Fremantle Prison in Western Australia
-The Fremantle Prison has a rich and varied past. As a place of
incarceration for almost 150 years its inmates included British
convicts, local prisoners, military prisoners, enemy aliens and
prisoners of war. Fremantle Prison was constructed soon after the arrival of the convict ship Scindian in 1850. The Swan River Colony was settled by free settlers in 1829. In 1849, the farmers petitioned the colonial authority to request skilled convicts be sent from the British government. The first ship with 75 prisoners aboard arrived even before confirmation of the request was received. Edmund Henderson found on arrival that the town was unprepared and arranged temporary accommodation for the convicts at the harbour master's warehouse (now the Esplanade Hotel). Under direction from Henderson, James Manning and Henry Wray supervised the construction of the prison using convict labour from limestone quarried on-site. Construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1859. The first prisoners were moved there in 1855.
The face of Martha Rendell, the only woman to be hanged at Fremantle, appears in the window of the church regularly. The face seems to be caused by ripples in the glass that reflect light in an unusual way, but the resemblance is uncanny.
prisoners of war. Fremantle Prison was constructed soon after the arrival of the convict ship Scindian in 1850. The Swan River Colony was settled by free settlers in 1829. In 1849, the farmers petitioned the colonial authority to request skilled convicts be sent from the British government. The first ship with 75 prisoners aboard arrived even before confirmation of the request was received. Edmund Henderson found on arrival that the town was unprepared and arranged temporary accommodation for the convicts at the harbour master's warehouse (now the Esplanade Hotel). Under direction from Henderson, James Manning and Henry Wray supervised the construction of the prison using convict labour from limestone quarried on-site. Construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1859. The first prisoners were moved there in 1855.
The face of Martha Rendell, the only woman to be hanged at Fremantle, appears in the window of the church regularly. The face seems to be caused by ripples in the glass that reflect light in an unusual way, but the resemblance is uncanny.
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