Fremantle Prison

The prison at Fremantle was built originally to house convicts transported from Britain at the request of the Australians. They needed people to work, so they asked the motherland for help. Unlike the other sites for housing those transported, they were able to have a say in who they accepted.

Initially, the cells were small, like the one below. Eventually, such a cell held two men. Only men were accepted since workers were what was wanted. Somewhat later in the 19th century, an inspector came from England and declared that the cells were unfit for humans - they were too small. The administration responded by making the cells larger. Every other cell wall was removed making half as many cells, each twice as large. Of course, instead of two men in each, now they put four.

Out in the yard behind one of the prison sections is a triangular frame for beatings. The man would be tied to the frame for punishment.

In the solitary confinement wing, each room had two doors. Here is the outer door with its heavy lock.

Inside the outer door is a small alcove and an inner door. This door is also heavily locked and has a small window for passing in the food. At night a metal bar is locked in place between the inner door and the outer door frame making it even more impossible to open the inner door. This was serious solitary confinement.

Inside the two doors is a featureless room with a high window.

One of these rooms was the last room for those condemned to hang for murder. When the time came, they were walked around the corner to the room designed for hanging.

It is a humbling place to visit, this place of confinement, torture, and death.