E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Government Men.
Convicts.
1
“[He] had always been a hard-working man … good at most things, and, like a lot more of the Government men, as the convicts were called, … had saved some money.”—Boldrewood: Robbery under Arms, chap. i.
