Wheel at Launceston

[thickoeric]

One of my convict ancestors was given 30 days' hard labour on the wheel at Launceston (Tasmania) in 1841 for "being out without a pass, assaulting the Constable and drunkenness" (busy man!) but I can't find any info. on what exactly this wheel was. Any help would be appreciated.

[Polly1958]

http://en.wikipedia.o...ki/Capital_punishment
There's a little bit on here that may be relevant.

[sigma]

The wheel was just a wheel turned by a handle, it served no purpose except for strenuous labour. The wheel had to be turned at a specific rate for a set period of time ie fifty revolutions per minute for five hours.Friction could be applied to the wheel to make it harder to turn. There is an example of the device at Nottingham prison museum

[dundurn]

There was a treadwheel in Hobart Prisoners' Barracks which was used to grind wheat. Prisoners were sentenced to labour on this wheel for varying periods as a punishment for rule infractions. Whether there was a similar machine at Launceston, I don't know.

Maybe there was - see http://www.parliament...nvictPortArthur08.pdf

[JuniperEccles]

Many thanks to everyone. It's all helped to fill in some detail in my family tree.