AGY-421 | Port Macquarie Gaol

Full description

During 1859 lock-ups were established in 24 country districts including Port Macquarie "in order that prisoners, committed for trial at the Courts of Quarter Sessions holden at the said places, might legally be in the custody of the Sheriff (the watch houses having been proclaimed to be gaols for the same purpose) and authority was given to the Sheriff to pay these ;lock-up[ keepers one shilling per diem in addition to their salaries" (1) and On 8 September, 1865 the Gaol at Port Macquarie was declared a place for the detention of male offenders (including with hard labour) under order or sentence of transportation or sentenced under the An Act to Substitute other Punishments for Transportation beyond the seas' (2) Although the Comptroller General reported in 1877 that the gaol had accommodation for 11 separated and 122 associated prisoners (3) available statistics suggest that the number in custody remained in single digits. On 8 March 1912 the lock-up at Port Macquarie was proclaimed a prison under the Prisons Act, 1899 (4) effectively de-proclaiming the Gaol. The newly altered Gaol at Kempsey became the major Gaol in the area. Port Macquarie Gaol was a police gaol, used for prisoners with sentences of fourteen days or less. FOOTNOTES (1) NSW Public Service Lists, 1859 p. 67 (2) NSW Government Gazette 8 September, 1865: p. 2007 (3) Prisons report for 1877 p., 3 in NSW Votes and Proceedings Vol 3. P. 1031 (4) NSW Government Gazette, 13 March, 1912 p. 1676 (1) New South Wales Government Gazette. Sydney, Government Printer. 1832 - (2) Returns of the Colony (Blue Books) 1822 - 1857 (4/251-290)