Pentridge Prison
...a place in the KellyGang story
location
in Coburg, a northern suburb of Melbourne
Beginnings
Pentridge (the old name for Coburg) prison started as a stockade to receive sixteen prisoners from the overcrowded Melbourne Gaol in 1850. They were used to build Sydney Road.
The first superintendent of the stockade was Mr Samuel Barrow.
In the period 1857–64 the stockade was transformed into a typical Pentonville-type prison with cells for each prisoner.
Importance of Pentridge
For many years Pentridge was the main prison in Victoria
What was Pentridge like in the late 1870s
Links to the KellyGang
Harry Power spent most of his 10 year sentence here after he was convicted of being a bushranger in 1870
Ned Kelly spent part of his time in the early 1870's in Pentridge and down at the gaol quarry and public works depot at Point Gelibrand.
Graves came to the conclusion that the whereabouts of the KellyGang was known to prisoners in Pentridge prior to the Wombat murders, and that the police by that means or some others gained a knowledge of where they were. (RC15529)
Correspondence with prisoners. (Argus2/12/78)
Have you visited
What to see
What happened at the Pentridge after the time of the Kelly Gang
In
May 1997 the northern half of the prison was officially closed
What is happening at the Pentridge today - a part of the Kelly Country and Ned Kelly's story
Much
of the area of the old Prison is being turned into a housing estate
Enjoy this wonderful part of our history, but Please respect the privacy of the current owners
.... got to go Move around the areas .....Move with the Kellys .....Move with the Police