In the early 1820s it was decided to build a gaol on darlinghurst hill, and francis greenway was commissioned to design a building that would overlook sydney, as a constant reminder that sydney was a convict town. Later volumes consist of duplicate and triplicate copies and record name, birth date, sentence and type of discharge. Sydneys main gaol from its opening in 1841, later used as an internment camp, technical college and art school. Early volumes in this series note gaol number, ship and year of arrival, name of prisoner, offence, sentence, where and when convicted and details of discharge. Over the years, a total of 79 people were executed at darlinghurst jail. The old sandstone architecture was very striking and intriguing and i could sense the stories hovering in the airand a few ghosts. Darlinghurst gaol and courthouse, in foreground, complex, c. Unclipped dustwrapper with light edge wear, slightly chipped. Darlinghurst is an innercity, eastern suburb of sydney, new south wales, australia. En route, i stumbled across darlinghurst gaol, which has been the national art school for some time.
New south wales gaol description and entrance books 18181930. Louisa collins, darlinghurst gaol photographic description book, 1888. New south wales, australia, gaol description and entrance books. The existing prisoners were taken out to the new gaol at long bay. Discharge books darlinghurst gaol research data australia. Were excited to announce the launch of new south wales gaol description and entrance books 18181930. Statutory body established by the state records act 1998. After going to the exhibition, i started walking towards surry hills and central station. See more ideas about australia history, old photos, historical photos. Construction of the rest of the complex did not begin until 1836, with completion of some of the cell blocks in 1840.
The site is bordered by victoria, burton and forbes streets, with entrances on forbes and burton streets. In forbes street now, i pass a former police station and enter the national art school. This watercolour was accompanied by plans of darlinghurst gaol and titled watercolour drawings by h. Darlinghurst gaol photographic prisoner records featuring. The darlinghurst gaol wall began in 1822 and finished in 1824 using convict labour, but due to a lack of funds, the site sat empty for 12 years. Since the gaol numbers in these volumes relate to the darlinghurst entrance books, it is. A place steeped in australias early, brutal history and reputedly haunted by convict ghosts, it has been the centre of sydneys art scene for 83 years and continues to be a place of creative and. The heritagelisted building, predominately designed by new south wales colonial architect mortimer lewis, was closed in 1914 and has subsequently been repurposed to house. The amount of information listed varies, but new south wales gaol photographic description books 18711969. The gaol photograph description books cover many prisons in new south wales. A biography of rock hudson paperback a thousand moons. Dec 12, 2017 the history of old darlinghurst gaol the exterior walls of old darlinghurst gaol were built by convict labour from sandstone quarried from the nearby barcom glen between 18221824. Since the gaol numbers in these volumes relate to the darlinghurst entrance books, it is suggested that the term sydney gaol is used loosely.
However, due to a lack of funds, the site sat empty for 12 years. Reminiscences of sisters of charity including prison ministry and school memories written by former students and rscs, the prisoners of darlinghurst gaol. New south wales gaol description and entrance books 1818. Old darlinghurst gaol historic tour national art school. Seventysix people were hanged at darlinghurst gaol, but most of them met their demise on the scaffold inside the gaol in a corner of ewing. Since the gaol numbers in these volumes relate to the darlinghurst entrance books, it is suggested that the term sydney gaol is used loosely and actually refers to darlinghurst gaol. The history of old darlinghurst gaol the exterior walls of old darlinghurst gaol were built by convict labour from sandstone quarried from the nearby barcom glen between 18221824. Sv1 gao darh 2bertrand was convicted of the murder of henry kinder, who died on 2 october 1865, in one of sydneys most notorious homicide cases of the time. The books in the dubbo gaol library were often received from darlinghurst gaol or donated by prisoner aid associations. State records authority of new south wales, kingswood, new south wales, australia. New south wales, australia, gaol description and entrance.
These include records from both sydney and darlinghurst gaols sydney held prisoners until 1841, when they were transferred to the new gaol at darlinghurst, as well as albury 18611867, berrima 18401847, goldburn 18481867, maitland 18601867. Its chapel is considered one of the finest examples of the stonemasons art in australia. Trams a wellplaced source of historical photographs last week sent me some great 1940s colour images of trams trundling down darlinghurst and sydney streets. Hope in hell is a rich visual account of one of the oldest and bestpreserved examples of colonial sydney architecture, the darlinghurst gaol. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the sydney central business district cbd and hyde park, within the local government area of the city of sydney darlinghurst is a densely populated suburb with the majority of residents living in apartments or terraced houses. Set in stone the cell block theatre, by deborah beck deborah beck is an archivist and lecturer at the national art school, housed in the old darlinghurst gaol, and she has developed a passion for the history of her workplace. The old gaol buildings were used as an internment camp during wwi.
Book an old darlinghurst gaol guided tour national art school. The second is a photograph of 8 irish men incarcerated at darlinghurst gaol which shows a possible impression of the welfare of inmates within the system, this is backed up by some information found in the previous. Supplied by city of sydney historical association via wikimedia commons. This record shows entrance number of prisoner, date of entrance and conviction, name, offence, sentence, magistrate, age, religion, place of birth and ship of arrival, previous and subsequent entrance number and final disposal. Darlinghurst gaol is the oldest surviving large gaol complex in australia. Louisa collins, darlinghurst gaol photographic description. We have been progressively microfilming our series of gaol photographs to compliment the index online which contains almost 40,000 names to search. A sign to the cell block reminds me that im in the grounds of the old darlinghurst gaol. Old darlinghurst gaol tours with kids the kid bucket list. I am researching alexander holden who died in 1899 but in november 1898 he was sentenced to 9 months jail for sealing timber. Available in the national library of australia collection. Albury 18761929 armidale 18941915 bathurst 18741930 berrima 18831888 biloela 18851906 broken hill 19041929. Apr 11, 2015 the existing prisoners were taken out to the new gaol at long bay.
The collection also contains an estimated read more. Some of the volumes refer to prisoners discharged from sydney gaol. A history of darlinghurst gaol and the national art. Prisoners could select two books each week from the gaol library. Six rectangular cellblocks radiate out from the central circular chapel. In 1912 the gaol at long bay was complete and the darlinghurst establishment was transferred to this site. This description is extracted from concise guide to the state archives of new south wales, 3rd edition 2000. The gaol photographic description books contain a photograph of each prisoner and the following information. The suburb also features st vincents hospital, and is associated with the sacred heart hospice on darlinghurst road, and the garvan institute of medical research. The act provides for the creation, management and protection of the records of public offices of the state and for public access to those records. Darlinghurst gaol photographic prisoner records featuring australian bushranger, frank gardiner plus other convicted felons, ca 18731874 bound book, 9 x 14 in. Dick whitaker looks at these long and sometimes turbulent times and shows what an important part of sydney history darlinghurst gaol represents.
Apr 09, 2015 true stories from inside darlinghurst gaol by jen lacey historian and weatherman dick whitaker says darlinghurst gaol was a tough place, but is a very important piece of sydneys history. The walls of the jail were built by convicts between 1822 and 1824. Among those who met their demise at the end of a rope were bushranger andrew george scott, better known as captain moonlite, in 1880, and the last woman to be hanged in nsw, louisa collins, in 1889. These books have been identified as being present in collections of gaols in nsw. The old darlinghurst gaol is one of australias oldest and best preserved examples of colonial sandstone architecture, which over the last two centuries has transformed from a place of abject misery to one of australias premier arts institutes. The new south wales gaol photographic description books 18711969 also contain more colourful details such as information about the prisoners physical appearance, including a comparison of their weight both at the time they were committed to gaol and at the time of their discharge, along with hair colour, eye colour and any distinguishing. It is hard to imagine that over 70 people were hanged here.
Prisoners in uniform, darlinghurst gaol state library of nsw. National art school first fleet historical images public service beautiful buildings tasmania old photos city photo tours. The last public hanging at darlinghurst gaol dictionary. For earlier entrance books for sydney gaol, see nrs 2514, and for later entrance books darlinghurst gaol see nrs 24. Since the gaol numbers in these volumes relate to the darlinghurst entrance books, it is suggested that the term sydney. The first piece helps to identify trends in the darlinghurst gaol system and provides specific detail on the execution of governor.
These include records from both sydney and darlinghurst gaols sydney held prisoners until 1841, when they were transferred to the new gaol at darlinghurst. Plan of darlinghurst gaol national library of australia. A history of darlinghurst gaol and the national art school beck d. The position of darlinghurst gaol is well known, and the prison forms a conspicuous object to persons travelling along the eastern tramline near where botanystreet branches off from oxfordstreet. The volumes referring to discharge from sydney gaol are 26 may 188112 october 1885 and 19 september 188622 october 1893. While the series roughly covers the period 18701930, the dates of the books for each gaol vary. True stories from inside darlinghurst gaol by jen lacey historian and weatherman dick whitaker says darlinghurst gaol was a tough place, but. But in the 1850s there were as many as 450 women there. After consideration the site was transferred in 1921, to the department of education which has adapted the building for the use of the east sydney technical college. Back then it housed the convict work gangs and was dubbed the woolloomooloo stockade while the colony attempted to raise the funds necessary to complete a gaol on.
Just in time for christmas, this collection reveals details of more than 25,000 prisoners from new south wales prisons, many of which have now closed and are being used as museums or schools. Darlinghurst gaol news newspapers books scholar jstor may 2008 learn how and when to remove this template message darlinghurst gaol an aerial view of darlinghurst gaol, with the courthouse in the foreground, 1930. Gaol inmates prisoners guide records nsw state archives. Albury 18761929 armidale 18941915 bathurst 18741930 berrima 18831888 biloela 18851906. According to legend, the building is haunted by the restless ghosts of some.
True stories from inside darlinghurst gaol abc sydney. Including the narrative written by himself in darlinghurst gaol 23rd january to th february 1844. Srnsw nrs4346, photographs of nsw public buildings c. William drewetts record shows that he was a typical serial offender and had spent time in maitland, newcastle and darlinghurst gaols by the time these photos were taken. Book an old darlinghurst gaol guided tour national art. New south wales gaol photographic description books 1871. About new south wales, australia, gaol description and entrance books, 18181930 this collection of gaol description and entrance books from prisons in new south wales contain two different, but similar, records. You can find when they were brought in as well as their place of birth, alias, the name of the ship and date of arrival, and sentence. These include records from both sydney and darlinghurst gaols sydney held prisoners until 1841, when they were transferred to the new gaol at darlinghurst, as well as albury 18611867, berrima 18401847, goldburn 18481867, maitland 18601867, and. W wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. The gaol photographic description books contain a photograph of each prisoner and personal and criminal history. A history of darlinghurst gaol and the national art school deborah beck on. This watercolour was accompanied by plans of darlinghurst gaol and titled watercolour.
State records authority of new south wales, kingswood, new south wales. Bertrand served a 28 year prison sentance, most of which was spent at darlinghurst gaol. Razor, by larry writer the mean streets of 1920s and 30s darlinghurst are soon to have a national audience when a television series based on larry writers 2001 book, razor, airs on the nine network from july 30 midaugust. A huge number of darlinghurst gaol description books are held at the nsw state records office. The history of darlinghurst jail city of sydney historical. Join us for a lively historical tour, shedding light on the fascinating history of the site and exposing the dark, hidden corners which arent usually. The heritagelisted building, predominately designed by new south wales colonial architect mortimer. I am thinking that he possibly died in prison and wondered if prisoners who died whilst in jail were buried on the darlinghurst jail prison grounds. New south wales gaol photographic description books 18711969. Construction on darlinghurst gaol wall began in 1822 and finished in 1824 using convict labour.