Site icon Peter & Karen Pecksen

Fremantle Prison

peterpecksen

The front gates fashioned from iron scavenged from convict ships.

We finally made our way to Fremantle and our first order of business was to check out the World Heritage Fremantle Prison. One of the most striking things about this prison is that it was in full operation until 1991. Bear this in mind as you see some of the photos of the facilities and amenities.

The clock over the entrance to Fremantle Prison marked the time for both British convicts and Australian prisoners since 1856. Construction of the prison started in 1850.

We took the time to take a couple of tours through the complex which was well worth it. “The Convict Prison” and “Behind Bars” tours provided an excellent insight to the history and life in this, the most intact convict establishment in the southern hemisphere.

One of the original four cell blocks in the prison. Complete with the suicide net hanging overhead to prevent jumpers.
1.2 x 2.1 metres with a hammock. Breakfast and dinner were eaten in your cell and you had a bucket as a toilet during the night. Some of the conditions until 1991.

There were some larger cells near the end of it’s tenure, but the primitive nature of the conditions was amazing.

The view from and into a daytime solitary confinement cell. At night prisoners were moved across the hall to nighttime cells which had wooden floors for comfort. The double doors cut off any sound to the prisoners and the windows could be shuttered to eliminate any light if prisoner behaviour dictated that.
This is the view into the cell used to house condemned prisoners before they were executed. The bucket on the left is the same type found in every cell as a toilet. The last man to be executed was in 1964.
43 men and one woman were put to death by hanging in the time the prison was in operation. This is inside the gallows showing the door the prisoner would enter through and the rope they faced. The handle for the trapdoor can be seen in the foreground.

This is truly one of the must see locations in Fremantle and Perth. Now, on to explore some of the lighter sides of the region.

Exit mobile version