A COLLECTION of artefacts found in the waters off Dockyard will go on display at one of the world’s most respected convict heritage sites — Sydney’s Hyde Park Barracks Museum.The exhibit is the result of 20 years of research by local divers Chris Addams and Michael Davis, whose forays into Bermuda’s waters have netted some 2,500 convict-related items — military buttons, badges, regimental pieces and items carved by hand, out of Bermuda flowstone.

Journals detailing the harsh conditions the prisoners endured — written by the convicts themselves — will accompany the Australia display, as will a sidebar on Bermuda and her heritage.

The items are now protected by the Dromedary Trust, its name taken from one of the “vermin-ridden, rat-infested” hulks which housed hoards of convicts on the island.

The display opens this summer with approximately 600 pieces. It will exhibit for two years at the Hyde Park Barracks, which operates under the auspices of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.

The opportunity came partially through a presentation made by Mr. Addams’ daughter Rhiannon a few years ago.

A Bermudian living in Perth, she highlighted the Dromedary Trust before representatives of historical and archaeological institutions from around the world, at an Australian conference hosted by the University of Tasmania and the International Centre for Convict Studies.

“This collection is not only relevant to the cultural landscape of the convict establishment in Bermuda, but to all countries involved in Britain’s transportation system in the 18th and 19th centuries, including Ireland, America, South Africa and Australia,” she said at that time.

Visiting the island this week, she reiterated her belief in the important role the artefacts could play in establishing cultural and educational links between Bermuda and other countries.

“We have a central collection from the Dromedary prison hulk and then we have some items from exploratory digs on a few other convict hulks,” Ms Addams said.

“We’ve split the Dromedary prison hulk collection into three collections. One will always remain in Bermuda. The second collection is going to Sydney and there’s a third collection which (will travel along the path the convicts took) from England to America to Bermuda and to Australia.

“You can’t tell the tale of the convicts in Bermuda without telling the tale of the Bermudians because of the profound effect they had on what happened.

“It’s my profound hope that in generating international interest in Bermuda heritage we can establish networks and relationships. The international heritage / historical / archaeological scene is alive and active and there’s a lot to be gained by being part of that if we establish networks with Australia and the UK.

“Australian and British universities, for instance, have a lot of students who would be very interested in coming over to Bermuda as part of their work process.”

Ms Addams believes the Dromedary collection was particularly welcomed by the museum because it added new dimension to what life was like as a convict.

“In my opinion, one of the significant things that the Bermuda collection brings, is that in Australia the physical items of the convict heritage are things that the convicts made because they were convicts — the buildings that they were instructed to make, the paintings they were instructed to paint, the furniture they were instructed to do.

“They were all created because they were convict slaves. The Dromedary convict collection is significant because these are the things the convict made because he still was a man, because he still was a person, because he still had that spirit rather than as a sign of their indenture. And I think that’s a really great thing to bring to Australia.

“You also have to consider the difference in set-up between Australia and Bermuda. Bermuda’s seats of power were Hamilton and St. George’s. Most of the convicts were housed in quite centralised areas, all of them in one spot and quite far away from either seat of power.”

The distance enabled a market where carvings were exchanged for rum and other goods, Mr. Addams explained.

“There was a lot of unofficial trade between the convicts and the Bermudians for various items.”

Added his daughter: “Because all of the convicts were housed in concentrated areas meant that this trade was possible whereas in Australia, it’s a humongous country.

“The convicts were split all over the place and then quite often were sent to work for the seat of power. The same opportunities for trade just weren’t there.

“So it’s just great to be able to take them to Australia and say, ‘Just look what your great, great, great forefathers did while they were here’.”

The pair highlighted ongoing preservation efforts in Australia as something this island should consider imitating.

Said Mr. Addams: “The convicts, when they were pulled off the prison hulks in 1852 and 1853, were put onto Boaz Island. They were basically put into two barracks which they built themselves.

“Those barracks are basically the same as what they have in Australia where the Australians are preserving them as a national treasure.

“We have possibly half a dozen more sites in the Dockyard, in St. George’s and we’re very concerned. What we’re trying to emphasise is the Dockyard area all those years ago was made into a historic underwater site.

“And the possibilities in there, (judging) from what Mike Davis and I have done, are phenomenal. The whole island is, in fact, a historical site. If you dig underwater or on land, something will come up.”

They feel that approach should extend beyond convict history. As explained by Ms Addams: “I really look at this as an opportunity (to start a discussion on) Bermuda heritage that I don’t feel is necessarily being properly looked after — I look at the buildings. It’s such a rich island with such rich heritage on all levels.

“I realise there comes a need for change, but overseas they have demonstrated architectural knowledge where they incorporate the existing structure of a heritage item into a progressive building — these things can be done.”

A number of international organisations have expressed their interest in the effort, which has also been given the blessing of Premier Ewart Brown.

“They are of interest to the international community and hopefully that will also bring a lot of resources back into the island,” Ms Addams said of the international backing.

“For any young person who wants to become an archaeologist or a marine curator, it’s an opportunity for them to develop their skills here in something that might not have otherwise been accessible to them.

“Because, let’s face it, trips off the island, study and things like that are sometimes difficult. If you bring things here and make them valuable to everybody it can make a big difference in every sense of the word — there are financial opportunities, education opportunities.”

For more information on the Dromedary Trust visit www.convicthulks.com.

Artefacts found off Dockyard to go on display in Australia