A day at Port Arthur gave an insight into the penal colony, set up to house repeat and violent criminals, I was intrigued by the contrasts. Port Arthur was the first place in the British Empire to separate the men from the boys (in a manner of speaking!). The boys, some as young as 9, were housed on an island in the bay. They were educated and taught a trade. Other convicts were also given the chance to learn something useful. Classes were available and church attendance was compulsory. On the other hand, floggings with the cat-o'-nine tails were common. Days, months and even years of sensory deprivation in total darkness and lack of any form of exercise, led to the formation of the lunatic asylum.
Once convicts were released, many returned to Port Arthur. Not only did they have nowhere to go and no way to generate income, they could not adjust to this strange life in a colony totally foreign to them. Most of them were from London and other urban areas and had no idea of self-sufficiency in such a basic culture. If they couldn't make it or they couldn't grow it, they didn't have it! For those who had relied on their wits, stealing and swindling, this new environment gave no opportunity for them to use these talents. For many, the solution was to return to the only place they knew. Facilities were gradually provided. This was probably the first step towards the welfare system that developed.
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| The barracks and services for inmates |
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| Remains of the Hospital |
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