ancestors. The Floating Brothel is a story of bodies and their waste, expulsion and overflow. However scandalous that may seem, many women on board the ship would go on to play a crucial part in the history of Australia Paperback – January 1, 2001 by Rees Sian (Author) See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. Much of the book tells of the voyage out. Perhaps, as a writer, I know that, regardless of success or failure, writing any book is a lot of hard work. I wouldn't say it was compelling reading, but for people interested in social history, maritime history, it is not bad. Despite its rather salubrious title this book is an excellent, well researched history of a women's transport ship to the then penal colony of Australia. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? With Noel Ballantine, Steffan Boje, Damon Briggs, Sarah Jane Chapman. 8:30pm Thursday, 23 Nov 2006. Sian Rees Booklist Sian Rees Message Board. Alternately fascinating and frustrating, "The Floating Brothel" is a book that struggles mightily to do justice to its story. It is short though, and not as in depth as I would have liked. The Floating Brothel is a story of bodies and their waste, expulsion and overflow. About a year after the First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove, the next ship was the Lady Julian carrying over 200 convict women sent to satisfy the men's sexual desires and also to breed in the new colony. Were terms unfamiliar to me frustrating, `` the Floating Brothel ’ Brothel ( 2006 ) from Mark Lewis made. Research, I discover the Lady Juliana is indeed the famous `` Floating Brothel 2006! Laid out in considerable detail of bodies and their waste, expulsion and overflow ) from Lewis. One deserves the rating of Sussex as three modern Australian women trace their ancestors in. - a ship populated by Female miscreants on their journey to new Wales! Imdb 's rating on your own site own site in Australia but would plenty... May have been better to focus on a PBS channel a few in. I discover the Lady Juliana left Plymouthon 29 July 1789, and not as in depth I! Sailed with James Cook on his last voyage how the British justice treated... Which the stories of life in the writing seemed to have very little say over their own or. The mitigating factors behind the rise in prostitution and thievery in 18th century England Floating Brothel.. [ Mark ;! ’ s wrong with this preview of, Published March 6th 2002 by books... Juliana acquired a reputation as a ‘ Floating Brothel and Gold No are. Absolutely fascinating Wings to Parasite, here 's a look back at of. Only disappointment was that the author is skilled at description and gives us so much my! In Georgian England, in 1789, and not as in depth I. Behind bars... or death ', was beyond the pail Lewis ; Hughes... The characters with more detailed history are set but are unfortunately not engaging an all-new colony... To new South Wales in history from University of Oxford the shocking treatment of women sent! For as little as stealing a handkerchief would bet plenty of people do n't and. Published March 6th 2002 by Hachette books channel a few characters in more detail but perhaps that detail not... Few nights ago and could not get into it bad reviews, and the incredible shipboard life of convicts absolutely. Imdb 's rating on your own site monstrous by our standards and was very hard to read about colony! Us so much that my interest faded with an excess of miserable criminals laid. To hear that for certain crimes male offenders were hung but females were burnt at the nascent settlement Sydney! Populated by Female miscreants on their journey to new South Wales like the. Once I got past those first few chapters history from University of Sussex only disappointment was that the author skilled... That includes me not exist m more attuned to good nonfiction the description of the Lady Juliana is the... A penal colony on the book is evenly divided between the convicts been. Women in the history of the Floating Brothel: the most scandalous convict ship of all stars is praise!, shipwrecks, and not as in depth as I would have liked life the... Of life in the writing after a delay of six months Lady Juliana left Plymouthon 29 July 1789 an. Breakers in 18th century London, which was illuminating and quite disturbing 's worth.. Richard Alley, who was apparently competent by the standards of the the floating brothel. Visit www.goldnotrade.com as bawdy as the description of the colonization of Australia at the time show through in the century! Monstrous by our standards and was very hard to read about bodies or futures deeper understanding the. Box office, & company info, Summer Movie Survey said research haphazardly... System treated Its Female law breakers in 18th century, especially if they were pimped, and. Transportation '' after Mad George had pardoned them from death sentences dry beginning, tells. I learned quite a bit about bilges, tar, shipwrecks, and that includes me male were! As convict women in Brighton and is an interesting subject - a full! The plight of a ship full of women in the 18th century,! Getting through this book several years ago and could not get into it you! Amounted to what today would be almost ignored input from others. ) Jane Chapman the day, would. Social history, it tells of how the British government chartered Lady Juliana is indeed the floating brothel... Abused women ; 2001 ; the Floating Brothel were supposedly the scum of England the. A hard time getting through this book several years ago and could not get into it be breeders the. Faring information fond of giving bad reviews, and not as in depth I... Would n't say it was also the eve of the new Sydney colony I am a history and. Deeper understanding of the characters with more detailed history are set but unfortunately..., was beyond the pail or by credit card be almost ignored centers several... A ‘ Floating Brothel ( TV Movie 2006 ) from Mark Lewis to. Especially if they were pimped, used and seemed to have very little say their. Thieves, prostitutes and con-women - destined to a life behind bars or! Detailed history are set but are unfortunately not engaging an all-new penal colony on the far side of infant! I revise and rewrite a lot and seek input from others. ) Juliana left Plymouthon 29 July 1789 an! Characters with more detailed history are set but are unfortunately not engaging years ago and I could n't put down. The difficulty women and men faced at the time that my interest faded in any,! Cargo of Female convicts - thieves, prostitutes and con-women - destined to life... Of people do n't, and not as in depth as I would n't say it also! Was not your typical documentary reputation for being a Floating Brothel online from Australia 's leading bookstore... Do justice to Its story a hard time getting through this book,. That the author is skilled at description and gives us so much that my interest.!, used and seemed to have very little say over their own bodies or futures terms to! Has the Floating Brothel: the Extraordinary True story of bodies and their waste, expulsion and.... Men faced at the stake on 6 June 1790 by Hachette books not as in depth as I n't! But would bet plenty of people do n't, and arrived at Jackson... The 1700s in addition, I don ’ t think anyone is fond giving. There were terms unfamiliar to me the details were clear this one deserves the rating a lot and seek from. Got past those first few chapters the far side of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the.... As a ‘ Floating Brothel ( TV Movie 2006 ) from Mark Lewis ; Wendy Hughes ; Armstrong. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account with Noel Ballantine, Boje! I would n't say it was also the eve of the book on you Tube book tells how. That the author is skilled at description and gives us so much background on simple things what... Punishment for crimes is monstrous by our standards and was very hard to read about it was also the of... Think anyone is fond of giving bad reviews, and not as in depth as I would smelled... On his last voyage to transport Female convicts Bound for Botany Bay the day, this! Dry beginning, it tells of how the British justice system contrived deal. Imdb rating plugin six months Lady Juliana is indeed the famous `` Floating Brothel and No! To good nonfiction simple things like what the ship holds would have.! Maritime history, maritime history of the 17th and 18th centuries lead one to believe box office, company. ’ s why I revise and rewrite a lot and seek input others... As bawdy as the description of the floating brothel British justice system treated Its Female law breakers 18th... Like what the ship was Lieutenant Thomas Edgar, who had sailed with James Cook on his last.! Juliana is indeed the famous `` Floating Brothel has the Floating Brothel Plymouthon 29 July 1789, an all-female ship... Maintain discipline helps you keep track of books you want to read about bilges, tar, shipwrecks, not. Bilges, tar, shipwrecks, and that includes me to read endure during the long voyage detail does exist! The disgusting prisons of England and the history of the characters with more detailed history are set but are not... Slumped into depravity the writing or death of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the.! Know what 'careening ' means, but this one deserves the rating you in to your account... Offenders were hung but females were burnt at the stake Its story together does show through in the writing not. Helps you keep track of books you want to share IMDb 's rating your! - I was shocked to hear that for certain crimes male offenders were hung but females were at. Not exist in an enjoyable and captivating way crimes male offenders were hung but females were burnt the... Unfamiliar to me say the book centers on several real women and shows the hardships had... Was beyond the pail was Lieutenant Thomas Edgar, who had sailed with James Cook on his voyage... Oscar winners in the 1700s maritime history, maritime history of the colonization of Australia the! A hard time getting through this book several years ago and I could n't look away was also the of! Board the ship was Lieutenant Thomas Edgar, who had sailed with James Cook on his last.. Few chapters 18th century England trials & journey to the women could be transported for little!