1850
In June 75 convicts accompanied by Pensioner Guards, warders and their families, arrived at Fremantle on the ‘Scindian’, led by Royal Engineer Captain Edmund Henderson. Another shipload of officers and convicts arrived soon after and a further 300 convicts were due to arrive in the colony before the end of the year.
A ship was dispatched from England to advise the colonial authorities of the convict consignment. It actually arrived after the ‘Scindian’ and hence there were no preparations to receive the convicts and their keepers.
Henderson had three major priorities:
- To acquire premises to house the convicts. He hired and refurbished a warehouse from local merchant and Harbour Master Daniel Scott. The Esplanade Hotel now stands on the warehouse site. This temporary prison housed an ever-growing population of convicts over the next five years (June 1850 – May 1855).
- To design and build accommodation for prison staff and their dependants.
- To select a site for the new Convict Establishment.
1851
Fremantle was selected as the site for the Convict Establishment. Although Henderson’s first choice was a location later to become Perth’s King’s Park; the Governor and his advisors did not favour the location of a convict institution in the midst of the capital.
Little suitable building timber was available in the immediate vicinity of the Fremantle land grant, yet limestone was plentiful. It was adopted as the main and most convenient source of building material.
One of the first things constructed was the ‘ramp’ or ‘tramway’ – a graded limestone-capped slope (later Fairbairn Street) embedded with metal rail tracks. It led down the hillside into what was later to become William Street, near the heart of Fremantle. The rails were used for hauling materials, up the hill to the building site.
Warders’ Cottages: whilst building was under way in August, Henderson sent the first set of plans for them to London, pleading their urgent requirement as an excuse for his haste in commencing a project before approval had been given. He gained consent for his actions from the British authorities by presenting plans emphasising no frills, and maximising every economy.
Instructing Warders’ cottages: building commenced.
1852
Warders’ cottages: second range built.
Instructing Warders’ cottages: building completed.
No.10 The Terrace: the Chaplain’s first house, building commenced.
The 20th Company Royal Sappers and Miners arrived, comprising 95 men commanded by Lt. Henry Wray.
Wells: 40 foot well sunk at Convict Establishment site.
Main Cell Block: Joshua Jebb’s design suggestions officially adopted and building of the Main Cell Block for the Convict Establishment commenced in November.
1853
No.10 The Terrace: building completed.
Boundary Walls: 400 linear yards completed by December, some parts were up to 15 feet high.
Main Cell Block: southern wing commenced.
Building refuse disposal sites: two were established. One at the front and one at the back of No.10 The Terrace.
1854
No.10 The Terrace: (first built for the Chaplain) occupied as offices – described in 1860 as similar to the Superintendent’s house but with three extra rooms.
No.16 The Terrace: (Superintendent’s house) building commenced. It consisted of three sitting rooms, four bedrooms, two dressing rooms, one kitchen, one washhouse, one shed, one cellar and one privy.
Gatehouse and Main Gate: main front gateway entrance erected and buildings on either side (the ‘towers’) nearing completion. The North facing building housed the gatekeeper. It consisted of waiting room, sitting room and kitchen on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the upper floor. The South facing building housed the Deputy Superintendent. It consisted of two sitting rooms, four bedrooms, one kitchen, one cellar, shed and privy.
Guard Rooms: two completed, one on either side of the inner iron gates. One housed the military, and the other housed the warders.
Main Cell Block: masonry of half the building almost completed. Refractory Block containing 18 punishment cells and surrounding wall nearly completed.
1855
No. 16 The Terrace: received last coat of paint. It is approximately 40 feet by 40 feet, two storeys high, contains eight rooms and a cellar.
No. 18 The Terrace: (Surgeon’s house) building commenced in November. It consisted of two sitting rooms with folding doors, three bedrooms, two dressing rooms, one kitchen, one shed, one water closet. In December the roof was shingled.
Main Gate: installed.
Gatehouse (south facing building): Deputy Superintendent’s quarters completed and in occupation as offices.
Clock tower: completed.
Boundary wall: constructed, 887 linear yards and 15 feet high.
Drainage/ Sewerage: two tunnels to form main drains begun.
Main Cell Block: southern wing completed. Circular stair of jarrah installed for access to upper rooms.
Yards to Main Cell Block: two washing sheds erected in yards, 45 feet deep well sunk and temporary privies erected.
Refractory Block: completed.
Boundary Wall: completed.
Main Cell Block: first prisoners move in to completed southern wing on June 1.
1856
No. 16 The Terrace: stable erected 12 feet by 14 feet, made of wood on stone foundations and weather boarded roof, floored with wood blocks, and fitted with rack and manger pegs.
No.8 The Terrace: (Chaplain’s house) plan drawn and sent to London.
No. 18 The Terrace: (Surgeon’s house) plan drawn and sent to London, when completed it was handed over to the Barrack master.
Inner Gates: A pair of iron gates with small side gates installed at the entrance leading from the outer yard to the prison. The iron was sourced from convict ships. Inscriptions punched into the metal crossbars of each gate (on west side) read (left gate): "DESIGNED BY CAPT H.WRAY R.E. AND J MANNING C.W." (right gate): "EXECUTED BY SERJEANT [sic] J. NELSON 20 TH CO. R.S.M.
Clock tower: mechanism for clock arrives on February 10 and is subsequently installed.
On May 30, a whirlwind dislodged parts of the wall on the west, north and south boundaries. Supporting buttresses (two feet thick and three feet wide) were added 18 feet apart to the wall on both the exterior and interior sides. Fremantle Prison is one of the few prisons to allow this feature in the site interior as it poses a security risk.
Warders’ Cottages: plans for third range sent to London.
Main Cell Block: foundations of northern wing laid and about two fifths of masonry completed.
Sappers and Miners return to England on alert due to the Crimean War.
Limestone deposits discovered at North Fremantle.
Plans for Hospital: plans drawn.
1857
No.8 The Terrace: (Chaplain’s house) placed on Estimates.
No. 16 The Terrace: stuccoed.
No.18 The Terrace: (Surgeon’s house) stuccoed and stable completed. It consisted of six rooms with enclosed yard and shed, the same as the Chaplain’s quarters. The Surgeon moved in.
Guard Room: (eventually converted into No. 2 The Terrace) built on the north front corner outside the boundary of the prison yard, planned to accommodate 19 men. The walls were completed, the roof shingled, door and window frames made and fixed, floor joists laid, and a flight of 43 steps in the retaining wall has also been constructed.
Chief Warder’s Quarters: it consisted of four rooms, kitchen, privy and a yard enclosed by a wall. In July the painting was completed and was ready to be occupied. It was later demolished.
Engine house: built in the outer yard close to the warders’ guard room.
Main Cell Block: nearing completion with masonry up to height of roof northern wing; larger cells on upper tier; water closets in southern association wards; roof slated except for small portion shingled; corridor paved; work in basement completed.
Anglican Chapel: roof completed.
Warders’ Cottages 19 – 29 Henderson Street: communal kitchens added to two blocks, each with three fireplaces for cooking as well as privies.
Warders’ Cottages 33 – 41 Henderson Street: privies moved further from the dwellings.
Hospital : foundations completed and the plates and joists laid.
1858
Main Cell Block: stairs erected, with separate staircase for northern association ward, basins fixed in about half of northern wing cells.
Warders’ Cottages: third range built.
No.8 The Terrace: Chaplain moves in. It is the same as Surgeon’s house (No. 18 The Terrace) with six rooms with enclosed yard and shed. The price of yard extension and privy alteration estimated at 16 4s 4d.
Hospital: in February plans were drawn and reluctant permission was obtained from the Finance Board for the addition of another six wards. Two wards were to contain three beds for patients under observation. The other four wards were separate for cases of bad diarrhoea, scabies and other contagious disorders.
1859
Warders’ Cottages: garden plots in Henderson Street enlarged.
Hospital: occupied by December 1859. The 130 feet by 70 feet building contains a general ward for 30 patients, fever and eye ailment ward for ten patients each, four single wards, two three-patient skin ailment wards, kitchen, scullery, bathroom, store, medical store, surgery, morgue and five water closets.
Fremantle Convict Establishment: completed and fully occupied by convicts and prison staff by December.
1860
Warders’ Cottages, Hampton Road: completed, possibly consisted of two detached quarters on eastern boundary wall. These were later demolished.
Hospital: extra bars requested.