MELBOURNE GAOL

Hoadley's card, Ned Kelly 'examination in gaol'

MELBOURNE GAOL (NOW KNOWN AS 'OLD MELBOURNE GAOL')

Tenders were called for a new prison in the city of Melbourne in 1840.
A prison was built on the top of a hill in Russell St dominating the Melbourne skyline for decades.
The gaol featured large scale use of cellular confinement and constant supervision.
In 1842 the first public execution took place with the gaol still under construction.
The Melbourne Gaol opened on 1st January 1845, the first large modern gaol to be built in the
Port Phillip District.
A second prison block was started to be built in 1852 and was completed in 1857.
Prisoners ate their meals in their cells, served via trapdoors.
In the late 1860's the gaol was extended with the addition of an admin block, hospital, chapel and
Governor's quarters.
The gaol, Supreme Court, Police Station and Warders Barracks occupied almost a complete city block.
In the early 1900's the old ironstone cell block was demolished to make way for the new city watchhouse.
The gaol closed its doors in 1926 and many buildings along with land was used by the workman's college.
Much of the gaol was demolished and the cell that remains was only saved because of Ned Kelly and the
tourists who visited to see the famous gallows.

Thank you Greg Young for the scan above.

http://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au/old_melbourne_gaol

If you would like to see what it looked like prior to the way it is now visit my OMG Courtyard page.

Inside the prison, sketch by Zeke White. (2008)

http://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au/

Signature of Governor Castieau..