The prison was damaged, along with much of Darwin, by Cyclone Tracy in 1974.
The Jail is now a museum and is open to the public.
The Last Hanging at Fanny Bay Jail was in 1952 when Jerry Coci and Jonus Novotny, Czechoslovakian immigrants, were hanged for the murder of a taxi driver.
The gallows were constructed especially for this execution, in the infirmary.
The Infirmary
Two cells were placed in the middle of the lawn for violent or mentally ill inmates.
The sign below pertains to the photo above.
It gives me shivers! Such a stark place to spend your life, it would certainly deter me from a life a crime!
ReplyDeletePrisons are apparently much improved today, but certainly not a good place to be. I wonder how many people like being in prison! Guess we will never know that one..
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly with Cynthia - have pictures/photos of that place displayed in Darwin way back then
ReplyDeleteand I think "Would Be Crims" would certainly be deterred. My God it would have been hell in the summer months with the heat and humidity.
Interesting report and photos
Colin
I expect in the tropics there in the prison in Darwin, many prisoners would have gone tropo!
DeleteI love old gaols love wondering through them when on holidays if there is an old gaol both Tim and I want to visit it
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting seeing that prison, and if only the walls could talk...
DeleteConfinement to a four walled cell for Aborigines was perhaps a much harsher punishment that it would have been for a white Australian.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you would be correct on that Andrew, they do like to wander, however, not like white man does. I was told that by a Blackman.
DeleteNot a nice feeling about that place and the hot Darwin summers would have made it worse.
ReplyDeleteMerle.....................
It would have been hell, I expect..
DeleteWhen I see cells like this, even though I understand that they may need to use them from time to time, it saddens me.
ReplyDeleteLinda, it is sad, but it's supposedly punishment for a crime/crimes..
Deletedoesn't look like a fun place back then.
ReplyDeleteCertainly not a fun place Adam, and such heat in the summer would have been unbearable I expect for many of the prisoners..
DeleteHeartbreaking places. I cannot imagine that the mentally ill would be improved by a stint in that cage either.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness that executions were relatively few and far between before we formally abolished them.
Rather cruel for the mentally ill there back then compared to today's dwellings for prisoner with mental illness. We have come a long way since back then...
DeleteWhat a colourful history we have. We didn't visit this on our trip to Darwin - thanks for showing us around. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteMany people think because Australia is 'young' that there isn't much history at all...but we do have history.
Jails are such sad places. No matter how nice they make them, the misery within permeates the walls.
ReplyDeleteThey are certainly sad places with many a sad person I prisoner in the prisons, but then there are happy people in prison too, for they have a home, and when out in the world many do more crime to get back into prison...weird in a way.l
DeleteHello Margaret,
ReplyDeleteImpressive shots. Very special to get a look inside this jail.
Well done.
Kind regards,
Marco
Thanks Marco.
DeleteInteresting to walk through the old prison with history..
Interesting, but pretty scary. But it occurs to me that we shouldn't make prisons more comfortable that one's own home. In the states, we have gone way overboard! Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteNo we shouldn't make prison like 'home'. Here prisoners have 'rights'...sound similar to the US :)
DeleteFairly well preserved , the building prisons now, dictate much of this old building .
ReplyDeleteKisses
The prison is in fairly good condition inside..
DeleteMargaret interesting pace but not nice one
ReplyDeleteAll jail are not nice...but it's good to be able to see inside an old one..
DeleteA bleak place...but then jails shouldn't be otherwise. And there are many within their walls who should remain there...if only our crazy justice system agreed!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you...
Delete