OPENING OF OLD GAOL MUSEUM (NEWCASTLE GAOL) 1962

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1962

Subcollections

Overview

A large black and white photo of the Old Gaol Museum opening ceremony after restoration.
Many men, women and children are to the left and out from the main door looking towards a speaker on a small rock/cement man-made podium.
To the right of him is the then Mr Charles (later Sir Charles) Court who is holding a sheet of paper and is looking towards the large group.
To the left of the arched doorway is a wooden plaque which reads Newcastle Gaol 1869 with other information.
Other people identified in photo:
Man at microphone: Dallas Ludemann (Chairman, Toodyay Road Board)
Man in black jacket with arms crossed at front of crowd behind boy in white jumper: Preston Hamersley
Woman standing slightly behind and to the left of Preston Hamersley wearing dark coat: Margot Hamersley
Woman to the left of Margot Hamersley wearing a hat and white gloves: Rica Erickson
Larger woman to the left of Rica Erickson with dark glasses and a hat: Val Ludemann

Historical information

Plans for the construction of the gaol at Toodyay were drawn up by Richard Roach Jewell in 1862. During 1863-64 it was built using convict labour and finally in 1865 was handed over to the Police to manage as a lock-up. The status was upgraded to Gaol in 1879 and it operated as such until 1907 when a new lock-up was built nearby.
The building appears to have been unused until ownership was transferred to Trustees of the Public Education Endowment, Perth in 1924. After that it was used for private accommodation until the early 1940s when it became derelict.
In 1959 the Toodyay Road Board formed a committee to investigate developing Toodyay as a tourist centre and the preservation of the old gaol. In 1961 the Toodyay Road Board bought the Gaol site and contracted for its restoration. The opening ceremony as museum was held on 7th October 1962.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-37-2001.1397

Item type

Photographs

Width

29.9000 cm

Height or length

24.6000 cm

Inscriptions and markings

Govt Printing Office reference no TB 3676 Wembley WA

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