Gaol (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The old gaol, together witht he adjacent police station ad former sergeant's quarters from an historic precinct, that contributes to the aesthetic qualities of the landscape. The place clearly demonstrates the way of maintaining law and order that developed during that time. The conditions of life ina gaol of that period are still obvious.

The place has rarity value as one of the few remaining and intact examples of it's type in Western Australia.

Physical Description

Place comprises three cells of equal size, and an enclosed exercise yard. The small building has a skillion roof that covers the three cells. Louvered vents, across the top of the wall on the south elevation, and metal roof vents enable air circulation through the cells. An exercise yard, that is open to the elements, abuts the cell block on the south side.The yard has a concrete floor and is enclosed by cgi sheets. The yard has a timber and iron beams over which is covered with wire mesh. The cells have timber floors troughout and timber lined iron beams over mesh which is covered with wire mesh. Cell 3 has recently been relined (date unknown). he cells retain original iron gates and timber doors and iron grilles with timber hach doors. Much of the cgi cladding is loose and timber joinery is termite damaged. The canopy of a tree in the exercise yard is causing damage to the building. The graffiti covered iron has historic value and should be retained. Loose sheets should be refixed and not replaced.

History

Precinct comprising fmr gaol, police station and police sergeant's house.

As with the fmr Courthouse , the police station was relocated from Mt Margaret to Laverton in 1899 (Battye Libraray, Research Notes, 226, p. 1). The first policeman at Laverton was Constable Charles Harris who commence his duties, according to the Police Occurance Book, on 18th September 1899. (ibid). The first police precinct was temporary and comprised mainly of tents and the first prisoners were chained to a log (ibid). The community was soon petitioning for a more permanent structure, in particular a gaol.

Town Lots 47 and 48 were reserved for the police precinct on August 1900 (GG 03/08/1900, p 2,805). On 29th May 1901, almost a year later, Mr Mackesy accepted the tender of construction of the Laverton police station, police quarters and a gaol at a cost of 690 pounds. In November, when the wood and iron cell was ready for occupation there were two policemen at Laverton, Constables Ansell and Houston (Laverton Mercury 22/06/1901, p 2). In 1905, additions to the police station amounted to 108 pounds (GG, 16/05/1902 p 1,241). In 1908, a verandah costing 63/5/0 pounds was alson added (GG 11/12/1908, p 3,392).

Further additions and renovations were made to the police precinct over the decades until the new police quarters and office were built by Mr Ernest Best, in 1934, at a cost of 1,153 pounds (GG 20/04/1934, p 555).

Forty years later, Mr Julius Elischer, built an entirely new police precinct in the newly designed town of Laverton and the old buildings were relocated to different sites, (State Records Office, AN 7/21, Public Works Department, Acc 1608, No. 1550).

A $20,000 Tourism Development Grant has recently been received and the conservation of these buildings is in progress.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Degree
Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Fair-Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.