Thurs, 29th Jan, 2015 Premaydena Recreation Ground (Port Arthur Convict Prison)

Overcast morning, 17 degrees. Rang Andrea to wish her all the best for her 50^th birthday today. Had posted a card but I am told it takes forever from Tassie.

Headed off for Port Arthur Convict Prison. It is a two day pass which will be great as there is so much to see. We have on three layers of shirts/jumpers as the wind is biting. Our raincoats are in the truck if we need them. The vision for Port Arthur penal settlement was “to grind rogues into honest men” – a bold experiment and ground-breaking attempt at reform and rehabilitation of convicts.  Built on the shores of the deep and picturesque Mason Cove, the settlement is surrounded by hills of dense native forest. Port Arthur spreads over 135 hectares and contains more than 30 historical buildings and ruins.

Parked and headed into the info centre. We were issued with a lanyard and ticket and a playing card on arrival to find out which convict we are in the “Lottery of Life”. I was the 10 of Hearts and Steve the Jack of Hearts. We had to find them downstairs to find out what he did and what happened to him.

First there were lots of boards to read and a great model of the penal colony.  This was painted by a convict displaying the settlement at the beginning in 1833. They were housed in timber huts then.

Downstairs we headed into a ship’s innards and read lots of info about their travels over to Van Diemen’s Land. Would be great to have one of these Love Tokens in the family heirlooms.

I was amazed to find out that they were talk reading and writing on board and most of the illiterate convicts could write their names by the time they arrived. Of course they were taught by other convicts.

Don’t think they would get many tourists lining up for the cuisine on this cruise!!

About one in five male convicts were sent to Port Arthur at some point during their sentence. In the early 1830s  Macquarie Harbour and Maria Island penal stations were closed down and all convicts transferred to Port Arthur. It was much closer to Hobart and therefore easier to supply. There was fresh water, a deep harbour and plenty of timber for convicts to cut.

We opened a little door with our card on it to discover who our convicts were. My 10 of Hearts convict was Isaac Bennett from Worcestershire, England. Convicted in 1821for burglary and sentenced for Life.

Stephen’s was William Day from Durham, England, convicted in 1830 for Bigamy and sentenced for 7 years.

We then headed through the Blue Door looking for our convicts to learn what happened to them. They had cut outs of people with the card on them and their story.  This guy had it tough.

First though we went into the ‘school room’ to read about the boys at Point Puer (puer means boys). The 4^th commandant, Booth, discovered young boy convicts were being housed with adult men, when he arrived at the colony. He thought that was terrible and set up the boy’s station across the bay at Point Puer. A lot of ‘not so bad’ convicts were placed as servants, etc working for the free settlers. Of course they wanted young men who could work hard, not 9 year old boys so they couldn’t be placed anywhere and ended up at Port Arthur.

Found my Isaac. He was working in the saw mill area as he was skilled as a sawyer. He worked hard and had no other convictions. He was the bottom dog so he was on the bottom of the log. The top dog worked from above and had to make sure it was a straight cut. He was often rewarded with payments of tea and sugar. These were rarely given to the less skilled pitmen. They had to work harder as they had to raise the saw above their heads and have the sawdust fall all over them. Eye infections and blindness were an occupational hazard. No Workplace & Safety in those days!!

Steve’s convict William was an interesting character. See tattoos aren’t good as he had his wife’s name and date of marriage tattooed on him and when he married again he was convicted of bigamy. He was also well behaved and didn’t have any other offences here.

William worked in the Commissariat Store. It was a huge building (no longer standing) and had enough provisions for 3 months.  They had displays of different areas – this is the Store.

Tried to get rid of Steve but the leg chains kept coming off. Men at hard labour wore irons that weighed up to 18kg.

Headed down to the jetty to board the boat for the Harbour Cruise pass the Dockyard, Point Puer Boys’ Prison and around the Isle of the Dead cemetery.

An interesting narration from one of the staff kept us informed and entertained and they served coffee and muffins too.  View back to over the Penal Colony.

The Isle of the Dead. Between 1833 and 1877 1100 people buried on the island – they must be feet first to fit them all on.

Port Puer Boys’ Prison operated from 1834 to 1849 and was the first purpose-built juvenile reformatory in the British Empire. Juvenile offenders were separated from the older convicts to protect them from the criminal influence. Most of the boys were aged between 14 and 17, with the youngest just 9 years old. Point Puer was renowned for its regime of stern discipline and harsh punishment, but all the boys received an education while some were given the opportunity of trade training.

Going around the Isle of the Dead. Didn’t get the camera out quick enough when I realised I was close enough to see the tombstones.

Looking back past Isle of Dead and Port Puer to the Southern Ocean and amazing rock formations in the distance.

Port Arthur’s Dockyard was once the busiest in the colony. The businesses in Hobart couldn’t compete but of course this dockyard didn’t have to pay many salaries!!  David Hoy was a Master Shipwright who gave his life to building fine ships and to saving the men and boys in his care from lives of crime. “I treated the men as human beings, not as caged beasts.”

One reason they liked this area for the colony was the availability of timber. You can see where the tall trees stand and a new crop of forestry timber is growing below it. The area behind the Convict Station would have been nearly all stripped of all good timber.

Found a picture of some tombstones on the Isle of the Dead. This was taken post convict era when tourists came to see the penal colony site.

Lots of thistles around here too.

Dockyard information.

 One of the ships built here in 1842.

Lots of rabbits have taken up residence.

As we walked around each of the sites emitted sounds of the time – hammering, shouting etc as the ships were being built. This is the Clerk of Work’s House. During the 15 years of operation, Port Arthur’s Dockyard produced 16 large decked vessels and around 150 small open boats. At its peak, more than 70 men worked here. The precinct included a blacksmith’s workshop, two sawpits, two steamers for bending timber, a rigging shed and several other workshops.

The Shipwright’s House is now a private residence (bought when the prison was sold off after it closed down).

A 25m long sculpture sits in one of dockyard’s two slips showing the scale of the ships that were made here.

Steve found an old piece of steel – could be a hundred years old!!!

The lime produced from the Limekiln was an essential ingredient for building construction.

The path leads on and is a walking track around to Stewart’s Bay. Wonder if you can just wander in here and look around or if someone notices you don’t have the correct coloured lanyard (different colour for each day) and makes you pay! Obviously the private residences can just drive in. Bit weird to be living in a World Heritage site surrounded by a tourist attraction and hundreds of tourists each day.  Back past the Clerk of Work’s House.

In the paddock are ‘talking’ potato sacks – mainly groaning sounds.

An old tree with lots of cut-outs for the timber-cutters boards.

Stopped at the site of the 1996 massacre. It was on Jon’s birthday when the lone gunman (glad to see that his name is never mentioned) killed 35 people and physically wounded 19 others in the coffee shop and around Port Arthur site. The Memorial Garden incorporates the shell of the Broad Arrow Café were 20 people were killed.

Headed over to check out the biggest building. Info board about the Penitentiary building. In the early days of the penal settlement convicts were housed in rough timber huts. These were located in the area next to the Police Station. Later, as convict numbers increased, the flour mill and granary was converted into a four-storey Penitentiary, due to its failure to supply adequate flour for the settlement. The Penitentiary’s two lower floors contained 136 cells for ‘prisoners of bad character’. The top floor provided space for 480 better behaved convicts to sleep in bunks. A very large industrial area near the Penitentiary included workshops where prisoners worked and were trained in a range of skills including carpentry, shoemaking, wood turning and blacksmithing. There is no longer any evidence visible above the surface of the workshops.

Even though it was a prison it grew into a small town really with all the other people needed to run the prison etc.

The creek runs down from the hills into the sea through this canal.

Wandered through the ruins. No information in here as this area has just been opened after extensive work to support the walls etc and put in walkways ($7 million).

 We thought these were the shower rooms then realised there are the prison cells.

 Steve checking how strong the bars are

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 The walls were rendered too.

Thin timber strips above the window openings.

You can see the two levels of the prison cells – cosy!! I was surprised how high they were as I thought they would be low like the English houses door heights.

The foundations showing where walls would have been once it was made into the prison.

Some of the supports they installed.

Where the old clock used to be – I wonder who has that now.

Outside again – amazed at the height of the building.

Then even higher is the old chimney from the days it was a flour mill which luckily still stands tall.

I held the camera in the opening and took a shot up the chimney.

The bakery ovens.

The grass area was where all the workshops etc were.

Looking up at the other ruins towards the Hospital site (arches).

From the post convict period was the Police Station and home from 1936 to 1972. It now houses the Archaeology Display.  Lots of items discovered as they explore the sites.

One chap’s letter returning a piece of rock he ‘stole’ as a souvenir and all the troubles he had since taking it.

Brick maker and brick kiln.

A little model showing how they cut the timber. My chap was the one on the bottom.

After the prison closed the townspeople used the sawpits as rubbish dumps so there has been heaps of relics discovered there.

An axe and adze used in the timber mills.

 The hook for rolling a log.

The guttering made by the convicts.

Went around the building and up the boardwalk into the building where the third floor would have been.

 Looking down on the cells.

 Looking across the back of this magnificent building. Such an achievement back then.

Up the old stairs to the street above.

The sandstone slowly wearing away.

The ruins of the Law Courts. The Courts introduced convicts to Port Arthur’s regime of ‘ceaseless vigilance’, discipline and punishment design ‘for grinding rogues into honest men’.

The Guard Tower was impressive – so glad it was preserved. The guards had a great view over the prison.

The entrance into the guard tower (note the year on the front, 1835).

Round walls made of brick. All dark and gloomy in here.

Old timber floor above.

Up onto the next floor looking up at the top floor where the soldiers kept watch. They had to go up through this trapdoor.

Great view from the tower.

Old English style turrets.

The guards’ barracks were behind it so that the convicts knew they were always being watched and of course the guards were always on duty. On the retaining walls are left where the barracks once stood. The wives of some of the soldiers (who were considered of good moral standards!!) were allowed to come and live with their husbands but they were also expected to cook and clean for all of the military soldiers. The children and free staff were educated together in the adjoining Free School.

The Officer’s quarters.

The pigsty.

A great model of the military area, making more sense to us as we explore the area.

As they renovate these building they leave open bits so you can see how they were made back then – like this archway.

An old fireplace. Steve liked the way there was a cut out in front of the hearth to scoop the ash into then it could just be picked up with the dustpan.

Rose Cottage.

Quite a large dwelling.

Bit wonky bricklaying here though.

The Semaphore used to communicate between the other stations.

We came around the back side of the Commandant’s house through the outbuildings. The stable and laundry.

The room on the left for the small carriages.

The tall one is the servant’s quarters. An info board was inside about ‘Life beyond the Stairs’. There are very different accounts of relationships between servants and their masters. Male servants were usually drawn from trained, trusted or invalid convicts serving time at Port Arthur. Female servants were often drawn from women convicts in Hobart who had committed recent misdemeanours and were considered unsuitable for similar work in Hobart.

Steve check out the door latches. One had the curved bit pointing down, another door had it pointing up.

Vegetable patch.

As we came around towards the front we passed a modern inclusion – the inside dunny!!

The front of the Commandant’s house.

Certainly very grand. The Commandant was the most senior official and the residence had to be befitting this rank and position so it was built on high ground in 1833 and housed 5 of Port Arthur’s 10 Commandants.

I asked the Guide about Commandant Booth’s wife. He married a Hobart lady (maiden name Eagle). He had been lost one winter for 3 days and everyone thought he was dead. That was when he decided he needed to have children to carry on the family name. Unfortunately he only had two girls. He died when they were young and she went back to her family in Hobart. We had a great chat about the pros and cons of this type of penal colony and another couple were talking about the waste of money spent on heads of things fancy houses – eg Governor Generals etc – decided it was better to go inside and have a look.

Beautiful furniture and wood work. The rooms were added on as the years went on, hence the stairs up to each next section. Then it became a hotel after the prison closed down (hence the wallpaper).

In another room was the history of the building. As each of the Commandant’s arrived they each added their own ideas to the building and grounds and then there was the hotel period.

Also a timeline of the prison against other things happening in the world.

Not the Ten Commandments but the Ten Commandants.

The ladies’ drawing room was lovely and was depicting as it was in 1874.

Beautiful piano.

The den was nice a cosy (1850s).

During the convict period this space gave way to the cellar and cool store. After the colony closed in 1877 tourists started coming to look when the land was being sold. In 1885 Port Arthur was named Carnarvon and the Commandant’s house became the Carnarvon Hotel. Over the next 70 years it was used as a boarding house and a private residence. This room became the bar.

The other rooms which were added on in the Hotel era were decked out with food stuffs and crockery.

 The kitchen, pantry and bakers oven.

The bells which rang when the servants were needed hang in the hallway next to the kitchen.

At the very end of the added on hall ways and rooms was a little bedroom that the land lady lived in with her daughter slept in the loft (1924).

Back outside we found the board about the Commandant’s Garden and the house.

Info board about Convict World Heritage.

Back into the Info Centre to look at the model again which is depicting the colony in 1870. Makes a lot more sense now. The section by the water to the left of the big Penitentiary was the Commissariat Stores.

We still have to explore the Separate Prison area.

 Will wander up to the Government cottage and church after lunch.

The Penitentiary has only recently been repaired and there is heaps of information about the process to stabilise it etc. 

  Some old photos of what the cells would have looked like.

Went back to the truck to make our wraps for lunch. Then headed back in for more. Took our raincoats in a bag as the clouds are starting to look heavier and there has been a couple of showers. Other than being cold the rain hasn’t worried us.

Up through the Government Gardens – this is where all the ladies could come and relax.

Government Cottage is just a shell having been burnt out in 1895.

There was a fireplace in every room.

The Church was certainly majestic and represents the important role of religion in convict reform at Port Arthur. Up to 1100 people attended compulsory services each Sunday. Much of the decorative stonework and joinery in the church was crafted by the boys from the Point Puer Boys’ Prison. It was never consecrated as it was for all denominations, though the Anglican Minister that presided certainly didn’t like the Catholics. One time when the convicts were all being marched up to the church, 130 convicts stepped out of line and refused to go into the church. The punishment for such displays of disobedience was usually whipping but the Commandant at the time deemed it ok as the right for a man’s religion was very important so a Catholic priest was brought in for their church services. 

Another interesting story about Murder in the Church – Abandoned as a child, convict William Riley was an ‘inoffensive, orderly’ boy, transported to Australia at 14, a drunk by 16 and a murderer by 29. While building Port Arthur’s church in 1835, William brutally murdered fellow convict Joseph Shuttleworth.

Steve wondered if the roof would fall in if he went into a church – oh look, it did!!!

You can see where the roof line used to be. We saw drawings of what it would have looked like inside – the minister was high in a pulpit and there were hundreds of pews in the three rooms going out from the middle.

The stairs going up to the bell tower but the bells were all down here on display. A bell rings every half hour though their clock is 10 minutes slow.

The bells were all made here but they don’t know who by.

A small Anglican church next door was built in 1927 after the church had been burnt and they had been having their services in the then Town Hall (which was originally the Asylum – now that would have been creepy). Certainly nothing compared to the big one.

  But it is nice and church services are still held there regularly and visitors are welcome.

An acorn hanging on the oak tree (found two on the ground as a keep sake – they are so cute).

The Union Jack was flying well in the wind as we climbed up to Scorpion Rock Lookout.

Lovely view from the Lookout.

Down again and wandering down the street called “Civil Officers’ Row”. It comprised of the Visiting Magistrate’s House, Roman Catholic Chaplain’s House, Junior Medical Officer’s House, Accountant’s House, Parsonage and Government Cottage. This area separated senior officers and their families from the convict population and provided them with housing suited to their status.

Outside the Parsonage were apple and peach trees. Slowly growing but not ready to eat yet. A lot are stung.

The Parsonage has the reputation as being very haunted. They conduct ghost tours here too.

Lovely flowers on the fence.

Lots more information to read. Port Arthur was also the site for the film “Term of His Natural Life” in early 1900s.

It was also the Post Office from 1895 to 1970s.

 Telephone Exchange circa 1910, used here until the late 1970s when the Post Office closed.

Information about the chaplains. In another room where the minister would write his sermons you could see in semi darkness and listen to his bellowing sermons.

The other room had a dining table and wireless and it played ‘Dad & Dave’ radio series. Didn’t find the house creepy or ghostly at all (maybe because it was daytime).

Beautiful tiger lily – Kaylene would like these ones.

Info about the Accountant’s House. It wasn’t open for viewing.

Junior Medical Officer’s house – anyone under a surgeon was called Junior. Most were experienced doctors about 30 to 40 years of age.

It was open and we wandered through the different rooms. Poor wombats are now mats.

Beautiful furniture.

Modern port-a-loo.

The stone stairs have been well worn to the Catholic Priest’s home.

Magistrates and Surgeon’s house was not open today.

The pears are growing. We passed a pear orchard on the way here and were going to stop for a photo on the way home but we have it now.

Further around is Government Farm. There was an Overseers Cottage (now used by the maintenance staff to work on the golf buggies running around taking handicapped people on tours). A silhouette of a horse in the paddock.

Real sheep in the next paddock.

Several buildings and areas remain from the post convict period when this was the township of Carnarvon. One of those areas is the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue, which was planted to honour the 15 men from the Carnarvon and Oakwood districts who lost their lives serving in the First World War. Unfortunately the trees are getting too old and are dying so they have to be cut down and a new one planted.

A lovely weeping willow.

Up to the Asylum which is part of the Welfare Area then after the prison closed it became the Town Hall. It is now includes a Museum, Convict Study Centre (to help find your convict ancestors) and the Coffee Shop.

 Through fire, parts of it were lost and rebuilt a bit differently.

Interesting items on display. The stick on the right is a “Life Preserver” and was carried by wardens. It had lead ball in one end to inflict maximum pain.

The Jacket – most hated by men, the dreaded ‘magpie’ was said to be descended from the multi-coloured dress of the medieval fool; Governor Arthur introduced it around 1832. It was worn by the lowest class, those under heavy punishment, ‘to brand their ill conduct with a public mark of disgrace and to distinguish them from the better behaved…’ (Government Order c1815). I reckon we should bring that back in – might make some young kids think twice if they had to wear an ‘I stole’ t-shirt or something!!

Governor Arthur decreed that all prisoners not under heavy punishment would wear yellow, because it was distinctive and made escape more difficult. ‘Canary’ was also traditionally the colour of disgrace in Europe and had been given to children in charity schools. A visitor to Port Arthur in 1842 noted the “the yellow raiment” – or half black, half yellow … imparted a sinister and most revolting expression.

The semaphore was operated by well-behaved convicts.

Displays of food they ate. It was a lot more than we thought. Certainly far better than they got on the ship coming over.

These leg irons only weighed 6kg, men in hard labour had 18kg ones on. By the late 1850s the heaviest irons had been phased out and few men wore even the lighter ones.

The Cat o’nine Tails was an evil piece of work. It was made of leather and there were 9 knots on each of the 9 strands. That made 81 points of contact. It was soaked in sea water so it hardened. One story we were told was of one prisoner who got 100 lashes, his back was just a bloody mess with flesh being ripped off to the bone and his boots were full of blood. He was then taken down to the sea and made to work on the docks immerse in sea water for days. This probably saved his life as the sea water healed the wounds. That is one thing I definitely don’t think we ever want back again. When tourism of the area took off in the old days, some old convicts returned and made items like these to sell to the tourists!!

Certainly lots of information and items on display here. All about the tourism of the site over the years too.

Wandered into the coffee shop where there were lots of old photos on display. This one is the top story dormitory of the Penitentiary (c1890).

Headed around the round exterior of the Separate Prison. It was designed to deliver a new method of punishment, of reforming the convicts through isolation and contemplation.

There were beautiful men’s voices singing hymns as we passed the church area.

This sign greeted us before we walked in – didn’t make any different to the very noisy kids running around. I thought they would be back at school, but Tassie schools go back next week.

Inside is a central area with three wings going off and stairs leading up and into the Church. Prisoners were not permitted to speak and were in their cells for 23 hours a day. One hour for exercise in a separated yard by themselves. When they left their room they had to have a mask over their faces too. They never heard their names again as they were allocated the number of their cell. In 2007 a major conservation program was carried out on this Prison.

Maybe because it was painted white and daytime it didn’t seem as scary or morbid as I thought it would have (let alone the yelling kids running from one room to the next).

Each prisoner had a job to do in their room, sewing, shoe making and learning to read & write.

 The cells were decked out and we could go into some. Others we just peeked through the little hole or through the door for the food.

Steve was fascinated with the door markers. The flap was against the wall and if the prisoner needed someone then he would turn a knob in his cell and the flap would stick out. Maybe a bell would go off too as there were bells over each cell area. Or these were just alarm bells in case of riots or escape.

Locked Steve in the exercise area till he works off those extra kilos!!!

Dam the lock didn’t work.

 Outside to some of the ruined section of B arm.

One of the original doors with plastic over it.

Down C group of cells, each door had the story of a convict or person who had an opinion on the treatment of convicts. All very interesting reading.

 William Carter was the only suicide in this prison.

There was a nice warm fire too at the end which a few people were enjoying.

I wonder if John Howard knows of this John Howard. 

It was well lit with skylights, not the dark and gloomy place I thought it would be, and it is an overcast day.

A diagram of the prison.

Steve took me out through one of the exercise yards through a big thick door, then another one then into a dark, dark room. Then he closed the door – man that is total darkness. This is the ultimate solitary confinement and some men were in here for 30 days. I took a photo with the flash just to see what it was like as there wasn’t enough light coming in from the other doorways to be able to see. It is of course soundproof too. That would have done my head in for sure. No wonder they had the Asylum next door.

Up the lovely staircase to the church. The prisoners were lead in with their masks on and each had their own cubicle to sit in so that they couldn’t be seen or see anyone else. This was the only time they could speak – to sing the hymns. That was the recording we heard as we walked in but it is on at the moment. I went into a cubicle to see what the prisoner could see.

Wandered down to the pulpit and climbed up to deliver my sermon!!

 Amazing idea of segregation and whoever designed it was smart how they did each of the cubicles and the doors etc.

Steve peeking out of his cubicle and he is standing up – shame if you were a short person, you wouldn’t see anything.

Looking back to the pulpit. There is even a dividing door to separate the two sides, even where the guards sit.

Looking down to the courtyard below from the top of the stairs.

The table holds a book of each of the convicts and their convictions and sentences etc.

As we walked out we passed the info board about the Separate Prison.

 The circular area of the exercise areas.

Stopped at Stewarts Bay for a cuppa and to put our feet up and enjoy the beach view. I think slow wandering is more tiring then a hike through the bush!! Watched some kids in wet suits enjoying jumping off the jetty into the water. Oh to have such energy again!!!

 Ladies Bay – I remember the man on the boat tour saying that’s where all the ladies went to have a dip away from the prying eyes of the men and convicts.

Stopped at the Info Board at the turn off to Whites Beach (will check that out tomorrow). A bit more detail of where to go and what to see than my map. They don’t have a good one of this area like we had of Bruny Island etc so this will have to do.

As we come over the crest of the hill (we climb 250 meters quickly up this one) we are met with a beautiful view over Norfolk Bay.

Cricket practice was on when we got back but no one was worried about us so all good.

No TV reception so had a few games of Sequence – guess who won!!

Erica rang asking for help as she couldn’t find her family history information on the computer. Luckily I was able to work her through it and all is good again as she had been doing a lot of research and would be devastated if it all disappeared. Great to chat with her again. She said when they were at Port Arthur 25 years ago a chap gave them an apple from the trees growing there. The ones we saw weren’t ready yet to eat!!

A chap from the cricket club came over to offer the use of the toilets to us but we said we were fine. Steve mentioned the others in the tent and he said that he moved them on as they had lit a fire where they shouldn’t have and used up the club’s timber. They are having a cricket game here on the weekend but he said we are fine to stay here. That’s good to know we aren’t in the way.

Cold night so no windows open except in the bathroom and the roof vent on ‘rain’.