Its uses during the First Settlement

During the first years of the First Settlement convicts lived in small wooden huts along the seafront and flatlands but later a gaol was needed to house wrongdoers.  A stone gaol was built near the shore and is known as The Old Gaol.  It was destroyed before the First Settlement was abandoned in 1814.

Its uses during the Second Settlement

The gaols were only used to house convicts who had committed extra offences on Norfolk Island.  Other convicts were housed in prisoners’ barracks.  In the late 1820s a small temporary gaol was built over the ruins of the first settlement one.  It was still being used in the mid 1840s.  The New Gaol was built gradually from 1836 to 1848 starting under  Major Anderson . It was a pentagonal prison with 5 wings of cells each with their own exercise yard.  Each wing could be supervised from the central building. 

 

Unfortunately the gaol was terribly overcrowded which made living conditions appalling.  Punishments were often very severe and convicts were hanged for serious offences.

 

Its uses during the Third Settlement

The Pitcairners did not use the gaol as they did not need it.  They dismantled parts of it to recycle the stone for use in other buildings.

 

Its uses today

The Old Gaol is a ruin with only a few rocks visible on the land on the beachfront.  The New Gaol is a ruin but parts of the complex are now used for performances. 

  

DAA NYUU JIEL

Wieh dem yuus et iin daa Fas Setelment

Iin dem fas yias o’ daa Fas Setelment em kohwikt lew ina smorl wuden hat lorngsaid daa siifrant ena flaetlaens bat lieta dem niid wan jiel fe haus dem rohngduuas.  Dem bil wan stoen jiel gen daa shor en dem korlet daa Oel Jiel.  Dem destroi et ap for daa Fas Setelment abaendan et iin 1814.

 

Wieh dem yuus et iin daa Sekan Setelment

Dem uni yuus dem jiel fe haus’ kohnwik huu bin komit mor ohfens orn Norfuk Ailen.  Tada kohnwiks lew ina prisnas’ baeraks.  Iin d’ liet 1820s dem bil wua iwi tempri jiel or dem ruuens o’daa fas setelment wan.  Dem stil yuus et tal dem mid 1840s.  Daa Nyuu Jiel wos bilt graedyuli fram 1836 tu 1848 begenen lorngfe  Mieja Aendasan . Es wan pentaeganl prisan gat 5 wing o’ sels orl lorngfe dems oen eksasais yaad.  Iich wing el suupavaiset fram daa sentrl bilden. 

 

Anfortyuunatle daa jiel bin es jaam ap fe salan en mek dems lewen kondishans behd.  Panishment  plenti taim es nehsian ena kohnwikt el bii s’ hienget fe siiriyas rorngduuen.

 

Wieh dem yuus et iin daa Therd Setelment

Dem Pitkernass naewa yuus daa jiel aes dem naewa niid et.  Dem dismaentl sam owet fe yuus dem stoen iina tada bildens.

 

Wieh yuus et fe desdieh

Daa Oel Jiel es wan ruuen en yu uni el sii’ fyuui rok orn em laen orn daa biichfrant.  Daa Nyuu Jiel es  ruuen bat sam owet dem yuus fe shoes.