Bathurst Correctional Centre

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The jail was the site for several executions by the gallows, with a drop to 14 feet (4.3 m) compared to the customary English 3–4 feet (0.91–1.22 m). [7] The hangings at the old or new jails included:

By December 1894, executioner Bull had been replaced by Howard and his assistant Goldrick, who undertook the second hanging in the new jail. [13] The last executions were of Sydney Twelve members Frank Franz and Roland Nicholas Kennedy on Wednesday 20 December 1916 for the murder of a police constable. [14] The death penalty for all offences in New South Wales was removed in 1985.

Riots

The Bathurst riots and Bathurst batterings were a series of violent disturbances and reprisals that occurred at the jail in October 1970 and February 1974. The second outbreak of violence led to the partial destruction and temporary closure of the prison, and ultimately to a Royal Commission into the State's prison system.

The 1980 film Stir is based on the 1974 riots at the prison.

Name change

Between 1992 and 1993, the name of Bathurst Gaol was changed to Bathurst Correctional Centre. [3]

Description

Old Bathurst Gaol, demolished c. 1880 Old Bathurst Gaol.jpg
Old Bathurst Gaol, demolished c.1880

Bathurst Gaol is composed of a square compound with a gatehouse and two watch towers located at the far corners. The Governor and Deputy Governors Residences are located outside the main compound walls. Internally the (now demolished) chapel formed the focus of the jail. Four cell ranges and the cookhouse radiated out from the chapel. On one side of the chapel forecourt was the totally separated female compound. On the other side was the male hospital. [6]

Bathurst and Goulburn jails were almost identical in plan. Goulburn however remains more intact. [6]

Heritage listing

Bathurst Gaol is significant as one of two model prisons designed by the Colonial Architect's Office in the late 1870s and early 1880s; as an indication of advances in penal architecture in the late nineteenth century; for its continued use as a jail. [6]

Bathurst Correctional Complex was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. [6]

Industries

Inmates at the Centre may be employed in Corrective Service Industries (CSI) food services, the commercial laundry, technology/packaging and packaging business units. [15] Inmates can also do general ground, horticulture, cleaning and building maintenance work on and outside the complex.

CSI also operates the Girrawaa Creative Centre, which was established in 1998. [16] It employs around 15 Indigenous inmates at a time. The program is aimed at developing inmates' artistic skills while creating Aboriginal artefacts for sale. Pieces such as boomerangs, paintings, coasters, clapsticks and didgeridoos are produced for sale to the public directly from the gallery, online, [17] to government agencies, and to wholesalers.

Notable prisoners

References

Citations

  1. "Walkabout - Bathurst". Archived from the original on 28 August 2006.
  2. Chamberlain, Rachel (17 July 2018). "Bathurst jail expansion to start construction in August, 2018". The Western Advocate. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Bathurst Gaol (1830-1992) / Bathurst Correctional Complex (1992- )". State Records. Government of New South Wales. 2009. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  4. Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 27 Jul, Page 13 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71121592?searchTerm=bathurst%20gaol%20demolished
  5. "Bathurst Gaol". The Bathurst Town and around website. Web things. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bathurst Correctional Centre". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H00806. Retrieved 2 June 2018. CC BY icon.svg Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence .
  7. 1 2 3 "Double execution in Bathurst Gaol". Launceston Examiner . Vol. XXVIII, no. 74. Tasmania, Australia. 20 June 1868. p. 5. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Execution in Bathurst Gaol". The Manning River News and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales. Vol. II, no. 34. New South Wales, Australia. 8 December 1866. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Execution in Bathurst Gaol.—Frightful scene". Queanbeyan Age . New South Wales, Australia. 13 June 1872. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  10. "The execution of GLASSON". Adelaide Observer . Vol. L, no. 2, 722. South Australia. 2 December 1893. p. 30. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  11. "The inquest". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) . No. 4449. New South Wales, Australia. 28 September 1893. p. 5. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  12. "The first execution in Bathurst Gaol". National Advocate. New South Wales, Australia. 2 December 1916. p. 2. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  13. "The execution at Bathurst". The Burrangong Argus. New South Wales, Australia. 15 December 1894. p. 2. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  14. "Tottenham murder". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) . No. 11736. New South Wales, Australia. 21 December 1916. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  15. "Bathurst". Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  16. "Girrawaa Creative Arts Centre". Archived from the original on 20 December 2018.
  17. "About Us - By Indigenous". Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  18. Mitchell, Alex (19 June 2005). "Adler moved to Bathurst prison". The Age. Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  19. Brisbane, Katharine (14 May 1977). "The blacker side of life in Australia". The Bulletin . 099 (5057). John Haynes and J.F. Archibald: 66. ISSN   0007-4039 . Retrieved 9 December 2021 via Trove.

Sources

Attribution
Bathurst Correctional Centre
Penitentiary Batrurst, NSW Australia.jpg
The hand-carved sandstone gate and façade of the Bathurst Correctional Complex
Australia New South Wales relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Bathurst Correctional Complex
Location in New South Wales
Location Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 33°25′04″S149°33′30″E / 33.41778°S 149.55833°E / -33.41778; 149.55833
StatusOperational
Security classMaximum / Medium / Minimum
Capacity222
Opened7 June 1888 (1888-06-07)
Former nameBathurst Gaol
Managed by Department of Communities and Justice
Website Bathurst Correctional Centre
Building details
Bathurst Correctional Centre
General information
Cost 102,000
Technical details
Material Sandstone and brick
Design and construction
Architect(s)
Architecture firm Colonial Architect of New South Wales