Fremantle Prison

Cell painting by an Aboriginal prisoner


Prison Yard surveillance post for warder (prison officer)

I thought it was just going to be one of those tours of nineteenth century horror. But this prison was used up until 1991 as a maximum security prison. At this time there were two prisoners to a cell sharing a tiny bucket to defecate and pee in, which was theoretically emptied once a day. The prison was finally closed because of these conditions. The story ended up being one of 20th century horror.

The last prisoner to be lashed by the cat of nine-tails was in 1943, received 25 lashes as part of his sentence. He had the first 17 before the doctor intervened and the salt was rubbed into his back and being taken to the infirmary. He received the remaining 8 three weeks later. (The possibility of being sentenced to be flogged remained on the books till 1993)

But the worst was the boredom of one's day, out in the yard with temperatures over 50 degrees celsius in the summer. It's a wonder that there was only the one riot (on January 4, 1988). A yard where rape, bashings and murder were commonplace. A terrible terrible place.