Maitland Gaol accepted it's first prisoners on 30th December 1848.
Here is the announcement of it's opening in the local Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser.
Maitland became the centre of the Hunter region, with most of the wealth arriving by steamer from Newcastle and Sydney heading to the Hunter Valley and occupying the available land there.
Newcastle Gaol was by this stage no longer acceptable - even for prisoners and so maitland Gaol's 150 year history began.
I am so excited in a weird and strange way you may think, of being able to head back in tomorrow, Friday 1st May 2020 to do a VIRTUAL ghost hunt for you to follow and we will be examining A WING - the first building open to hold prisoners at the GAOL.
Head to my FACEBOOK PAGE over at https://www.facebook.com/ozghosttours/
to take a virtual tour with us at 7pm and 8pm tomorrow night.
Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Saturday 30 December 1848, page 2
Here is the announcement of it's opening in the local Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser.
Maitland became the centre of the Hunter region, with most of the wealth arriving by steamer from Newcastle and Sydney heading to the Hunter Valley and occupying the available land there.
Newcastle Gaol was by this stage no longer acceptable - even for prisoners and so maitland Gaol's 150 year history began.
I am so excited in a weird and strange way you may think, of being able to head back in tomorrow, Friday 1st May 2020 to do a VIRTUAL ghost hunt for you to follow and we will be examining A WING - the first building open to hold prisoners at the GAOL.
Head to my FACEBOOK PAGE over at https://www.facebook.com/ozghosttours/
to take a virtual tour with us at 7pm and 8pm tomorrow night.
Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Saturday 30 December 1848, page 2
THE MAITLAND GAOL.
Today it is expected that the prisoners now confined in Newcastle gaol, numbering we believe about forty, will be brought up per steamer, and be lodged in the new gaol, East Maitland, which is henceforth to be the gaol for the Northern Circuit District. Mr. Tristrem, the keeper of the gaol, together with the turnkeys, &c. will of course accompany the prisoners.
One wing of the intended buildings within the gaol walls is now completed, and is about 108 feet long by 40 feet wide : it contains 28 cells, 26 of which measure 12 feet by 8, and 2 measure 5 feet by 8, all being 10 feet high.
They are arranged in a similar manner to those in most modern gaols, 7 cells standing on the ground floor on each side of a passage 15 feet wide, and 7 cells also on each side of the second story ; a stone walk or parapet of nearly three feet width running along past the doors of the upper cells on each side, leaving a clear space in the centre ; these parapets will hereafter be each provided with an iron railing along the outer edge.
A stone staircase leads up to the parapets.
The two smaller cells are intended for condemned cells, and are sufficiently large for one prisoner in each ; the others are estimated as sufficient to contain each five prisoners, should the gaol at any time contain a large number.
The arrangements for ventilating these cells are admirable, and it is stated have been found to answer very well in England : in the centre of the outer wall of each cell a perpendicular tube is cut out of the solid stone,which communicates at the bottom with a small opening on the floor of the cell, and at the top with three similar openings, one of which opens into the cell, and two into the outer air, at some distance on each side of the tube ; while on the opposite side of the cell a horizontal tube is cut in the centre of the passage wall; which communicates with two small openings on the floor of the cell, and with three similar ones on the passage floor, at some distance from either of the inner openings.
And in addition to these four openings, there are two open windows at the top of each cell, cut out of the solid stone, and each about six or seven inches in depth. There is also a circular opening at an outer corner of the floor of each cell, opening direct to the outer air in a downward direction, to allow of the escape of water, &c. ; this is also cut out of the solid stone. Each cell is provided with two doors, the inner one of open bars of iron, the outer of hardwood, sheeted with iron.
The outer wall is two feet and a half thick, the passage wall two feet thick, and the wall between each cell two feet thick ; all of the best and most durable stone in the neighbourhood, and the stones dove-tailed into each other in such a manner that a prisoner to get out must fairly cut through the solid stone.
The ceilings of the lower cells are composed of large stones of one foot in thickness, strengthened and supported by iron girders, and the upper side of the same stones forms the flooring of the upper cells ; the ceilings of the upper cells are similarly built. The flooring of the passage and cells is also composed of stones one foot thick, and varying from six feet to eight feet and a half in length ; the flooring of the cells rests in the centre on dwarf walls, so that it would seem it can never become wet, or probably even damp.
The roof of this wing is covered with slates, and so far as we can judge, it is built in a very strong and substantial manner ; the interior passage is open up to the roof, and it is lit at each end by large and handsome windows, which are, however, only composed of vertical iron bars, through which a current of air enters, which is most agreeable on a hot day.
The workmanship of the roof, the walls, the doors, etc is excellent, indeed we never saw better ; while at the same time the impression given to the mind is that the building is one of vast strength, and that the materials are of the most substantial nature. The building stands longitudinally about north-east and south-west.
One wing of the intended buildings within the gaol walls is now completed, and is about 108 feet long by 40 feet wide : it contains 28 cells, 26 of which measure 12 feet by 8, and 2 measure 5 feet by 8, all being 10 feet high.
They are arranged in a similar manner to those in most modern gaols, 7 cells standing on the ground floor on each side of a passage 15 feet wide, and 7 cells also on each side of the second story ; a stone walk or parapet of nearly three feet width running along past the doors of the upper cells on each side, leaving a clear space in the centre ; these parapets will hereafter be each provided with an iron railing along the outer edge.
A stone staircase leads up to the parapets.
The two smaller cells are intended for condemned cells, and are sufficiently large for one prisoner in each ; the others are estimated as sufficient to contain each five prisoners, should the gaol at any time contain a large number.
The arrangements for ventilating these cells are admirable, and it is stated have been found to answer very well in England : in the centre of the outer wall of each cell a perpendicular tube is cut out of the solid stone,which communicates at the bottom with a small opening on the floor of the cell, and at the top with three similar openings, one of which opens into the cell, and two into the outer air, at some distance on each side of the tube ; while on the opposite side of the cell a horizontal tube is cut in the centre of the passage wall; which communicates with two small openings on the floor of the cell, and with three similar ones on the passage floor, at some distance from either of the inner openings.
And in addition to these four openings, there are two open windows at the top of each cell, cut out of the solid stone, and each about six or seven inches in depth. There is also a circular opening at an outer corner of the floor of each cell, opening direct to the outer air in a downward direction, to allow of the escape of water, &c. ; this is also cut out of the solid stone. Each cell is provided with two doors, the inner one of open bars of iron, the outer of hardwood, sheeted with iron.
The outer wall is two feet and a half thick, the passage wall two feet thick, and the wall between each cell two feet thick ; all of the best and most durable stone in the neighbourhood, and the stones dove-tailed into each other in such a manner that a prisoner to get out must fairly cut through the solid stone.
The ceilings of the lower cells are composed of large stones of one foot in thickness, strengthened and supported by iron girders, and the upper side of the same stones forms the flooring of the upper cells ; the ceilings of the upper cells are similarly built. The flooring of the passage and cells is also composed of stones one foot thick, and varying from six feet to eight feet and a half in length ; the flooring of the cells rests in the centre on dwarf walls, so that it would seem it can never become wet, or probably even damp.
The roof of this wing is covered with slates, and so far as we can judge, it is built in a very strong and substantial manner ; the interior passage is open up to the roof, and it is lit at each end by large and handsome windows, which are, however, only composed of vertical iron bars, through which a current of air enters, which is most agreeable on a hot day.
The workmanship of the roof, the walls, the doors, etc is excellent, indeed we never saw better ; while at the same time the impression given to the mind is that the building is one of vast strength, and that the materials are of the most substantial nature. The building stands longitudinally about north-east and south-west.
At one end of the wing a building of one story is nearly completed, which contains three rooms ; the first an entrance-room, the second a turnkey's room, and the third a turnkey's bed-room. The entrance-room opens by one door into a lobby leading to the interior passage of the building, and by another into the turnkey's room.
The turnkey's room has a handsome window looking into the gaol yard, and two open slits (to be provided with shutters) looking into the interior passage ; the turnkey will thus command a view of all that passes inside the building.
From the outside the whole building has a very handsome and well-finished effect.
The whole space enclosed within the outer walls of the gaol is, we believe, about 300 feet square. The wing at present built occupies therefore but a small portion of that space, and it is probable that a second building, for female prisoners, will be the next portion built.
Meanwhile a stone kitchen is being built near the turnkey's end of the present wing, and a lodge is being built on each side of the entrance gateway, which will make apparently a convenient and handsome dwelling.
A space of about 120 feet by 36, extending between the present wing and the outer wall, is fenced off as an exercise yard for the prisoners at present. The remainder of the space within the outer walls is partly occupied by temporary sheds, store-houses, &c., partly by loose, rejected stones, and a small portion is vacant.
It will be seen, therefore, that the present accommodation for the keeper and turnkeys is very deficient, but the insecure condition of the Newcastle gaol rendered it imperative that the prisoners should be removed at the earliest moment. A still greater want, as it seems to us, lies in there being no well or water reservoir within the gaol walls.
It is quite likely that even if deep wells were dug, the water found would be scarcely wholesome, judging from other wells in the vicinity, but the extent of roofing on the present building alone would enable a large quantity of rain water to be collected on every occasion of rain, while the heavy clay soil within the walls offers great facilities for the construction of large tanks.
The government have provided so amply for the health of the prisoners by giving them roomy
The turnkey's room has a handsome window looking into the gaol yard, and two open slits (to be provided with shutters) looking into the interior passage ; the turnkey will thus command a view of all that passes inside the building.
From the outside the whole building has a very handsome and well-finished effect.
The whole space enclosed within the outer walls of the gaol is, we believe, about 300 feet square. The wing at present built occupies therefore but a small portion of that space, and it is probable that a second building, for female prisoners, will be the next portion built.
Meanwhile a stone kitchen is being built near the turnkey's end of the present wing, and a lodge is being built on each side of the entrance gateway, which will make apparently a convenient and handsome dwelling.
A space of about 120 feet by 36, extending between the present wing and the outer wall, is fenced off as an exercise yard for the prisoners at present. The remainder of the space within the outer walls is partly occupied by temporary sheds, store-houses, &c., partly by loose, rejected stones, and a small portion is vacant.
It will be seen, therefore, that the present accommodation for the keeper and turnkeys is very deficient, but the insecure condition of the Newcastle gaol rendered it imperative that the prisoners should be removed at the earliest moment. A still greater want, as it seems to us, lies in there being no well or water reservoir within the gaol walls.
It is quite likely that even if deep wells were dug, the water found would be scarcely wholesome, judging from other wells in the vicinity, but the extent of roofing on the present building alone would enable a large quantity of rain water to be collected on every occasion of rain, while the heavy clay soil within the walls offers great facilities for the construction of large tanks.
The government have provided so amply for the health of the prisoners by giving them roomy
and well ventilated cells that we cannot doubt they will take every means that offers to provide them also with an ample supply of pure water.
The gaol stands on a hill of some elevation, overlooking East Maitland, and commands a fine view of the country for miles round.
The building has been almost entirely constructed by Messrs. Brodie and Craig, the present contractors, under the superintendence of W. M Lewis, Esq., jun., Clerk of Works, and as a sound, substantial, and well-finished public building will stand a comparison with any we have seen in the colony, not excepting the new Victoria Barracks, Sydney.
The gaol stands on a hill of some elevation, overlooking East Maitland, and commands a fine view of the country for miles round.
The building has been almost entirely constructed by Messrs. Brodie and Craig, the present contractors, under the superintendence of W. M Lewis, Esq., jun., Clerk of Works, and as a sound, substantial, and well-finished public building will stand a comparison with any we have seen in the colony, not excepting the new Victoria Barracks, Sydney.
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