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Published: February 7th 2007
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Monday 29th Jan Melbourne
Set off to Melbourne by train after the fiasco of going in by car.$10-00 bought a return ticket that included travel on the trams of Melbourne, Probably the best way to explore Melbourne .the journey took some 30mins to Southern cross terminus unfortunately the journey was spoilt by my "nemesis", uncontrolled “Rug Rats, such was it making me so angry I moved to another carriage. I just don’t understand why the mother who had the little “B…….R” allows him to create such havoc.”
Once there I decided to take the City Circle tram, painted maroon that had a circular route of the inner city .Just like Bendigo it was a talking tram which described all the beautiful old buildings of a bygone age.
Melbourne is a city of old and ghastly soaring tower blocks,all in the name of progress. On route just off the main drag was the gruesome old prison which was used until 1929.
In all 135 prisoners were hanged here including the infamous Ned Kelly. Decided to get off and go and have a look. Just as in Dubbo prison life in goal was diabolical. all the prisoners began their
0020 Bligh
time
on the ground floor in the foundations of the prison system was solitary confinement, silence and punishment. they were forbidden to communicate with each other and were required to wear a silence mask whenever they left their call .they were locked up for 23hours each day and had 1 hour solitary exercise ,even the main area inside the ground floor had a matting so the prisoners couldn’t here the guards boots clattering the stone floor .one prisoner got an extra 10 days for whistling in his call. each call had a toilet bucket remember they were locked up for 23 hours ,can you imagine the stink in hot weather coming from 600 prisoners cells, the boggles ! ! they would bathe once a week wit change of clothing and attend chapel each Sunday .A Bible was provided to encourage better behaviour ,however most of the prisoner couldn’t read so it was pointless. Those that were held for some lengthy time on the ground floor went mad one prisoner spent 18months on the ground floor and was completely ga ga when he got out going to the asylum.
Additional punishments were administered for wrong doings the men got the “Cat
0021
original photo opposition for game
o Nine Tails”12 lashes (the third lash would cut the skin by the twelfth the back would be red raw) the women would get the Birch sticks on the punishment triangle every thing was highly regulated by bells. For those who behaved they were moved to the 2nd floor and could go out of the calls to work every day. The 3rd floor was for prisoners waiting release the infamous Ned Kelly was only 25 when he was hanged after the gunfight at Glenrowan in central Victoria
He was of Irish stock his farther was deported from Ireland and was a convicted for stealing a sheep and spent time in Melbourne prison .Ned was in trouble with the police from the age of 12 and the family felt they were being persecuted by the police and adopted a close community with in the family group. There two trains of thought of Ned Kelly to some he was a hero who looked after the poor and those in need (Robin Hood of his day) and those who believe he was the notorious ruthless bank robber
and murderer. After the police came to arrest his brother on
the assumption he was involved
0016 Ruperswood mansion
in a bank robbery up state there was a struggle and the policeman was shot in the wrist again two side to the account Ned said the policeman had shot himself during the struggle where police man said Ned shot him .while negotiating what to do Ned’s mother hit the copper over the head with a shovel knocking him unconscious. Ned and his brothers fled. During the two years they were on the run Ned and his gang robbed banks or $1million (In today’s money)
during the siege at Glenrowan Ned clad in his homemade armour took on the police single handed he was hit 26 time in the legs and the bullets that hit the armour bounced off and saved him serious injury eventually, the gang were captured .
The justice metered out at the time was farcical .The presiding judge made a statement before the trial had started to effect “Ned Kelly is guilty and the trail will be over in two days” (The judge was a keen racegoer and the Melbourne Cup (Australian equivalent of the Derby) was on day three and he wanted to go to the
race meeting!
Even the final statement Ned made
0022 Tower in need of renovation
is surrounded in controversy and myth.
Did he say “Such is Life” or Such a life had to come to this “?
Normally at a hanging there has to be 12 people around the gallows as witnesses because of his notoriety there were some 40 people on the lower floor including the press at full strength to witness the hanging.
Was there collusion amongst the press who knows? The controversy rages on.
After this I decided to go to the State Library a magnificent colonial building containing 1 million books and many exhibitions and it was free entry the snag being no backpacks or bags, cameras ok you have to leave the backpack in a locker which you have to pay so they get one way or another. I was particularly interested in the 5th floor which had a tremendous dome a splendid piece of architecture and the original armour used by Ned Kelly on display showing all the dents where the bullets hit him and bounced off.
Back on the ground floor there are150 pc’s for public use I waited ½ hour to get on
one but impossible so gave up ,strolled along Elizabeth street admiring the buildings and
0019Top of Stairs Rupertswood
made my way by tram to Southern Cross Station to travel back to Sunbury a very interesting day an thank God no Rug Rats on the train .
Phileas
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