Black Convicts: How slavery shaped Australia (2024) by Santilla Chingaipe tells a story few Australians know – that on the First Fleet in 1788 there were at least 15 convicts with African heritage.

By 1840 the number of arrivals to Australia with African heritage number had increased to almost 500 & among them were Khoi chief David Stuurman (c 1773 – 1830) who was transported because of his political agitation; John Caesar (c 1763-1796) who was Australia’s 1st bushranger; ferryman Billy Blue (c 1767-1834) whose name is recognised in Sydney’s Blues Point; & William Cuffay (1788-1870), a Chartist who was also transported because of his involvement in a planned uprising.

Santilla Chingaipe includes a chapter on children with African heritage who were also transported to Australia.

One of the stories in Chapter 11: Minor Convictions is that of Constance Couronne who was only 9 years old when she was sent from Mauritius to Australia with her cousin, 12-year-old Elizabeth Verloppe. Both girls were born enslaved & in 1833 they were convicted of attempting to poison a dressmaker for whom they had been working.

Constance & Elizabeth were first sent to the Female Factory in Parramatta but within a couple of months there were assigned to work for Henry Wilson, Sydney’s first police magistrate.

Both girls lived out their lives in Australia.