Overview

At least thirty-seven per cent of male convicts and fifteen per cent of female convicts were tattooed by the time they arrived in the penal colonies, making Australians quite possibly the world's most heavily tattooed English-speaking people of the nineteenth century. Each convict’s details, including their tattoos, were recorded when they disembarked, providing an extensive physical account of Australia's convict men and women. Simon Barnard has meticulously combed through those records to reveal a rich pictorial history. Convict Tattoos explores various aspects of tattooing—from the symbolism of tattoo motifs to inking methods, from their use as means of identification and control to expressions of individualism and defiance—providing a fascinating glimpse of the lives of the people behind the records. Simon Barnard was born and grew up in Launceston. He spent a lot of time in the bush as a boy, which led to an interest in Tasmanian history. He is a writer, illustrator and collector of colonial artifacts. He now lives in Melbourne. He won the Eve Pownall Award for Information Books in the 2015 Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year awards for his first book, A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land. Convict Tattoos is his second book.

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9781925240399

Table of Contents

Reviews

'The best thing to happen in Australian tattoo history since Cook landed. A must-have for any tattoo historian.' * Brett Stewart, Australian Tattoo Museum * `This niche subject has proved fertile ground for Barnard-who is ink-free-by providing a glimpse into the lives of the people behind the historical records, revealing something of their thoughts, feelings and experiences.' * Mercury * `The early years of penal settlement have been recounted many times, yet Convict Tattoos genuinely breaks new ground by examining a common if neglected feature of convict culture found among both male and female prisoners.' * Australian *

'A big, beautiful, funny, fascinating thrill-ride of convict esoterica.' -- Nick Cave on A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'A lively, detailed and richly illustrated account of the lives of convicts sent to Van Diemen's land.' Herald Sun on A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'Australian convict history is a crowded field, but Barnard's detailed and vivid illustrations breathe fresh life into it...Every school library should own the A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land...not to mention interested adults.' Australian Book Review on A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'The best tattoo book I have seen in a very long time...a must for every serious tattoo collector.' -- Henk Schiffmacher 'A fascinating insight and welcome addition to the subject from a different angle. Very strong images expertly brought together.' Timothy Millett, co-editor of Convict Love Tokens

'A big, beautiful, funny, fascinating thrill-ride of convict esoterica.' -- Nick Cave on A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'A lively, detailed and richly illustrated account of the lives of convicts sent to Van Diemen's land.' Herald Sun on A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'Australian convict history is a crowded field, but Barnard's detailed and vivid illustrations breathe fresh life into it...Every school library should own the A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land...not to mention interested adults.' Australian Book Review on A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'The best tattoo book I have seen in a very long time...a must for every serious tattoo collector.' -- Henk Schiffmacher

Author Information

Simon Barnard was born and grew up in Launceston. He spent a lot of time in the bush as a boy, which led to an interest in Tasmanian history. He is a writer, illustrator and collector of colonial artifacts. He now lives in Melbourne. He won the Eve Pownall Award for Information Books in the 2015 Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year awards for his first book, A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land. Convict Tattoos is his second book.

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