1983 THE BRAND ON HIS COAT

Rica Erickson acted as editor and as a substantial contributor (writing 12 of the 21 articles) to The Brand On His Coat, a collection of biographies of some of the 9,500 convicts transported to Western Australia between 1850 and 1868. The convicts' life stories covered a variety of experiences including those of labourers, clerks, farmers, blacksmiths, teachers, a druggist, wagoners, photographers, innkeepers, journalists, servants, millers, a bookseller, tramps, shepherds, station managers, rogues and criminals. The publishing of the book coincided with people viewing their convict ancestors not with shame for their crimes but with pride for their achievements.