World Heritage Australian Convict Sites

The Anglican Chapel at Fremantle Prison was the centre of religious life for the early prison community. In 1870, convict Charles Hamilton painted The Lord’s Prayer, The Ten Commandments and The Creed on the Chapel wall. The sixth commandment was changed to ‘thou shalt do no murder’ as opposed to ‘thou shalt not kill’. The reason for this subtle rewording was due to the practice of capital punishment by the British government and colonial administration. Hamilton received a s...entence remission from the Comptroller-General as a reward for painting the murals. Unfortunately, he was re-convicted in 1882 for attempted murder and was sentenced for life. #fremantleprison #freoprison #worldheritage #worldheritagesite #australianconvictsites #convicts #westernaustralia #australia #history

Research comparing convicts transported to the Swan River Colony (Fremantle Prison) and the eastern states indicate that they: were more likely to be Scottish than Irish; were convicted for proportionately more crimes against the person and more serious crimes against property; were proportionately more likely to be Protestants; had fewer previous convictions; and were less likely to be serving life sentences. , " ? 1850/51, 1861/62 1866/68" () , 1981

1 Division at Fremantle Prison presents the inside of the Main Cell Block as it was during the convict era (1850 1886). Construction on the cell block took place from 1853 to 1859 from limestone quarried on site, jarrah from King’s park, and iron initially scavenged from the convict transport ships. #fremantleprison #freoprison #worldheritage #worldheritagesite #australianconvictsites #convicts #westernaustralia #australia #history

Constructed in 1857, number 2 The Terrace (left) was a guardroom initially designed to accommodate 19 men. In 1883, it became the colony’s first museum in which the prison’s Anglican Chaplain Charles Nicolay stored his geological collection of rocks and minerals. This collection later became the basis for the WA Museum Boola Bardip. Between 1891 and 1897 the guardroom was converted into quarters to accommodate female warders in the newly opened Female Division of Fremantle Prison #fremantleprison #freoprison #worldheritage #worldheritagesite #australianconvictsites #convicts #westernaustralia #australia #history

Contrary to popular belief and the rhetoric of the day, it seems that convicts sent to the Swan River Colony (Fremantle Prison) were more often convicted of crimes that were more violent, with this percentage increasing over time. Later convicts were more likely than earlier transportees to have come from an urban background, more likely to be artisans rather than agricultural workers, and were more likely to be literate and married. : , ... , 1898. , 1733 #fremantleprison #freoprison #worldheritage #worldheritagesite #australianconvictsites #convicts #westernaustralia #australia #history