Gaol or Hospital? Stories From The Gladstone Gaol: Part IV

Gaol or Hospital?

Stories From The Gladstone Gaol: Part IV

  Gladstone Gaol was built at massive expense to the colony in 1879, and many questioned why such a building was erected in such a remote location. In its many years of operation it never really saw any hardened criminals, other than those waiting to be transferred to Adelaide Gaol. There was no long term serious offenders within its walls. They would all be transported to Adelaide Gaol to see out their long prison terms, instead, Gladstone Gaol was used to house mainly drunks and people who couldn't pay their debts.

Looking down on the inside of the tower
© Allen Tiller

Mostly the gaol housed the sick and the disabled, and more often than not, it would see the sick and elderly be transferred from other Gaols in the South Australian colony.
It was common practice to remove the frail and ill from Adelaide Gaol and send them to Gladstone to see out their days, most were elderly women, who would pass away within her walls.

Here is one such example below found in a newspaper. I also talked about Eliza Evershed in part one of this series, who was also transferred from Adelaide Gaol, and passed away in Gladstone – seems to be a common theme, doesn't it?

The South Australian Advertiser Tuesday 1 December 1885 – page 5

  "Caroline F. C. Grahlow, an old woman, died in gaol yesterday. An inquest on the body was held at the gaol by Mr Ingram J.P., Mr. Stewart being foreman of the jury.
The evidence of the doctor, matron, and the keeper was taken, and a verdict was returned that death occurred from natural causes.
  The woman's age was 65. She was sentenced in Adelaide to four years' hard labour for burning a dwelling-house and had served nearly eighteen months of the term. She had been ailing ever since her arrival here, and a fortnight ago the doctor asked for a remission of the remainder of her sentence owing to her suffering, but the order for her release only came here this morning. Up to the time of her death, she did not acknowledge the crime for which she was sentenced.
  Mrs Rofran, sister of the deceased, arrived by train from Adelaide this afternoon with a coffin, and their remains were taken back again by this evening's train for interment in Adelaide. It seems that the Government will persist in weeding out all cripples and dying people from the Adelaide gaol to this one.
  Since its establishment, the Gladstone gaol has been nothing better than a hospital and many complaints have been made, but to no purpose. It is said most of the prisoners in the gaol here are invalids from Adelaide, the case of the poor woman who died yesterday is a most pitiable one, and should be enquired into"

Between the walls of Gladstone Gaol
© Allen Tiller

  By the end of the year of 1885, things had not improved at Gladstone Gaol as this newspaper story from the South Australian Weekly Chronicle attests; 

South Australian Weekly Chronicle Saturday 19 December 1885

"ANOTHER SICK PRISONER FROM GLADSTONE GAOL."

"Gladstone, December 16."

"A prisoner has been released from the gaol in order to go into the Adelaide Hospital. The poor woman had to be carried into the train this morning. She is utterly helpless and in a pitiable state.
  A male and a female warder from Adelaide came for her, and under their charge, the prisoner was taken away. Dr. Hamilton ordered her removal. This is another instance of sending prisoners here in a frail condition, making this prison an asylum for sick criminals."

  The Gaol, although built to house prisoners, seems to have spent more time being a hospital and waypoint/transfer station of inebriates and debtors more-so than an actual prison. Although it had a number of escapes over the years, only one man was never found. The Gaol did have a few deaths happen within her walls, but none from execution, riot, experimentation or firing squad!

Experimental Gaol: Stories From The Gladstone Gaol - Part 3

Experimental Gaol:

 Stories From The Gladstone Gaol - Part 3

  In late 1953 the Gladstone Gaol was re-opened for a period as a Medium Level corrective training facility for 18 – 25-year-old offenders.

  In 1955 Gladstone Gaol saw its first new extension, what is now known a “C” block, or the experimental wards. The complex increased to 125 cells.  In 1969 130 prisoners were housed with up to 20 transfers each day.

Looking at the central guard tower - Gladstone Gaol
© Karen Tiller

The term “experimental” is misleading, I have read many outrageous stories that have abounded because of misinterpretation of this word. The Gaol was never “experimental” with its prisoners, there were NEVER pre-frontal lobotomies, or other medical procedures done to prisoners, in fact, what the “experimental” refers to is the style of the cells themselves.

  At the time, no other prison in the world had cells like the new ones built at Gladstone Gaol. These Cells had no windows at all, and contained a concrete ledge at the end of the cell, which was the prisoner bunk.   It also had its own internal air circulation vents, which were made in such a manner they could not be escaped through. The cell block is also raised from the ground (as can be seen from the outside when one walks around the cell block), allowing air to circulate underneath the cells, therefore keeping them much cooler in the hot Gladstone summers, where the temperature can easily reach 46C in summer.

In all its years of operation as a gaol there were only 26 escapes in the gaol’s 100+ year history and only one of them, an Italian man who had fashioned a “Master Key” from a piece of wire, was never caught and returned to the facility.

Looking over the Laundry area from the tower
© Karen Tiller

  The Gaol eventually closed in December 1975 due to the Governments concern that its facilities were “outdated”. Recently a former prison worker who was there for the last five years of the Gaols service has publicly pushed for the facility to be reinstated as a Gaol and used to house lower-level criminals.

  In 1979 The gaol saw some new prisoners enter, but these were all just actors there to film the Bryan Brown movie “Stir”. A disturbing and graphic movie about life in an Australian Prison. Many of the props from the movie, including the “daily activities” lists on the back of cell doors, still exist to this day, as a well as a tiny museum dedicated to the movie in the “C” Block. Many signs, including one saying “Maximum Security” within the gaol, are leftover props from the movie.

Movie Prop from the movie "Stir"
©Allen Tiller

  Mr Rob Williams was quoted in the local regional newspaper “The Flinders News” as saying
“It was a very sad, depressing and unnecessary day when the prison closed, It was a ridiculous decision, one that was totally political.
Now, the whole criminal justice is soft. There is too much emphasis today on the comfort of the offender than there is on the welfare and safety of the victim.
Gladstone Gaol is unique in all ways possible, with its high tapered walls and self-sufficient arrangement, Instead of closing places such as Gladstone and Adelaide Gaol, both should have been kept operational.”


Currently, the Gaol is a Bed and Breakfast and Museum under the care of Tony Holland, it features its own coffee and gift shop and allows for people to stay overnight to experience prison life first hand.

References:

The Flinders News

http://www.theflindersnews.com.au/story/323820/bring-back-the-gladstone-gaol/

 http://www.gladstonesa.com.au/gladstone-gaol/

www.trove.nla.gov.au

The Death of Eliza Evershed: Stories from Gladstone Gaol – part I

The Death of Eliza Evershed

Stories from Gladstone Gaol – part I

On Saturday the 16th of September 1882, Eliza Evershed, a prisoner inside the walls of the Gladstone Gaol, in South Australia's Mid-north, passed away... her last words “Good Bye”...

  By all accounts, Eliza Evershed had lived a hard life. Her husband, Alfred Batchelor Evershed, had once been the owner of the Maid Of Auckland Hotel in Edwardstown, which eventually she ran by herself after his death.

  No-one was quite sure of her age. At the time of her death she was listed as 65 years old, but doctors proclaimed, she had either lived a very hard life or was at least 80 years old when she died.

  Eliza was often in court, on both sides of the law, as sometimes her hotel would be robbed, other times she would rob people, and, in fact, she was incarcerated in Adelaide Gaol, on a seven-year sentence for Larceny about 12 months previously, but had been moved to the lower security Gladstone Gaol as her health was failing rapidly.

  Eliza's character was on show in 1872, when she fronted court with her friend Catherine Mott. Catherine had been charged with stealing a set of scales worth two-pound by the shop owner Robert Crocker.

Crocker had allowed Catherine into the shop on Grenfell Street to work, but when he returned the next day the scales were long gone.

Catherine had required Eliza to be present, as Catherine was a tenant in Eliza's Maid of Auckland Hotel. Eliza took the stand as a witness and said “ I am Eliza Evershed, the old woman of the Maid of Auckland. I am a widow, and I am perfectly willing to 'have' Inspector Bee”

  The courtroom broke into laughter, and poor Inspector Bee blushed, embarrassed at the grotesque old woman’s actions.

The court ruled the old woman had “decided traces of real or assumed insanity” and that “no satisfactory evidence could be got from her.”

  Eliza spent her last days in prison, but she was actually, a free woman, having had her sentenced re-missed on the 11th of September, but being as she was so unwell, the Warden thought it unsafe to move her.
Before her death, Eliza spoke of the kindness she had received from female warder Mrs. Pollit

 Honorah Dunn, a prisoner, said Eliza had been ailing for some time. Honorah had been with the old lady a good deal both day and night for the previous fortnight, assisting her with anything she needed. Eliza had everything she required, and never complained of her treatment, she passed away quietly within the walls of Gladstone Gaol

© Allen Tiller 2014