AGY-405 | Sydney Gaol

Full description

The first temporary Gaol was built in Sydney in 1797. The `Return of Public Buildings erected in New South Wales since October, 1796' describes the prison as `a strong double logged gaol of 80 feet in length, with separate cells for prisoners, built at Sydney. This was a useful, and might have been a durable building, until more permanent one could have been reared; but was afterwards burnt by design, but no discovery of the incendiary'. (1) A permanent Sydney Gaol was planned in 1799 and erected the following year. The gaol was built at substantial cost for which free settlers were levied. The Gaol Committee Mr W. Balmain and Major J. Foveaux advanced a total of £714/13/- themselves ' to obviate as much as possible any difficulty in forwarding the work, being thoroughly convinced that nothing is so essentially requisite to the preservation of good order, and punishment of offenders in this settlement, as a proper and secure prison, which the present one is intended to be.' (2) The `Return of Public Buildings erected in New South Wales since October, 1796' referred to ` a handsome and commodious stone gaol at Sydney with separate apartments for the debtors, and six strong and secure cells for condemned felons'.(3) In 1833 Governor Bourke recommended the erection of a new gaol at the Colony's expense because of the 'ruinous state' of the existing premises (4) This proposal was supported by saying "The gaol in its present crowded state, without classification or labour, is a moral pestilence, and from its confined and low situation in the most populous part of the Town, appears likely at any moment to generate a physical one." (5) Sydney Gaol closed in 1841 and the prisoners were transferred to the new Gaol in Darlinghurst.(4) FOOTNOTES (1) HRA Series I, Volume II p. 560 (2) Letter of the Gaol Committee to Governor Hunter, 1 February, 1800 reproduced in HRA Series I, Volume II, p.452. (3) Ibid p. 562 (4) HRA Series I Vol XVII p. 630 (5) Ibid. p. 632 (4) NSW Government Gazette 4 June, 1841 p. 767-768