Please be advised: this website contains the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

Collections WA has a responsibility to preserve and make accessible the history and culture of Western Australia in all its various forms. The intention of Collections WA is to support research, and to reveal actions of the past that have impacted upon communities, families, and individuals.

In doing so, Collections WA acknowledges the need to respond sensitively and appropriately in cases when accessing this material may be confronting to Aboriginal visitors and clients.

Please also note: Some historical materials within this portal may include language or opinions that today are considered inappropriate or even offensive. Collections WA does not endorse this language and apologises for any distress caused.

Continue

Continue showing cultural advice

Stop showing cultural advice

Collections WA brings together collections from libraries, galleries, museums, archives, historical societies, cultural organisations, community groups and other collecting organisations across Western Australia.

Claremont Museum > Records

Bathurst Gaol

« Prev Item Next Item »

Sharkey Collection

c. 1895

Overview

Impressive stone entry with lion's head as keystone of arch, coat of arms and heavy pediment above. Infill has two barred windows and two doors. Three-storey wing on left has small windows: larger wing on right has upper balcony and arches to lower floors. There is an cart, shed and barrels in foreground

Historical information

Bathurst Gaol (later renamed the Bathurst Correctional Centre) was proclaimed on 7 June 1888, and built at a cost of just over 102,000 pounds.

The building contained 308 cells and "commodious workshops" was complete and partly occupied in 1888.

The hand-carved sandstone gate at the gaol featured an ornate sculptured lion's head holding a key that is a Victorian symbol designed to impress wrongdoers with the immense power and dignity of the law.

Legend has it that when the key falls from the lion's mouth, all prisoners are allowed to go free.

Source: Wikipedia

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-28--9-172-c

Item type

Themes

Contextual information

Australian social history from the collection of photographs and albums donated to the museum by Raymond Sharkey's family.

Raymond John Sharkey an architect, surveyor and amateur photographer was born in 1868 in New South Wales. Raymond was a Claremont resident when he died at an early age.

Year

Geotag

-33.417736547553, 149.55793989557

Open in Google Maps

Nearest geotagged records:

Bathurst Courthouse (1.89km away)

View all geotagged records »

Links to additional resources

Claremont Museum.

Last modified

Friday, 27 June, 2025

Completeness

94

Copyright and Reference

Copyright and Reference

Copyright category

Date of creation +70 years

Permissions

For authorisation to reproduce, publish or display, please contact the Claremont Museum.

Attribution requirements

Acknowledgements to be made to 'Claremont Museum 09.172c'

Copyright holder

Claremont Museum, Town of Claremont, Western Australia, 6010

Claremont Museum

Claremont Museum

Organisation details
View collection

Other items by Sharkey Collection

More items like this

Search all items »

Bathurst Courthouse
Claremont Museum

Search all items »

Other items from Claremont Museum

Bathurst Gaol

Bathurst Gaol
Source: Claremont Museum 09.172c

Media reuse | View full size | Item feedback

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->

Full size unavailable (you're already seeing this image in its highest resolution available on Collections WA)

Loading...