Oatlands Gaol - Tasmania
The gaol held female and male prisoners and was the largest gaol complex outside of Hobart and Launceston.[4] It was the only regional gaol in Tasmania to have its own Supreme Court House attached.[5]
The Oatlands Gaol operated for 26 years, being decommissioned in 1863. It then became a municipal gaol.
18 men were hung at Oatlands Gaol between 1844 and 1860.
- Alexander Reid - 24 April 1844 – Hanged at Oatlands for shooting and wounding Constable Murray.[6]
- Thomas Marshall – 24 April 1844 – Hanged at Oatlands for the murder of Ben Smith.[7]
- Richard Jackson - 1 May 1845 - Hanged at Oatlands for the rape of Elizabeth Davis.[8]
- John Phillips – 4 February 1846 – Hanged at Oatlands for setting fire to the magistrate's oat stacks following a conviction for sly grog selling.[9]
- James Sullivan – 9 May 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Constable James Kelly at Swanston, near Andover.[10]
- Patrick Shea – 9 May 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Constable James Kelly at Swanston.[11]
- James McGough – 9 May 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Constable James Kelly at Swanston.[12]
- John Shale – 9 May 1848 - Hanged at Oatlands for wounding John Connell with intent to murder.[13]
- Thomas Smith – 4 August 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for stabbing with intent to murder Constable Clough at Jericho.[14]
- Jeremiah Maher – 4 August 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for stabbing with intent to murder Constable Clough at Jericho.[15]
- William Henry Stevens - 25 April 1851 - Convict. Hanged at Oatlands for Assaulting James Moore, being armed with a gun on the high road between Antill Ponds
- and Tunbridge.[16]
- George Mackie – 21 July 1851 – Hanged at Oatlands for the murder of Thomas Gilbert at Waters Meeting, near Cranbrook.[17]
- John Crisp – 27 October 1851 – Hanged at Oatlands for Wounding with Intent Constable William Donohoo at Swansea.[18]
- William Henry Stephens – 25 April 1851 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Thomas Moore at Antill Ponds.
- Patrick McMahon – 28 October 1852 – Hanged at Oatlands for rape of a child.
- Michael Casey – 5 August 1856 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of John Hewitt at Falmouth.
- Abraham Munday – 27 October 1857 – Hanged at Oatlands for attempted murder by poison of George White at Courland Bay.
- Richard "Long Mick" Ennis – 27 October 1857 – Hanged at Oatlands for the murder of George Sturgeon at Kitty's Corner, near Antill Ponds.
- John Vigors – 31 January 1860 – Hanged at Oatlands for Shooting with Intent at John Baker at Ellerslie.[19]
For more information on Oatlands please visit Southern Midlands Council's website here: https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/oatlands-gaol/
Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2022
[1] Brad Williams, ‘Oatlands Gaol Historical Study and Archaeological Survey’, Southern Midlands Council, (2004), p. 9, https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/assets/southernmidlands_williams_arch_survey_2004.pdf.
[2] Ibid., p. 2.
[3] Barry and Eleanor Bjorksten, ‘Oatlands Gaol Remedial Works Report.’, Southern Midlands Council, (2004), p. 11, https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/assets/southernmidlands_bjorksten_2004.pdf.
[4] Williams, ‘Oatlands Gaol Historical Study and Archaeological Survey’, p. 9.
[5] Brad Williams, ‘Oatlands Gaol Interpretation Plan.’, Southern Midlands Council, (2011), p. 4, https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/assets/southernmidlands_gaol_interps_plan.pdf.
[6] 'Execution at Oatlands.’, The Courier, (26 April 1844), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2951132.
[7] Ibid.
[8] 'Oatlands Assizes.', The Courier, (8 April 1845), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2948998.
[9] 'Oatlands Assizes.', The Courier, (17 January 1846), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2946459.
[10] 'Domestic Intelligence.', Colonial Times, (12 May 1848), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8762811.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] 'Domestic Intelligence.', Colonial Times, (8 August 1848), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8763241.
[15] Ibid.
[16] 'Oatlands.', The Courier, (30 April 1851), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article296097.
[17] 'Execution at Oatlands.', The Cornwall Chronicle, (26 July 1851), p. 468., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65574090.
[18] 'Executions.', The Tasmanian Colonist, (27 October 1851), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226525096.
[19] 'Execution and Confession of Vigors at Oatlands.', Launceston Examiner, (2 February 1860), p. 3. (AFTERNOON), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38999069.
