AGY-445 | Braidwood Gaol

Full description

In accordance with the Prisons Regulation Act, 1840 (4 Victoria No.29), a Public Gaol was ordered to be established at Braidwood (1). This proclamation, dated 11 July, 1859 heralded a program of prison construction intended to replace temporary structures in country areas and expand metropolitan gaols (2). However, as a result of controversy generated by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper about substandard cell design within prisons, this program was ordered to be reviewed by the government (3). The Colonial Architect was ordered to present revised plans and cost estimates in keeping with the new standards. Three different classes of gaols were planned, according to the size required, each class built to a standard design and price, being between £2 000 and £3 000 (4). The cost quoted for the erecting the new gaol at Braidwood was £2 000 (5).The gaol at Braidwood, designed to contain twelve prisoners, was completed over-budget at £2 339 (6). Appointed 12 February 1862 as Gaoler was Mr Robert K Waters, along with Mrs Mary Ann Waters as Matron (7). Both officially commenced duties at Braidwood on 1 March, 1862, although records indicate Mr Waters may have started earlier than this (8). The first prisoner was discharged from the Gaol 20 March, 1862 (9) although Braidwood was not validated by proclamation as a Public Gaol until 17 April, 1862 (10). According to the Prisons Act, 1899, Braidwood was declared to be a "prison" under the Act (11). However Braidwood, along with many other prisons, was soon disestablished by proclamation, ceasing operations 16 August, 1909 (12). ENDNOTES (1) NSW Government Gazette, 12 July, 1859, p 1545. (2) Kerr, James Semple, Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Australia's Places of Confinement, 1788-1988, National Trust of Australia, Sydney, 1988, p 92. (3) ibid. pp 92, 93. (4) ibid. p 93 (5) op cit. pp 93, 94. (6) "Gaols: Statistics Respecting." Return of the Colonial Architect, 25 June 1866, p 1, in Votes and Proceedings, 1866, Volume 1, p 831. (7) NSW Government Gazette, 12 February, 1862, p 374. (8) New South Wales Blue Book for the Year 1862, Government Printer, Sydney, 1863, p 20. (9) Corrective Services, Braidwood Gaol: Discharge Book, 20 March 1862 - 7 June 1876 (SRNSW ref: 5/1437 Entry No. 1) (10) NSW Government Gazette, 17 April, 1862, p 29. (11) Prisons Act, 1899 (Act No.27, 1899), s. 4 in conjunction with Schedule 2. (12) NSW Government Gazette, 11 August, 1909, p 4451.