The Liverpool Street watch-house

The History of the Liverpool Street Watch-House. By Maria Grist.

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The History of the

Liverpool Street Watch-House.

Including some interesting anecdotes, photos, and references from newspapers of the day.

Written and researched by Maria Grist, B. A. (University of Tasmania)

The author would be very happy to know if you find any inaccuracies in this report. Please use the

form on the below website or call me on (03) 62349404.

MARIA GRIST

Version 1. 4 November 2015.

(The book, The Romance of Mount Wellington, is written by John and Maria Grist and is available

from their website www.mtwellingtonhistory.com)

http://www.mtwellingtonhistory.com/


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The Watch-house in Liverpool St was built of convict brick, most likely around the 1820’s. The

earliest reference I can find is from 20th August 1825. At this stage both the Liverpool and Bathurst

Street watch-houses were new, and described as to be avoided.1

An early use of the Liverpool Street watch-house was in the case of the murder of Margaret Ball.

John Thomson was the murderer, and the death was by stabbing.2 The murder occurred on 8 April

1826. The constable on duty at the time, named Blundell, needed to go out to buy some candles,

and the watch-house was left in the care of a former Launceston executioner named John Thomson.

Margaret Ball, described as an elderly inoffensive woman, was also in the building at the time.

Blundell came back to find the lady dead, and Thomson standing near her with the knife. Thomson

later confessed to the murder.3

In February 1832, a carrier, William Stanley, set up business close to the Liverpool Street watch-house.4 In August 1832 the government called for tenders for erection of privies and for repairing the Watch Houses in Hobart.5

At left is a detail from PWD 266/684 plan of the Watch-houses Hobart Town. It shows two cells, a keeper’s office, a chimney, and a privy at the back. The plan was No. 9, put out by the Office of Public Works, Hobart Town, in September 1844. Other buildings on the plan were Argyle St, Murray St, Bathurst St, Elizabeth St, Macquarie St and Sandy Bay (Sandy Bay included a watch tower and a pound).

At this stage Liverpool Street itself was unsealed and very muddy, which was causing problems in the escort of prisoners.6

1 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8791010




5 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8646350 and http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8646388


http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8791010








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In September 1832 the Infant School Society opened their new building, on the opposite corner of what is now Berea St.7 In December 1832 a prisoner named Holt tried to commit suicide in the Liverpool Street watch-house, but was found in time by one of Dr. Crowther’s assistants.8 From 1839 to 1841, the Police Office regularly called for tenders for the supply of fuel to the watch-houses. In the case of Liverpool Street, this amounted to 10 lbs. of coal per day in summer, and 40 lbs. in winter. Other city watch-houses took coal as well, but country watch-houses took wood instead.9 In April 1839, Edward Simcox, a bookbinder employed by a Mr. Elliston, was tried and convicted for

theft of items of jewellery etc. from a brass foundry in Macquarie St. owned by a Mr. Harris. The

thief was followed and apprehended by an employee of Mr. Harris, named John Smith, and taken to

Liverpool-Street watch-house where he was searched but no stolen property was found on him.

Simcox was sentenced to Norfolk Island despite his continual protestations of innocence.10

A stone-cutter, Anstey Chisholme, had a workshop opposite the watch-house in 1841.11

Above illustration from Joan’s Goodrick’s book, “The West Hobart Story”. The Watch House is on the

upper side of Berea St.

The school room on the corner of Watch-house Lane (then known as Chapel Road) was renamed as

the Independent Chapel, and in August 1858 was subjected to a break-in by a group of children.12












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In 1860, Parliament passed a sum of £3000 for the various watch-houses, presumably for their upkeep.13 Also in 1860 it seems that the watch-house was now used as accommodation for the keeper and his family, as a little girl was living in the building at the time. The house was described as “old” at this time. After some heavy rain, a portion of one of the brick walls fell down in the middle of the night, and the child luckily escaped injury. The keeper at the time was sub-Inspector Hadley.14 Further evidence that watch-houses were being used as residences is available from this 1863 article15. In 1865 the constable stationed at the Watch House was named Michael Hays.16 A range of the types of offences for which people were brought to the various watch-houses around Hobart were regularly published in the papers. It seems that people were brought in once they were suspected of a crime, and the Police Court regularly sat in the mornings to deal with these cases, which was called “clearing the watch-house”. One example is here:

LAW.

POLICE COURT.

MONDAY, JANUARY 1ST, 1866.

BEFORE Alderman Barrett, J.P.

The Court sat at 7 a.m. to clear the watch-house.

DRUNKENNESS.–Two drunkards were fined 5s. each, or in default ordered to be imprisoned for six hours, and one old offender was fined 10s., or in default ordered to prison for seven days.

BAD LANGUAGE.–One man for making use of bad language in the public streets was fined 10s., or in default ordered to be imprisoned for twenty-four hours.

ABSCONDING.–John Fitzgerald, charged with absconding, was remanded until the following (this) day.

ILLEGALLY ON PREMISES.–Thomas Cuddy was charged with having been on the premises of Mr. Austin, Liverpool-street, on the 31st ult. for an unlawful purpose.

The charge was withdrawn there being another charge entered against the prisoner.

STEALING DUCKS.–Thomas Cuddy and Ann Cuddy, man and wife, were charged with having on the 31st ultimo feloniously stolen three ducks the property of Mr. Austin, Liverpool-street.

They were remanded until the following (this) day.

DISTURBER.–Martin Smith, for disturbing the public peace; was fined 20s., or in default ordered one month's imprisonment.

The Court then rose.17

Unfortunately, the articles never specify which watch-house each prisoner had been held in.

12

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2463580 13




In Olden Days and These, by The Captain, 1930, p. 17. 17








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The little chapel at the opposite corner of Chapel Road was known in the 1883 and thereabouts as the “Berea Schoolroom”.18 It was originally a dwelling.19

Watch-House and Berea School on the opposite corners of Watch-House Lane (or Chapel St., now Berea St.) The PCYC now occupies the space formerly held by the Berea School. Detail from unknown map.

Berea Sabbath School. AOT 12406562. The Watch House is immediately to the left, not visible in this picture.

18


In Olden Days and These, by The Captain, 1930, p. 18.



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The Watch-houses were all eventually either demolished or sold. It seems the Liverpool-St watch-house was already a private residence by 190320. It was at No. 270 Liverpool St., but the street was re-numbered in 1908 or 09, and the watch-house was given the number 298. Arthur H. Price was a piano tuner and repairer21. He also performed on the piano around the city at various events. The Price family bought the building in 190522 and added a second storey. Arthur died young and his wife took in boarders to assist financially. The family lived there until at least the late 1960’s.

The Price family at their home in 1912. Mr. Arthur H. Price, Mrs. Ruth Alice Price, and daughters Doris, Muriel (Mrs. E. A. Hughes), Gladys, and Una.23 Photo courtesy Price family.

The Watch-house in 1966. Doris and Ruth Price are pictured on the verandah. Photo courtesy Price family.

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Ruth, Doris and Gladys Price on verandah in 1966. Note Berea Chapel at right. Photo courtesy Price family.

After the Price family left, the watch-house was at various times a dog grooming parlour and a

panty-hose warehouse.

Ward Trading Co., distributors of panty-hose. Pre-2000. Note verandah has been removed.


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The Watch-house in 2004. John and Maria Grist bought the house in 2000 and are the current owners. The PCYC building is at right, replacing Berea Chapel. Photo: John Grist.

Finally, here are three accounts from 1878 describing a thrilling chase through the city:

CAPTURE OF A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER.—An elderly man named Isaac Rogers, well known to the police, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of having stolen a quantity of goods, the property of some person or persons unknown. The credit of the capture is due to Constable Marshall, who knew the man to be a suspicious character and resolved to arrest him unless he could give a satisfactory explanation of how he obtained the articles he had in his possession, viz., a bundle of onions (about 1cwt.), a boy’s tool box, a tea pot and a " jimmy," similar to those used by the fraternity of house breakers. Rogers, when he discovered the constable's intention, bolted down a place called Moodie’s Row, upper Liverpool-street, with the constable in chase. He clambered to the top of a shed but fell down and sprained his thigh, and the constable was also unfortunate in spraining his foot. Rogers was then captured and conveyed to the watch-house and eventually to the General Hospital, where he still remains under treatment for the injury to his thigh. The man is an old offender, and the probability is that he is one of a gang of burglars who have lately been carrying on their depredations in the city and suburbs. The police are desirous of finding the owners of the onions, tool box, and tea-pot above mentioned.24 Clever Capture.— Constable Marshall has many times distinguished himself, but most of his past achievements have been eclipsed by his latest one, and we very much regret having to say that, though he came off with all the honours, he suffered severely, and was all yesterday placed hors de combat. As he was walking by Moodie's Row, near Liverpool-street, between 5 and 6 o'clock on Sunday morning, he espied a very ancient thief, named Isaac Rogers, who had "done" many sentences, carrying a tool chest, a bag of onions, and a teapot. Guessing that the somewhat heterogenous collection had not been honestly acquired, the constable bailed him up, but Rogers didn't seem so anxious for a conference as some of the great powers have been of late. On the contrary, he fled, and Marshall gave chase. Rogers got up on the roof of a low shanty, and Marshall was not slow in following after him. A tussle then ensued, in the course of which both fell to the ground, but Marshall, though badly injured, never lost hold of his man until assistance arrived, and Rogers was taken to the police station but only to be transferred thence to the Hospital to be treated for a severe injury which he received in the fall referred to. Marshall's ankle was so badly hurt

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that he will probably be invalided for some little time to come. Amongst the portable property found on Rogers was a "jemmy," or instrument for opening doors, windows, boxes, etc. The police say it is the best pattern they have seen for many years.25 About a fortnight ago I told how that experienced thief, Isaac Rogers, degraded his profession by stealing a bag of onions from the residence of Mr. Perkins, ex- Mayor of Hobart Town. The unsavoury offender had an interview with the police Magistrate last Wednesday, and the result was in every respect satisfactory. Letters for Rogers may, during the next twelve months, and probably longer, be addressed to him at the local gaol, in care of the Superintendent. I said "probably longer," because I have heard on good authority that his presence in the police court will be again required for the purpose of explaining how he became possessed of a Britannia metal teapot that didn't seem to exactly match the rest of his family plate.26

Unfortunately, Rogers died in prison later that same year.27

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The Liverpool Street watch-house