The old Mitcham Gaol

The old Mitcham Police Station is now used as the Mitcham Heritage Research Centre for all heritage enquiries relating to our City of Mitcham. Situated right behind the police station, in what used to be its back yard, is the historic Mitcham Gaol cells.

The Heritage Centre is perfectly situated at the entrance to the Mitcham Cultural Village. My blip of the Scroll Saw on October 21st was from the Cultural Village Fair.

During its 108 years of use, the main building functioned both as a police station and a domestic dwelling, often simultaneously. The gaol cells were also in use for much of this time. Looks more daunting in LARGE!

The buildings were constructed using traditional techniques of the time by Farr and Co Contractors in 1892. In 2008 the site was excavated during renovations and the second highest concentration of artefacts was found in the cells. (Bits of metal, broken glass and ceramics.) The buildings are now heritage listed.

The gaol consisted of 2 small cells each containing a bed and a bucket and not much else. As far as I can find out the cells were used for short term stays before the prisoners were moved to a larger gaol in the city.
Not a good place to spend a night in summer or during one of our very cold South Australian winters!