Fremantle Prison, sometimes referred to as Fremantle Gaol or Fremantle Jail, is a former Australian prison and World Heritage Site. The six-hectare site includes the prison cellblocks, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, and tunnels. It was initially used for convicts transported from Britain, but was transferred to the colonial government in 1886 for use for locally-sentenced prisoners. More than 40 hangings were carried out at Fremantle prison, which was Western Australia’s only lawful place of execution between 1888 and 1984. The prison closed in 1991, replaced by the new maximum-security Casuarina Prison.
About Fremantle Prison in brief
Fremantle Prison, sometimes referred to as Fremantle Gaol or Fremantle Jail, is a former Australian prison and World Heritage Site in Fremantle, Western Australia. The six-hectare site includes the prison cellblocks, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, and tunnels. It was initially used for convicts transported from Britain, but was transferred to the colonial government in 1886 for use for locally-sentenced prisoners. Royal Commissions were held in 1898 and 1911, and instigated some reform to the prison system, but significant changes did not begin until the 1960s. Growing prisoner discontent culminated in a 1988 riot with guards taken hostage, and a fire that caused USD 1. 8 million worth of damage. The prison closed in 1991, replaced by the new maximum-security Casuarina Prison. Since 1991, Fremantle Prison has been conserved as a recognised heritage site, and various restoration works have been undertaken. The process of obtaining World Heritage listing as part of the Australian Convict Sites submission focused historical interpretation and conservation efforts on the prison’s convict era, at the expense of its more recent history, including Aboriginal prisoners held there. More than 40 hangings were carried out at Fremantle prison, which was Western Australia’s only lawful place of execution between 1888 and 1984. Prominent escapees included Moondyne Joe, as well as John Boyle O’Reilly and six other Fenians in the 19th century, and Brenden Abbott in 1989.
A system of tunnels, constructed to provide fresh water from aquifer, runs under the eastern edge of the site. North of the main block is New Division, and west of that, in the north-western corner, is the former Women’s Prison, previously the cookhouse, bakehouse and laundry. An adjoining number 12-storey house, built in 1853 for the chaplain, but taken over by the prison administration in 1878, was finished in 1854. A number of Victorian style Victorian style houses built in contrast to the other Georgian style houses of the other buildings are located on the north side of the gatehouse. The hospital building stands in the east-west corner, while the former workshops are located in the south-eastern corner, aswell as to the north and south-east corner. The main cell block is located at the centre of theSite, which contains two chapels. Beyond it is the Main Cell Block at the center of the Site, and beyond it is a number of other buildings, including a prison cell block, a jail cell, a prison yard, a hospital building, and the former women’s prison. A 15-foot tall boundary wall encloses the prison grounds, with a gatehouse in the centre, facing The Terrace. The parade ground is located east of the Gatehouse, with the prison workers and officials, are located outside the wall either side of the gatehouse in the south. The first double storey house is a double-storesy house that accommodated the superintendent.
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This page is based on the article Fremantle Prison published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 20, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
