The book provides a richly researched account of the colonisation of Van Diemen’s Land; argues that historians need to recognise the importance of class to understand more fully the relationships between gender, empire and power; and places convict men and women in comparative perspective.

The Kay Daniels Award was established to honour the life and work of Dr Kay Daniels, historian and public servant, who died in 2001. This joint award, under the auspices of the Australian Historical Association, the University of Tasmania and the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority, is made for outstanding original research with a bearing on convict history.