Melbourne Goal Complex, cell block, walls, chapel and courtyard, 377 Russell Street & Franklin Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Melbourne Goal Complex, cell block, walls, chapel and courtyard, 377 Russell Street & Franklin Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 108559
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2022:__________________________________________________DATE: 1853- (cells), 1860 (chapel);ASSOCIATIONS: Victorian Colonial Government;DESIGNER: Ginn, Henry, Public Works Department Chief Architect;Period: Early VictorianNotable features: 1. Palms later but notable landscape elements. 2. Earliest substantial public building complex in Melbourne..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H1553Statement of SignificanceWhat is Significant?The Old Melbourne Gaol was erected in stages between 1851 and 1864 by the Public Works Department of the Colony of Victoria, the design is attributed to Henry Ginn, Chief Architect of the Department. The oldest remaining section is the Second Cell Block (1851-1853) which serves as a museum and consists of a long block with three tiers of cells terminating in the central hall (1860), the site of the scaffold. The chapel, entrance block and the remaining walls date from the early 1860s. The Gaol Chapel is attributed to H.A. Williams, who worked for the Public Works Department. The north facade and bellcote of the chapel, which exhibit more Italian origins, are attributed to John James Clark or Gustav Joachimi, both Public Works Department architects. All of the buildings are constructed in bluestone. As the oldest surviving penal establishment, it was the site where one of the most notable criminals, Ned Kelly was imprisoned, executed and buried, amongst many other criminals. The complex ceased to be used as a gaol in 1923 and a number of buildings were subsequently demolished to accommodate the City Watch House, Police Garage, Emily McPherson College and various buildings for RMIT.The cellblock is well preserved and it gives an understanding of the conditions endured by prisoners. The Chapel and entrance buildings are well maintained and these are the focus of this complex of buildings. They have been altered internally, although most of the work is reversible.How is it Significant?The Old Melbourne Gaol, the Chapel and the entrance buildings and courtyard are of cultural, aesthetic, architectural, scientific and historic significance to the State of Victoria. The site of the original gaol complex is of archaeological significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it Significant?The remaining Second Cell Block, Chapel, Entrance buildings and courtyard of the Old Melbourne Gaol are culturally significant to Victoria as remaining evidence of one of the early gaols and the oldest surviving penal establishment in the state. The Second Cell Block is aesthetically and architecturally significant as a representation of prison architecture in Victoria during the massive building campaign of the 1850s and 1860s when eight other gaols were built. All remaining buildings are significant as examples of early Public Works designed buildings. The Second Cell Block is scientifically significant as an illustration of the Pentonville type gaol based on the universal specifications of the British prison engineer Joshua Jebb. The complex of buildings is historically significant for its role as Melbourne's oldest surviving gaol and as the Remand, Trials, Debtors and Females prison for the metropolitan area for much of its functioning life. The site of the whole extent of the original complex is archaeologically significant in so far as it contains remnants of the original gaol structures and the site of the original burials of prisoners hanged at the gaol, including Ned Kelly.[Online Data Upgrade Project 2001].GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 77,p.27___________________________HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSSTATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThe old Melbourne Gaol was erected in stages between 1841 and 1864. The section that remains as a museum consists of one wing and the central hall bUilt between 1851 and 1860. It is Victoria's oldest surviving penal establishment.___________________________NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/65545Statement of SignificanceIndividual Statement of Significance. The Old Melbourne Gaol was erected in stages between 1841 and 1864 by the Public Works Department. The oldest remaining section now serves as a museum and consists of a long block (1851-53) with three tiers of cells terminating in the Central Hall (1860), the site of the scaffold. The chapel and entrance blocks and remaining walls date from the early 1860's. All the buildings are constructed in bluestone. The complex ceased to be used as a gaol in 1923.This is Victoria's oldest surviving penal establishment and comprises one of the state's most distinctive groups of blue stone buildings. Of the many criminals imprisoned, executed and buried here the most notable is Ned Kelly who was hung in 1880. The old scaffold still survives. The well preserved cell block gives a gruesome picture of nineteenth century prison conditions. The chapel facade is the focus of the complex and a masterpiece of restrained design. The entrance gateway is also significant.The complex is basically intact except for some additions to the east wing of the entrance block and very sympathetic additions to the first floor of the link structure between the chapel and entrance block. The chapel interior has been carefully renovated, the chapel itself is now a studio.Classified: 22/05/1958Also part of a Group Classification with B4653 - City Watch House, B2773 - R.M.I.T. Building No 1,, B3833 - City Court Group Group Statement of Significance: This group consists of the RMIT Building , 124 Latrobe Street, the City Court on the Latrobe/Russell Street corner, the City Watch House and the Old Melbourne Gaol in Russell Street. Each of the four notable buildings has already been classified in its own right. The former Working Mens College, now an RMIT building, was completed in 1891 in the Gothic Revival style and is architecturally compatible with the adjacent City Court. The Norman Revival style City Court built in 1911 is in turn compatible in scale and architectural detailing with the adjacent mediaeval style City Watch House which was built in 1907/8. The Melbourne Gaol bluestone perimeter wall and other gaol buildings are not only architecturally but also socially and historically linked with the City Watch House and City Court and together they form a notable streetscape in Russell Street.___________________________Victorian Heritage Inventory H7822-2175Heritage Inventory: OLD MELBOURNE GAOL, 367 RUSSELL STREET MELBOURNE, H7822-2175Heritage Inventory Significance: THE OLD MELBOURNE GOAL WAS ERECTED IN STAGES BETWEEN 1841 AND 1864 BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THE OLDEST REMAINING SECTION NOW SERVES AS A MUSEUM AND CONSISTS OF A LONG BLOCK (1851-53) WITH THREE TIERS OF CELLS TERMINATING IN THE CENTRAL HALL (1860) THE SITE OF THE SCAFFOLD THE CHAPEL AND ENTRANCE BLOCKS AND REMAINING WALLS DATE FROM THE EARLY 1860S. ALL THE BUILDINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED IN BLUESTONE. THE CONPLEX CEASED TO BE USED AS A GOAL IN 1923. THE OLDEST SURVIVING PENAL ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPRISES ONE OF THE STATES MOST DISTINCTIVE GROUPS OF BLUESTONE BUILDINGS. OF THE MANY CRIMINALS IMPRISONED, EXCUTED AND BURIED HERE THE MOST NOTABLE IS NED KELLY WHO WAS HUNG IN 1880. THE OLD SCAFFOLD STILL SURVIVES. THE WELL PRESERVED CELL BLOCK GIVES A GRUESOME PICTURE OF 19TH CENTURY PRISON CONDITIONS. THE CHAPEL FACADE IS THE FOCUS OF THE COMPLEX AND A MASTERPIECE OF RESTRAINED DESIGN. THE ENTRANCE GATEWAY IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT. THE COMPLEX IS BASICALLY INTACT EXCEPT FOR SOME ADDITIONS TO THE EAST WING OF THE ENTRANCE BLOCK AND VERY SYMPATHETIC ADDITIONS TO THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE LINK STRUCTURE BETWEEN THE CHAPEL AND ENTRANCE BLOCK. THE CHAPEL INTERIOR HAS BEEN CAREFULLY RENOVATED THE CHAPEL ITSELF IS NOW A STUDIO. OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.Archeological Potential: Site, Potential (area)___________________________NEWSPAPERS:1923https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2019080MELBOURNE GAOL SITE.Wanted for Working-men's College.In a report presented to the council of the Working Men's College last evening, the principal (Mr. S. N. Rodda) recommended that steps should be taken to obtain the whole of that portion of the Melbourne Gaol site vested in the Education Department for the purposes of the college.....1924https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/250082547OLD MELBOURNE GAOLLAST FUNERAL RITES.At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, J. B. Castieau, of the Penal Department, handed over the keys of the Melbourne Gaol to an officer of the Public Works Department, and thus performed the last funeral rites of the old prison. For the act dooms the hideous pile of bluestone to immediate demolition, which Public Works Minister J. P. Jones has directed shall proceed at once. There is to be no delay whatever, and employment for builders' laborers is in close sight. It is a curious stretch of the "long arm of coincidence" that the act of officially closing the Melbourne Gaol should have been performed by J. B. Castieau, who arrived there at the age of eight months, at the beginning of 1869, when his father came from Beechworth to be governor. Castieau, senior, afterwards became Inspector-General of Prisons, and 45 years ago was informed by the then governor that the gaol was to be shut up. It has taken ail that time to do it, and his son has had the job.The actual work of removal, both in respect to prisoners and effects, has been under the daily supervision of Senior Warder L. Buckley, who has been warmly thanked by the Chief Secretary for the fine work he has put in. Coincidence again, the second name of Castieau, father and son, is Buckley. It has not yet been definitely decided how the very valuable prison site is to be used. "Wait till it is cleared." says Minister Jones, "then we will see!" Meanwhile "The Old Homestead passes..https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2038505MELBOURNE GAOL SITE.Police Requirements.Following on the decision of the State Ministry to erect the Emily McPhersonCollege of Domestic Economy on portion of the old Melbourne Gaol site, a requesthas been made to the Chief Secretary (Mr. Tunnecliffe) by the Police department ....NEW GAOL AT PENTRIDGE, TO TAKE THE PLACE OF OLD MELBOURNE GAOL- illust.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222811869.1925see https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2060005 illust..1953https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/72775251retrospective press report of 1953 memories of a public works inspector:`While inspecting work one day in the Old Melbourne gaol Mr. (FD) Hewett was summoned by a workman digging near a wall. Carved in the wall were the initialsE.K., the date of the execution and below the inscription, on the workman's shovel, the bones of Ned Kelly, Australia's most famous bush ranger...
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377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14443\\)377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14444\\)377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14449\\)377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14448\\)377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14445\\)377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14447\\)377 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14446\\)
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Research and reports
Record number:
1262446
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 108559 | 1 PDF : 1,976 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |