WOOLLEN UNDERWEAR
Small, thick, cream coloured, woollen undershorts. Narrow pair of undershorts, with short legs, made from undyed wool. A single, black plastic button fastening is attached along a thick waist band. The shorts have been roughly machine-sewn, with two side seams along each leg, and a narrow hem at the bottom of each leg.
According to a previous staff member, 'Back when a tourist operator ran Prison tours, ticket sales used to be in a downstairs section of the Southern Gatehouse. When the Department of Housing took over operation of the tours in January 2001, it was decided to have the ticket office in the Sally Port. What used to be the old Sally Port Control and Security Office was cleared out to serve this purpose. During that clean out a carton of woollen underwear was found. It is possible that during the post-1991 refurbishments of the Terrace Houses, the Gatehouse, the Women's Prison and the West Workshops, they were rescued from the Tailor Shop and placed in the Security Office.'
Details
Details
According to ex-Prison Officers, this kind of item was made in the Prison Tailor Shop (West Workshops) during the 1940s-50s. They were warm winter-wear, specially made for Fremantle Prison prisoners.
