AGY-410 | State Reformatory for Women, Long Bay

Full description

The need for a separate women's prison had been apparent for some years. In 1898 the Comptroller of prisons wrote as follows: " The number of females in gaol at the close of the year was 187, a decrease of 56 on the figures for 1897. Altogether 2,725 females were received at various times under sentences during 1898, but these figures include prisoners who, having been repeatedly convicted during the year, are consequently counted more than once, and so apparently swell the number of individual convictions. The greater portion of the female gaol population are of the prostitute class, and they are chiefly congregated at Biloela, while the ordinary short-sentenced women are kept at Darlinghurst, and those with long terms at Bathurst. Biloela is utterly unsuitable as a prison, and the arrangements as regards the other two institutions are neither satisfactory nor economical. Proposal have been laid before [the Minister of Justice] for the construction of a prison for females on humane and modern principles, and have been referred to the Public Works Committee for consideration. The establishment of such a gaol would undoubtedly lead to beneficial results, which it is quite out of the question to effect by present methods, while the concentration of the prisoners in one establishment would result in greater economy and efficiency in management. The prison would offer opportunities for segregating the different classes of female inmates, which would undoubtedly make for reform where reform was at all possible." (1)

The purpose-designed State Reformatory for Women, Long Bay was proclaimed a prison on 14 August, 1909 (2) and officially opened on 25 August, 1909 more than a decade after the building commenced. (3)

In his annual report for 1909 the Deputy-Comptroller of Prisons described the Prison as follows. "Naturally the opening of the Reformatory was an important event in the affairs of the Department. Not only because one central establishment for the treatment of women was provided, instead of distributing them in several prisons many miles apart, but because that in the new Reformatory were to be found every provision for carrying out the elaborate and important scheme of classification and treatment of prisoners which has been developed during recent years..." "The Reformatory consists of four large halls. A. containing 60 rooms. B. C. and D. containing 72 rooms each. A. hall contains in addition to bath and lavatory conveniences on each landing, so there is a provision for the prevention of contamination of hopeful cases by intercourse with depraved characters; the other halls are each provided with elaborate bathing accommodation. "There are two well-ventilated workrooms, each with complete lavatory accommodation. A special hospital for cases coming under the operation of the Prisoners’ Detention Act. A large kitchen fitted up with the most modern appliances for cooking, and the supply of steam for heating the baths and laundry.” "A specially constructed tram-car conveys the prisoners from the court right into the Institution.” "At the main entrance are most complete baths and reception rooms, were provision is made for cleansing the persons received from the courts and the supply of clean clothing to them before they are passed into the halls where they are top remain according to classification. At the entrance there are also cooking and dining rooms for resident officers. a special room for the use of the ladies of the Council of the Prisoners’ Aid Association, and visiting rooms for the inmates, a church, laundry and general hospital, containing two well-ventilated wards, and officers’ quarters are built outside the yards near the main walls." (4)

The new prison housed all prisoners from the metropolitan district as well as all long-sentence prisoners from outside the metropolitan districts, were transferred to this central institution. (5)

On 21 November, 1969 a new Training and Detention Centre was opened at Silverwater to accommodate all of the state’s women prisoners who had previously housed at the Long Bay complex. (6)

Endnotes
1. Report on prisons for the year 1898 p. 2 in Votes and Proceedings Third Session 1899 vol. 2 p. 964.
2. NSW Government Gazette 18 August, 1909 p. 4564.
3. Report of the Deputy-Comptroller and Inspector of Prisons, New South Wales for the year 1909 p.13 in NSW Parliamentary Papers, 1910 vol. 2 p. 61.
4. Ibid.
5. Official Yearbook of New South Wales, 1909 - 10, p.420.
6. Department of Corrective Series Annual report, 1973 p. 35.

REFERENCES:
(1) Official Yearbook of New South Wales, 1904/5 - 1988. Sydney, Government Printer, 1906 - 1988
(2) Archives Authority of NSW, "The Concise Guide" 2nd Edition, Sydney, The Authority, 1992
(3) Blue Books (Public Service Lists) 1858 - 1960, Sydney, Government Printer, 1858- 1960.