Pentridge (Stockade 1850-1859; Penal Establishment 1859-1932; His Majesty's Gaol 1932-1959; Her Majesty's Gaol 1959-1972; Her Majesty's Prison 1972-1997)

Full description

Her Majesty's Prison Pentridge, commonly called Pentridge Prison or simply Pentridge, operated in many forms from 1850 until its closure in 1997. At the height of its operations, the Prison was made up of several divisions:

• 'A' Division for short- and long-term prisoners of good behaviour
• 'B' Division for long-term prisoners of poor behaviour
• 'C' Division for 'Vagabonds' and short-term prisoners
• 'D' Division for prisoners on remand
• 'E' Division, the hospital and later a dormitory for short-term prisoners
• 'F' Division for prisoners on remand and short-term prisoners
• 'G' Division, the psychiatric division
• 'H' Division, the high security and discipline division
• 'J' Division, Young Offenders Group and later for long-term prisoner of good behaviour
• 'K' Division or Jika Jika, the maximum-security risk and protection division

Pentridge was originally established as a temporary stockade in 1850 to alleviate overcrowding at the Melbourne Gaol (VA 4147). It was known as the Pentridge Stockade and was made up of an ad-hoc group of structures built by the prisoners.

In 1858, construction began on Inspector General William Champ's model prison complex. It was based on British models and incorporated a new system of prisoner classification and ideas about penal reform. The new prison complex was named 'The Penal Establishment at Pentridge' in 1859 and continued to be enlarged and expanded throughout the 1860s and 1870s. It was often referred to as the Pentridge Penal Establishment.

Following the Royal Commission on Penal and Prison Discipline of 1870, an extensive work program for prisoners was introduced and a complex known as the 'Industries' was constructed. These included a timber yard, a woollen mill, carpenters and blacksmiths workshops completed in 1879, and tailors and boot makers workshops completed in 1886.

Under the provisions of the Indeterminate Sentences Act 1907 (No. 2106), Yard No. 3 of 'C' Division along with all the cells connected to this yard were designated as a Reformatory Prison in 1909. Under the Act, the role of reformatory prisons was to train prisoners determined to be 'habitual criminals' in vocations, trades or other employment. Prisoner's were held until the Indeterminate Sentences Board (VA 4161) determined that they were eligible for release on probation. The reformatory prison was expanded several times until The Penal Reform Act 1956 (No. 5961) abolished Reformatory Prisons.

The Jika Reformatory School for boys was established on the Pentridge reserve in 1873. The Jika Reformatory School for Females was established on the reserve in October 1876. These schools were closed in 1880 and 1893 respectively, and became 'F' Division and 'G' Division.

After the closure of the girl's reformatory school, 'G' Division became a dormitory for prisoners requiring psychiatric treatment. Staff knowledge and training in psychiatric medicine were limited. Patients of the psychiatric division were largely limited to those experiences drug or alcohol addiction, with 'criminally insane' prisoners being sent to 'J Ward' of the Ararat Mental Hospital (VA 2841).

In 1859 a hospital was constructed within Pentridge grounds to treat prisoners for minor complaints. The hospital was closed in 1959 and the building was refurbished as a dormitory for short-term prisoners, known as 'E' Division. 'G' Division served as the prison's general hospital, treating prisoners with minor injuries or illnesses, observing prisoners recovering from treatment given at other hospitals, and administering limited psychiatric services until a purpose-built hospital was constructed in 1980. Psychiatric services in 'G' Division were overseen by Mont Park Hospital (VA 2846).

Although a purpose built Female division had already been constructed in 1865, women only occupied the building from 1868-69, after which the building became 'A' Division. In 1894, a new prison was erected within the outer walls of Pentridge for female prisoners. The Female Prison, Pentridge (VA 4141) was proclaimed in May 1894 under the Gaols Act 1890 as a separate establishment for female prisoners, operating within the walls of Pentridge.

In July 1924 the Metropolitan Gaol (VA 5757) was established under the Gaols Act 1915 within Pentridge grounds to replace Melbourne Gaol (VA 4147) as a remand and reception prison. A portion of the Female Prison was repurposed as the Metropolitan Gaol. Women prisoners were eventually relocated to H.M. Prison, Fairlea (VA 926) when it opened in 1956, however, 32 women were imprisoned at Pentridge in 'B' division after the 1982 Fairlea prison fire, the last leaving in 1987.

In 1932, the Female Prison and Metropolitan Gaol were incorporated into Pentridge forming 'D' Division, and the prison complex was renamed His Majesty's Gaol, Pentridge. Both the Female Prison and the Metropolitan Gaol were revoked as separate institutions. The female reformatory prison continued until reformatory prisons were abolished in 1956. Women prisoners were held in the 'Female' Division under the charge of a Matron, when the rest of 'D' Division becoming the receiving division. 'D' division was also designated as the venue for all subsequent executions in Victoria until the last prisoner to suffer the death penalty, Ronald Ryan, was executed in 1967. The bodies of approximately thirty prisoners were exhumed from the former Melbourne Gaol in 1929 and relocated to Pentridge. There were several burial grounds for prisoners surrounding 'D' Division.

The consolidation of Pentridge meant that the prison system was more centralised; with most prisoners being received at Pentridge before being assessed, classified and then sent to other prisons. It was also the largest prison in Victoria, accounting for approximately half the prisoners in Victoria at any time.

Pentridge was later renamed Her Majesty's Gaol, Pentridge under the Gaols Act 1958 in 1959, then Her Majesty's Prison, Pentridge under the Social Welfare Act 1970 in 1972. In 1984 Pentridge was restructured and divided into two separate prisons. 'A', 'B', 'E' and 'H' Divisions remained part of Pentridge, while the remaining divisions, including the Jika Jika unit became Her Majesty's Metropolitan Reception Prison (VA 4107).

Pentridge was the site of many successful and unsuccessful escape attempts, fires, riots, protests and uprisings, and was often the centre of controversy regarding prison conditions and treatment of prisoners. The prison was the focus of several Parliamentary Inquiries, Boards of Inquiry and Royal Commissions during it's existence including:

• Select Committee on Penal Establishments, 1856-57 (VA 4882)
• Royal Commission on Penal and Prison Discipline, 1870
• Board of Enquiry into Certain Charges Against Mr HF Neal, Late Inspector of Industrial and Reformatory Schools, 1880-81
• Board of Inquiry as to Pentridge Penal Establishment, 1920 
• Board of Inquiry into the Escape of Five Prisoners from H.M. Goal, Pentridge on Saturday 27 August 1955, 1955 (VA 5131)
• Board of Inquiry into Allegations of Brutality and Ill Treatment at H.M. Prison, Pentridge, 1973-74 (VA 4389)
• Select Committee on the Victorian Prisons Services, 1982-85 (VA 4909)
• Board of Inquiry to Enquire into Certain Matters Relating to the Office of Corrections, 1989 (VA 4397)
• Inquiry into the Victorian Prison System, 1992-1994

'C' Division in particular was noted as having poor conditions, with the building lacking electricity and plumbing. This division, built in 1858, had particularly small cells, little access to natural light, and was known for being too draughty to allow candles to stay alight. Although it was first petitioned to be demolished in the 1920s, continual overcrowding of the prison prevented it's closure until 1974, after the rebuilding of 'E' Division following a riot in 1970.

In 1958, 'A' Division was partitioned off and 'H' Division was created as a high security unit and to act as a deterrent against escape attempts and other infractions. Central to 'H' Division was a program of rock-breaking, which was employed as punishment for prison offences until 1976. 'H' Division became notorious for psychological and physical abuse of prisoners and public outcry eventually lead to the Board of Inquiry into Pentridge operations in the mid 1970s.

Despite the Inquiry corroborating allegations of abuse against prisoners in 'H' Division, it continued to operate until 1994. However a new, maximum security division was designed to replace 'H' division and the $7 million Jika Jika unit, later known as 'K' Division, was completed in 1980. With electronic locks and CCTV, the division was designed to be escape proof, however four prisoners escaped the unit in 1983. 'K' Division was ultimately closed in 1987 after a fire in the unit resulted in the deaths of five prisoners.

H.M. Prison Barwon (VA 5753) was opened in 1990, replacing Pentridge as a maximum security prison. In April 1995, the Office of Corrections (VA 1063) ordered that the six main towers at Pentridge be closed, since most of the high security prisoners had been relocated to Barwon. Pentridge was officially closed on 1 May 1997. It was replaced as a Maximum Security Men's prison by Barwon Prison and the privately run Port Phillip Prison, which opened in September 1997.

The Pentridge prison site was sold to private developers and following a heritage review and archaeological work, was redeveloped into an urban complex with apartments, town houses, hotels, a shopping centre, cinema and museum.