AGY-435 | Deniliquin Gaol

Full description

A prison building designed to contain 12 prisoners (known as a 'Category 134' building) was constructed at Deniliquin during the years 1863-1864 at a cost £2 618 and 2 shillings (1). It was proclaimed a Public Gaol, Prison and House of Correction on 22 February, 1864 (2). The Deniliquin Police Lock-up had been declared to be a Public Prison in January 1862 (3) This was situated in the Head Police Station for the South Western Police District at Deniliquin (4). It seems the Lock-up functioned as a prison for the District as an interim measure until the completion of the new gaol, as an Acting Gaoler was appointed (5). In fact the Acting Gaoler was present when Mr Henry Smith, appointed Gaoler by the Sheriff in March 1864, arrived to take control of the new gaol (6). A dispute arose when Henry Smith reached Deniliquin on the evening of 24 March, 1864, as the Acting Gaoler claimed not to have been instructed to give up his position, preferring to wait until the Visiting Justice could make a decision. The Visiting Justice arrived on 28 March, and informed of the situation the next day, but refused to act until he had received instructions from headquarters (7). However the appointment by the Sheriff of Henry Smith as Gaoler and Anna Cassandra Smith as Matron was confirmed on 1 April, 1864 (9). The first prisoner was accepted into the gaol on 6 April, 1864 (10). In accordance with the Prisons Act, 1899, Deniliquin Gaol was declared a "prison" as specified by the Act (11). Due to decreasing gaol entries recorded in the period from 1915 to 1917, Deniliquin was downgraded in status to a police gaol on 1 March, 1917, and continued to operate as such until its closure (12,13). By proclamation on 4 November 1935, Deniliquin was ordered to cease operations as a prison on the 15th of that month (14). ENDNOTES (1) "Gaols: Statistics Respecting", Report of the Colonial Secretary dated 25 June, 1866, p 1, in Votes and Proceedings, 1866, Volume I, p 831. (2) NSW Government Gazette, 23 February, 1864, p 471. (3) NSW Government Gazette, 7 January, 1862, p 29. (4) "Police: Return Relative To", Report of the Inspector General of Police dated 11 February, 1864, p 1, in Votes and Proceedings, 1863-1864, Volume II, p 903. (5) New South Wales Blue Book for the Year 1862, p 21. (6) Corrective Services, Deniliquin Gaol: Copies of Letters Sent, 7 April 1864 - 4 January 1872. Letter to The Sheriff, Sheriff's Office, Albury, 7 April 1864 (SRNSW ref: 5/1528 Entry No.1). (7) ibid. Entry No.1. (9) NSW Government Gazette, 5 April, 1864, p 813. (10) Corrective Services, Deniliquin Gaol: Entrance Book, 6 April 1864 - 24 December 1888 (SRNSW ref: 5/1471 Entry No.1; SR Reel 2361) (11) Prisons Act, 1899 (Act No. 27, 1899) s. 4 in conjunction with Schedule 2. (12) Report of the Comptroller-General of Prisons for the Year Ended 31st December, 1917, p 1, in Parliamentary Papers, 1917-1918, Volume IV, p 129. (13) Report of the Comptroller-General of Prisons for the Year Ended 30th June, 1936, p 1. (14) NSW Government Gazette, 8 November, 1935, p 4359.