Secrets of the Dead - Voyage of the Courtesans (2005)

Synopsis: In 1789, Britain decided to ease its overcrowded prisons by shipping more than 200 female criminals to its penal colony in Australia. Making the voyage on board a ship called the Lady Juliana, the... In 1789, Britain decided to ease its overcrowded prisons by shipping more than 200 female criminals to its penal colony in Australia. Making the voyage on board a ship called the Lady Juliana, the women prostituted themselves to the crew members and amassed a great deal of wealth by the time they reached Australia, where they continued their entrepreneurial ways by opening legitimate businesses--and, in a sense, became the nation's "founding mothers." Narrated by actor Liev Schreiber, this episode of PBS's SECRETS OF THE DEAD series recounts this little-known slice of history through dramatic recreations, archival records, and interviews with the women's modern-day descendants. [More]