Ross Female Factory

• Introduction
• Access
• History
• Visitor's Guide
• Chronology
• Archaeology
• Conservation Plan

Guide to Tasmania's Historic Places - Ross Female Factory

Chronology of Events

• c. 1812 garrison established at river ford
• 1821 town of Ross proclaimed
• c. 1831 brick and thatch huts built on the site for convict gang employed in public works
• 1832 sale of land to settlers at Ross
• 1833-5 permanent stone buildings constructed to house chain-gang employed on the Ross bridge; site included nine acre vegetable garden
• 1841 site commenced use as male probation station and also housing chain-gangs working on the Hobart-Launceston road
• 1847 expansion of buildings for female convicts; site functioned as workshops, 'lying-in' hospital (for pregnant convicts), nursery and hiring depot (for placing female convicts in domestic service)
• 1853 end of convict transportation from Britain
• 1854 closure of female factory; local Catholic Church allowed to use chapel
• 1855 factory handed over to Police Department, vacant except for caretaker
• 1862 proposal to turn factory into boys reformatory, not proceeded with
• 1875 factory used by contractors working on main line railway; building in disrepair
• 1879 proposed division and sale of factory into lots, not proceeded with
• 1894 factory site reserved for Municipality of Ross
• 1895 cottage converted for use by Superintendent of Police (extended using stone from old factory buildings)
• c. 1897 remaining factory buildings demolished
• 1907 police resident at cottage
• 1938 Mr. Lthreatenedie Knowles resident at cottage
• 1974 death of Lthreatenedie Knowles
• 1980 management of site transferred to National Parks and Wildlife Service; declaration of Ross Female Convict Station Historic Site