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The site of the old
gaol later became the tram terminus for Newcastle. The site can be seen
in these two early 1900's photographs of the promenade at Newcastle
beach. In the first the tram shed can be seen in the top left side of
the photo. In the second the tram shed can be seen in the distance.
(These are thumbnails. Click to enlarge). |
The
Execution of Patrick Bryan
Hoary Veterans and
Scottish Maids - A Description of Newcastle
Gaol from the Sydney Gazette in 1840
Newcastle
gaol was constructed in
1818 on a site overlooking the ocean above Newcastle Beach and divided
from the inhabited portion of the town by a
tract of sand. The vegetation
had been removed from these
sand hills to prevent escaping convicts concealing themselves.
The gaol was a
two storied building and surrounded by a stone wall 12 feet high with
foundations of stone and walls of brick. In the interior of the structure,
wide corridors ran the entire extent of the building, on either side of which
were strong barred cells. The upper story was similar. In the gaol yard,
various instruments of torture stood out prominently. Outside the walls a
cottage stood which was occupied by the keepers and turnkeys; through this
cottage an entrance led to the interior of the gaol. The building was
substantially constructed of brick, stone and hardwood. Here the convicts were
flogged and public executions were carried out.
In May
1822 James Croft was appointed Gaoler.
Croft was an ex convict who arrived on the 'Lady Castlereagh' in 1818 after being sentenced to transportation for life in
Leicester. John Hooper who arrived on the
'Hibernia' in 1818 was turnkey at the gaol in 1828.
The gaol
became overcrowded as the Assizes dates neared. In the
beginning of 1842 a total of 164 people
were incarcerated behind the walls - 111 men and 53 women. The
Governor of the gaol was congratulated for his management
of the situation at this time for preventing an outbreak
of 'pestilential fever' due to the overcrowding.
Prisoners may
have been forced to travel great distances. In Scone a
complaint in the early 1840's was that even those
convicted of minor offences such as drunkenness were
harshly treated. If they were unable to pay their fine
they were sentenced to 48 hours in Newcastle gaol, despite
the availability of two pairs of stocks in the Scone lock up. Many
were willing to make any sacrifice to save themselves the
walk to Newcastle and were known to pay 10/- for the loan
of a guinea to pay the fine. If they were unable to raise
the required amount they could expect to be absent for up
to a month as the escort to Newcastle was often very slow.
By 1842
executions were no longer being carried out within the
walls of the gaol or in a prominent position nearby.
Thomas Homer who was executed for the murder of his
overseer Mr. Stone had to walk quite a distance to the
gallows which were erected in a hollow and able to be
'witnessed only by those assembled on the spot'.
In June 1842 a
correspondent wrote to the Sydney Gazette telling of the decayed state of the
Newcastle gaol - 'a military guard is requisite to prevent the escape of
the prisoners. About sixty men were sent for trial to Maitland and were it not
for the military guard stationed at the gaol day and night, the prisoners with
ease may have thrown it down and escaped'. The gaol was said to be capable
of holding only half the number that were incarcerated there.
By
1843 Maitland was campaigning for a new gaol. Situated 20 miles
from Maitland, Newcastle Gaol was described as miserably deficient
both as regards safe custody and the classification of
prisoners. Bond and free, debtors and felons were all
indiscriminately mixed together. The gaoler John Field thought some committed petty thefts for the purpose
of being sent to gaol as they had nothing to do and
lived better than they did out of prison; there was not
only no hard work in the gaol but there was no work of any
kind by which the prisoners could be employed. Besides the
inadequacies and risk of escape, considerable
expense was incurred in the transmission of prisoners from
Newcastle to Maitland at each Circuit Court and Quarter
Sessions and back to Newcastle after they had taken their
trials.
Sometimes the
military were called on to restore order at the gaol. In 1844 a disturbance
took place in the gaol airing yard where male prisoners were confined. The
main instigators were Norfolk Island expirees who were again imprisoned
after escaping from the Newcastle hospital in the cutter 'Brothers'. The men
became unruly and insubordinate towards the gaol constables and Mr. Field
immediately called for a military guard from the barracks. The soldiers
secured the prisoners who were later sentenced to solitary confinement for a
month.
A Proclamation dated December 20 1848 was published in the
Government Gazette declaring the gaol in East Maitland to
be the gaol for the Northern Circuit District.
On 31 December 1848 the
Newcastle Gaol was closed and inmates were
transferred to
Maitland Gaol, although some convicts
remained in Newcastle to work on construction of the
Breakwater. They lived at the gaol until 1855 when the
formidable old building was closed as a prison. It was
used for some years for the storage of gunpowder before
being condemned. Some of the walls and foundations
were removed when the site was excavated for the tram
terminus at the eastern end of Scott Street. However even
in 1897 parts of the foundations could still be seen
cropping out of the sand on the 'Old Gaol Hill'.
Sources
Hughes, Robert, The Fatal
Shore, Collins Harvill 1987
Historical Records of Newcastle 1797 - 1897, Windross & Ralston
Turner, John, A Pictorial
History of Newcastle, Kingsclear Books 1887
Colonial Secretary's
Index
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/colsec/default.htm
Sydney Gazette
Maitland Mercury
Hunter River Gazette
Police Force
Maitland and Paterson 1835 (external link)
Top
The Execution of Patrick Bryan at Newcastle Gaol in 1848
'Patrick Bryan, found
guilty at the last Maitland Circuit Court of the murder of
Mrs. Neilson, at Clarence Town was executed at Newcastle
at 9am. The culprit, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Dowling
and Mr. Under Sheriff Prout, ascended the scaffold with a
firm step, and addressed the crowd assembled in the
following words: 'My dear friends, it gives me the
greatest comfort this world can now afford, that I am
enabled to declare from the utmost recesses of my heart,
that I am as innocent of the death of Eliza Neilson as any
of you standing before me. I am not guilty even of a
thought of such . I only knew of it when apprehended and
taken where the lady lay.' The rope being then adjusted by
the executioner, the drop fell, but an unfortunate
occurrence took place. Bryan, moving his head, the knot of
the rope slipped under his chin, and the consequence was
that his neck was not dislocated. The unfortunate man thus
remained hanging in the greatest of agony for thirteen
minutes beating his breast with his hands, and ejaculating
'Oh! my God!'. Mr. Prout sent the executioner up, who
jammed the knot under the chin, and also laid hold of the
end of the rope with his weight upon Bryan. The populace
were very much excited, and commencing showing their
displeasure at the above circumstance; but on the Under
Sheriff addressing them, to the effect that it was a
melancholy sight, but that it was the unfortunate man's
own fault by moving his head, they dispersed quietly'.
Sydney Morning Herald
THE
LATE EXECUTION AT NEWCASTLE - We think the government
would do well to cause an investigation to be made into
the manner in which the late execution at Newcastle was
conducted. From some cause or other the unfortunate man
Bryant was kept a considerable time in the most
excruciating agony. This is said to have been caused by
the executioner being unfit, from Delirium Tremens, to
perform his business property. If this was really the
cause, it is discreditable to the government, and to those
whose more immediate duty it was to see the sentence of
death carried into effect. Inquiry ought to be made, not
only for the purpose of dealing with those who are to
blame in this case, but to prevent similar mismanagement
in future
Maitland Mercury
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