In 1856 was the book The Convict Ship: a narrative of the results of scriptural instruction and moral discipline published at London. The author Colin Arrott Browning (1) published in this book his experiences during the voyage with the Earl Grey in 1843. Furthermore he supplied more details about other convict ships and the results of the education program for the convicts during the voyage on page 274-275. The book is digital available via Googlebooks. There is a website dealing with the topic of convicts, the url is http://www.convictrecords.com.au/resources
The Surrey made in 1831 a voyage with 200 convicts on board. Of them 74 could read and write, 8 only read and 118 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 115 of them could read and write, 83 only read and just 1 neither read or write. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years: 62, with an age between 20-30 years: 97, with an age between 30-40 years: 27, with a age between 40-50 years:13 and with an age above 50 years: 1. The origin of the convicts was English: 190, Welsh: 1, Scottish: 2, Irish: 4 or foreign: 4. The kind of education the convicts followed: Sunday schools: 3,other schools: 79, during voyage: 117 or remained educated: 1.
The Arab made in 1834 a voyage with 230 convicts on board. Of them 36 could read and write, 0 only read and 194 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 99 of them could read and write, 128 only read and just 1 neither read or write. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years:77 , with an age between 20-30 years: 114, with an age between 30-40 year: 25, with a age between 40-50 years:14 and with an age above 50 years: 0. The origin of the convicts was English: 220,Welsh: 4, Scottish: 0, Irish: 4 or foreign: 0. The kind of education the convicts followed: Sunday schools: 1,other schools: 35, during voyage: 191 or remained educated: 1.
The Elphinstone made in 1836 a voyage with 240 convicts on board. Of them 37 could read and write, 45 only read and 158 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 110 of them could read and write and, 128 only read. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years: 95, with an age between 20-30 years: 95, with an age between 30-40 years:33, with a age between 40-50 years:15 and with an age above 50 years: 2. The origin of the convicts was English: 175, Welsh: 5, Scottish: 29, Irish: 21 or foreign: 8. The kind of education the convicts followed: Sunday schools: 3,other schools: 79, during voyage: 156 or remained educated: 0.
The Margaret made in 1840 a voyage with 131 Irish woman convicts on board. Of them 16 could read and write, 13 only read and 102 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 24 of them could read and write, 100 only read and 6 neither read or write. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years:30 , with an age between 20-30 years: 67, with an age between 30-40 years: 18, with a age between 40-50 years: 15 and with an age above 50 years: 1. The origin of the convicts was English:3, Welsh: 0, Scottish: 0, Irish: 128 or foreign: 0. The kind of education the convicts followed: Sunday schools: 3,other schools: 26, during voyage: 96 or remained educated: 6.
The Earl Grey made in 1843-1843 a voyage with 264 convicts on board. Of them 53 could read and write, 23 only read and 188 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 60 of them could read and write, 200 only read and just 1 neither read or write. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years: 35, with an age between 20-30 years: 146, with an age between 30-40 years:51, with a age between 40-50 years:32 and with an age above 50 years: 0. The origin of the convicts was English: 227, Welsh: 15, Scottish: 10, Irish: 12 or foreign: 0. The kind of education the convicts followed: Sunday schools: 4,other schools: 72, during voyage: 187 or remained educated: 1.
The Theresa made in 1845 a voyage with 220 convicts on board. Of them 107 could read and write, 4 only read and 109 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 152 of them could read and write and 68 only read. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years: 70, with an age between 20-30 years: 82, with an age between 30-40 years: 36, with a age between 40-50 years:32 and with an age above 50 years: 0. The origin of the convicts was English: 197, Welsh: 4, Scottish: 22, Irish: 11 or foreign: 4. The kind of education the convicts followed: Sunday schools: 12,other schools: 99, during voyage: 109 or remained educated: 0.
The Pestonjee Bomonjee made in 1846-1847 a voyage with 200 convicts on board. Of them 54 could read and write, 9 only read and 135 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 119 of them could read and write and 763 only read. In the table was also a subdivision supplied in age and origin of the convicts and their education. With an age under 20 years: 17, with an age between 20-30 years: 120, with an age between 30-40 years: 40, with a age between 40-50 years:16 and with an age above 50 years: 2.
The Hashemy made in 1848-1849 a voyage with 237 convicts on board. Of them 93 could read and write, 39 only read and 80 neither read or write when they came on board. The results at the arrival were that 95 of them could read and write, 113 only read and just 4 neither read or write or could read very imperfectly.
Note
1. The website http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/browning-colin-arrott-1838 supplies more details about the author who was a naval surgeon born in 1791 and passed on 23 October 1856 at Woolwich, England who served between 1831 and 1849 as surgeon-superintendent on board of convict ships bound for Australia. Medical care of the prisoners and their education were for him of the utmost importance.
