Youngest Ever Convict Transported to Australia at 10 Years Old

<p>Mary Wade was born (17 December 1778) amongst poverty, in Westminster England. Times were tough. The Industrial Revolution squashed many income-streams for peasants. Many turned to crime for survival. In retaliation, the authorities enacted extreme punishments. The &lsquo;Bloody Code&rsquo; had 288 crimes that carried the death penalty [1]. Men, women, and children were put to death for cutting down trees, stealing to the value of 5 shillings and above (worth about £48 or $62 USD), through to murder.</p> <p>It wasn&rsquo;t unusual for children to earn money sweeping the streets in London. Mary was one of them. One day, she espied a means to make easy money. Along with 14-year-old friend Jane Whiting, she coerced an 8-year-old girl into a privy and stripped her of her frock, tippet (stole/scarf) and cap. Mary sold the frock (cotton) to a pawnbroker. She possibly sold the cap to someone else. We don&rsquo;t know what price Mary got for the frock, but it priced for sale at 18 pence (worth£29 today).</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@embedlearning/youngest-ever-convict-transported-to-australia-at-10-years-old-24a44a881e75"><strong>Learn More</strong></a></p>