The Female Factory

The Female Factory in Parramatta was first occupied in 1821 providing much needed housing of convict women away from the town gaol. Like the other factories built in the Colonial era, the Parramatta Female Factory was a site of production, producing spun wool and flax.

The Factory served as a place where women stayed - awaiting assignment or imprisoned. It also provided medical services for factory and free women, aged and invalid women, and was a lying-in hospital. For many years the Parramatta Factory was the only institution where a deserted infant could be placed with a wet nurse.

As well as assigning convict women to various locations and positions, the Female Factory acted as a marriage bureau.

It was frequently overcrowded. In the 1830s, the monthly average remained around 500 for women and 130 for children, with the annual turnover around 6000 women and 1600 children. Illness was common; some frequently recorded ailments were fever, pneumonia, dysentery, cholera, convulsions and asthma.

Her crime? Pregnancy or murder?

By the 1830s, the factory comprised three classes. First class women were those waiting for, or having returned from, assignment; or women promoted from second class. Second class women had committed minor offences or were those promoted from third class. The third class designation was for a plethora of offences including prostitution, highway robbery, continued drunkenness, pregnancy, theft or murder.

Commercial Journal and Advertiser, 20 th May 1840.

The Female Factory 2013, courtesy Dr J Branley