AGY-447 | Berrima Gaol [I]

Full description

The construction of Berrima Gaol began in 1835 at a cost of £5,300. Governor Bourke was censured by the Earl of Aberdeen for authorising this expenditure before contacting the United Kingdom who may have supplied a suitable plan from the Ordnance Department (1) The gaol was completed in 1839. (2) Berrima Gaol was nominated as one of the public gaols for the colony in an Act for the Regulation of Gaols and Houses of Correction in the Colony of NSW. ( Act No 29,1840 ) On 14 January 1840 the prison was declared a Common Gaol of the Colony, under the Jurisdiction of the Sheriff. (3) In 1840 there were 92 inmates in the prison. (4) Henry Foster was appointed Gaoler on 3 February 1840. (5) The Police Magistrate of the District was appointed the Visiting Justice at the gaol on 7 January 1841. (6) At its meeting on 29 November, 1843 the Legislative Council received the following petition " Mr Therry presented a Petition from certain of the Clergy, Magistrates, Gentry, Landholders, Farmers, and other Residents of the Town and District of Berrima , praying the restoration of a Military Guard for the protection of the Berrima Gaol; or that additions may be made to the defences thereof." (7) Another proclamation recorded in the Government Gazette states that on the 11 July 1859, the premises known previously as "Watch House" or "Lock Up" will be known as Berrima Public Gaol. (8) Until 1866 the supervision at Berrima was similar as that in any other prison, until the treatment known as the "silent system" was introduced. The first nine months of a prisoner's sentence was passed in silence, when he was not permitted to speak to anyone not even a warden except in the way of business. All prisoners sentenced to five years or more served one-twelfth of their term in Berrima. (9) In 1878 the Gaol consisted of 3 wings, radiating from a centre, each wing having upper and lower floor. The cell accommodation was for 110 inmates. Officials in charge were the gaoler, chief warden, senior warden and 15 ordinary wardens. Prisoners sent to Berrima were those sentenced to terms of imprisonment with hard labour, or hard labour on the roads for a period of three years or upwards. (10) In 1887, a Royal Commission Inquiry was conducted into the management and discipline at Berrima prison. The inquiry reported that prisoners had been subjected to punishments such as dark cells and gagging on repeated occasions. (11) Once cell was used in the earlier years for spreadeagling prisoners. Two rings were placed in the wall four feet six inches from the ground and the prisoner to be punished had his arms handcuffed to the rings. Flogging was never known in the gaol. (12) In his annual report for 1908, Frederick W. Neitenstein, Comptroller-General of Prisons observed "... the Berrima Gaol has been closed, as the present system has no use for it. At one time it was amongst the principal penal establishments, as was primarily for punitive treatment of refactory and turbulent prisoners. To be liable to be sent to Berrima for "coercion" was a terrifying idea, and the methods employed - only a few years ago- at that place were severe indeed. The principal measures of "coercion," apart from flogging as a last resource, consisted of solitary confinement, dark cells, and various forms of ironing. Of these, prolonged detention in dark cells was the most drastic punishment. On entering into office, I made careful inquiry into this matter, and found that individuals were punished over and over again without checking offences or bringing better conduct. On my recommendation, therefore, all of these things were abolished, and one result has been that outbreaks and organised disturbances have entirely ceased, and serious misconduct has become a thing of the past. (13) Berrima Gaol was deproclaimed in a proclamation made on August 14, 1909. (14) FOOTNOTES: (1) HRA Series I, Volume XVII p. 657 (2) Jervis, J A History of the Berrima District p.33. (3) NSW Government Gazette 22 January 1840 p72. (4) Returns of the Colony 1840 p490. (5) op.cit. p232. (6) NSW Government Gazette 15 January 1841 p53. (7) Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Council, 1843 p. 211 (8) NSW Government Gazette 12 July 1859 p1545. (9) Jervis, J op.cit. p.34. (10) Royal Commission Inquiry Appointed 2 July 1878 to Inquire Into and Report Upon the General Management and Discipline of the Gaol at Berrima. In Votes and Proceedings 1878-79 vol.3 p.1035. (11) ibid. (12) Jervis, J op.cit. p.34. (13) Report of the Comptroller-General of Prisons, New South Wales for the year 1908, p. 3 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1909 vol 4 p. 47 (14) New South Wales Government Gazette No. 112, 18 August 1909, p. 4564 REFERENCES: New South Wales Government Gazette. Sydney, Government Printer, No. 112, 18 August 1909