old old museum russell street melbourne victoria australia consists building courtyard located old buildings constructed starting operation prison held executed australia notorious criminals including serial killer total people executed hanging briefly world war formally ceased operating prison parts incorporated rest museum storey museum displays information memorabilia prisoners staff including death masks executed criminals time museum displayed skull stolen pencil convicted protest innocence writing executed paranormal enthusiasts claim museum haunted claims unexplained voices near cells history north east melbourne selected port phillips permanent january appointed prison year site colloquially known construction started collins street west considered small time second built corner adjoining supreme court cell block opened prisoners facilities considered inadequate escapes occurring frequently crowded discovery gold port district new colony victoria resulting influx population law order difficult maintain subsequently new wing perimeter wall constructed building instead sandstone design based british prison engineer especially designs london suited current prison reform theories time new wing extended boundary wall extended time new north wing built included entrance buildings central hall chapel cell block built female prisoners western basically replica present east block time female kept apart male prisoners perimeter wall overall completed making dominant feature authority melbourne skyline completion prison occupied entire city block included exercise yards hospital yards chapel bath house staff accommodation house chief built corner franklin russell streets homes built artefacts recovered area indicate families lived walls 1850s 1860s operation daily life inside sources diaries written governor operation house short term prisoners colony notorious hardened criminals housed children time including imprisoned petty theft simply staying convicted parent babies months old allowed mothers youngest prisoner recorded year old spent months prison idle year old sisters imprisoned prisoners convicted crime murder arson rape shooting begin time ground floor time solitary confinement forbidden communicating prisoners strictly enforced usage silence mask hood outside cells given single hour solitary exercise day remaining hours spent cells inside cells prisoners able lie thin slate floors change clothes week attend chapel sundays bible provided promote good behaviour prisoners allowed finally prisoners end sentences routine prisoners regulated system bells enforced prisoners rules promoted second floor allowed work yards everyday male prisoners perform hard labour including breaking rocks duties stone women clean cook women shirts male prisoners act domestic servants governor family prisoners trusted nearing completion sentence housed floor communal cells level cells large held prisoners time reserved prisoners convicted minor crimes prostitution petty theft executions operation setting infamous age november day trial kelly convicted killing police officer stated law time executed prisoners buried head unmarked graves burial yard head normally removed body study hanged historian associate professor states lack monitoring burial processes odd given victorian society normally brilliant attention detail hanging woman victoria performed prison november accused person executed year closed edward kelly born june june irish australian seen merely cold killer folk hero defiance colonial authorities youth clashed incident home police parties searched bush killed policemen subsequently colony proclaimed kelly gang wanted final violent confrontation police took place june kelly dressed home plate metal armour helmet captured sent hanged murder old melbourne november notoriety affirmed iconic figure australian history folk lore literature art film cell number old melbourne australian wine bar owner convicted rape murder year old december case dubbed gun alley murder heavily influenced public time ultimately served condemn despite pleas innocence including attempt letter thrown walls executed hanging april days body found new strand rope time execution proved failure ross slowly minutes death prison report later ruled rope posthumously pardoned born july years age ran away sea began long career crime largely obtaining money false responsible murder wife marie children july second wife emily windsor melbourne december months discovery emily body windsor melbourne march execution old melbourne murder remarkably short time comparison modern western legal standards execution reported people streets outside public speculation deeming fact jack closure opening review system conducted recommendation close relocate prisoners suitable locations gradually slowed operations demolished portions original site finally closed march old integrated new emily educational purposes necessitated changes prison despite poor record keeping prisoner historical evidence suggested remains approximately executed prisoners including old buried mass graves quarry women cell block walls buildings demolished believed moved progressively decommissioned building fabric including grave markers executed prisoners incorporated sea wall brighton victoria 1930s grave marker executed recently rediscovered buried metres sand world war military prison soldiers found absent leave new wall built eastern courtyard time cell block inmates separated college girls end war section holding prisoners storage facility headquarters nearby sections school architects act schools food fashion departments emily merged bringing entrance gates facilities alongside performed work restore enclosed balcony design performed work landscape inner courtyard removed temporary war time pavilion classrooms sections owns collectively known building architect colonial government architect include entrance block chapel bath house chapel serving art studios museum listed old melbourne heritage register year later marked site needed preserved costs furthermore floated idea converting museum purposes tourism reopened public museum management victoria recognised victoria oldest surviving establishment attracts approximately visitors year cells filled information individual prisoners serve illustrate history melbourne addition historical information includes memorabilia including death masks iron mask pair leather gloves designed prevent inmates practising self abuse notably includes death mask pistol replica suit armour pencil write letter protesting innocence threw prison walls operators run features including night tour actors portraying prolific brutal daily experience interactive performance visitors treated prisoners operation old melbourne crime justice experience won heritage cultural tourism category skull skull believed display museum stolen glass cabinet efforts taken scientists government determine location skull authentic begin reported members public remains bones teeth taken graves special interest directed finding photograph councillor holding skull information grave contractor lee lee family tasked delivering kelly skull governor west australian farmer handed skull authorities arguing stolen refusing explain obtained prison chaplain father stated believed skull handed belong kelly probably belonged woman speculation skull actually belonged claiming skull similar kelly deeming death masks haunting museum considered haunted paranormal enthusiasts including british spent night claimed heard unexplained voices detected evidence electrical interference suggest paranormal activity undertaken research claimed recorded figure standing doorway theories suggest voice woman claimed heard belong woman hung notably reported related local group conducts monthly tours gather data statistics paranormal activity making use monitoring equipment writer argues evidence phenomena site
Old Melbourne Gaol