AGY-442 | Maitland Gaol (1849-1996) / Maitland Correctional Centre (1996-1998)

Full description

A petition for the construction of Maitland Gaol was received and published by the Legislative Council on 25 October 1843 reading "Major Wentworth presented a Petition from certain Inhabitants of the District of Maitland, praying that the sum of £3,000, voted for the year 1843, by the late Legislative Council, towards the erection of Maitland Gaol, may be immediately appropriated to that purpose.(1) Tenders for the construction of the Prison were received from 12 January 1846. (2)

Maitland Gaol was proclaimed as a public Gaol, Prison and House of Correction for the Northern Circuit District on 20 December 1848. (3)

In 1877 the Gaol was reported to comprise 110 separate and 182 associated cells with 12 female and 120 male prisoners at the end of the year. During the year there had been 652 entries and 656 discharges. (4)

Maitland was described as a 'labour gaol' with facilities for the employment of prisoners. The value of the labour (work done by prisoners) was £3328/9/4 including £1339/12/0. (5)

Extensions to the prison using prison labour occurred in the decade of the 1890's. Extensions included a new wing for female prisoners and seven new yards. (6) The system of restricted association commenced at Maitland on 28 September 1898. The Governor reported "... its effect on the conduct of the prisoners is most marked, and having closely observed its workings since its inception, I feel every confidence in saying that its effect on the moral well-being and reformation of prisoners is a very great advance on the old system; and not only is the discipline more perfect, but the prisoners themselves realise the advantages of the system, and consequently are more contented, and go about their work much more cheerfully." (7)

In 1899 the Government Architect prepared plans for additions and extensions to the gaol (8) This work was carried out by prison labour over the next three to four years. New systems of prison rationalisation and of the classification and concentration of prisoners were introduced in 1909 and Maitland Gaol became a prison for the detention of prisoners from the northern regions serving sentences of six months or less. (9) Maitland Gaol took extra prisoners from 1918 due to the temporary closure of Parramatta Gaol. (10)

The Parramatta Gaol was re-opened in 1922 and following its enlargement over the next five years the population at the Maitland Gaol decreased. (11)

In 1924 the Governor described the prisoners as 'of the most depraved and vicious class’ and in 1926 the Governor identified the gaol as one for sexual offenders. (12)

By 1969 Maitland Gaol was an institution for the detention of prisoners with longer criminal records and in June 1970 the Gaol was described as a maximum security with 231 prisoners. (13)

From 1992 Maitland Gaol was renamed to Maitland Correctional Centre. (14)

Following the opening of the Metropolitan and Remand Centre on 4 July 1997, the Department closed a number of older correctional centres. The last group of inmates was transferred from Maitland Correctional Centre on 29 January 1998. (15)

The centre was closed and the buildings and area was transferred to Maitland Council. (16)

Endnotes
1. Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Council, 1843, p. 159.
2. NSW Government Gazette No.4, 13 January 1846, p.49.
3. NSW Government Gazette No.146, 26 December, 1848, p. 1861.
4. Prisons report for 1877, p. 3 in Votes and Proceedings 1878 - 1879 vol. 3, p. 1031.
5. Ibid., p. 1, p.5.
6. Prisons report for 1893 p.2 in Votes and Proceedings 1894, volume 3 p. 1104.
7. Maitland Gaol. Extract from the Governor's Report in Prisons report for 1898 p. 19 in Votes and Proceedings 1899 Third Session Vol 2 p. 981.
8. Report on Prisons for the year 1899 p. 18 in Votes and Proceedings 1900 Vol 2, p. 836.
9. Report of the Deputy Comptroller and Inspector of Prisons for the year 1909 p. 3 in NSW Parliamentary Papers, 1910 Vol 2, p. 51.
10. Report of the Comptroller-General of Prisons for 1918 p. 34 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1919 vol 3, p. 672.
11. Report of the Comptroller General of Prisons 1921 p. 2 in NSW Parliamentary Papers Second Session 1922 Vol 3, p. 112.
12. Governor's Report, Maitland Gaol, 1924 in Report of the Comptroller-General of Prisons for the year 1924 p. 12 in NSW Parliamentary Papers, 2nd session, 1925 volume 1 p. 44.; Gaolers Report - Maitland Gaol in Report of the Comptroller General of Prisons for the year 1925-26 p. 20 in NSW Parliamentary Papers, 2nd Session, 1926 Vol 4 p. 22.
13. Official Yearbook of NSW 1969 p. 416.; Department of Corrective Services. Annual report for the year ended 30 June, 1970 p 14 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1969-70-71 vol 3 p. 118.
14. Corrective Services NSW, Annual Report 1991-1992, p.114.
15. NSW Department of Corrective Services Annual Report 1997-98, p.10 & 12.
16. NSW Department of Corrective Services Annual Report 1998-99, p.34.

References
- New South Wales Government Gazette. Sydney, Government Printer. 1832.
- Official Yearbook of New South Wales, 1904/5 - 1988. Sydney, Government Printer, 1906 - 1988.
- NSW. Department of Corrective Services. "An analysis of NSW Prison Proclamations, compiled by Denis Fitzpatrick. Sydney, The Department, 1996."