Construction of the new Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot began in February 1852 and was completed by 1856. The depot was closed in 1872. The site chosen, Avon Location 110, was an area of Crown land measuring just over . It was situated approximately upstream from the site of the previous Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot (1851) located at the Toodyay townsite (now known as West Toodyay). The previous depot had only ever been a temporary arrangement born of necessity when accommodation was required at short notice. The new depot site was surveyed by Francis Thomas Gregory in 1852.
All convict hiring depots were built according to a similar basic plan, although variations occurred due to the lay of the land and other circumstances unique to the area. The site, beneath and around the current Shire of Toodyay offices, was heritage listed in 2014.
Structures The Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot contained the following structures: +BuildingLocationBuiltNotesDepot Barracks1852-1853Built of brick, shingled roof, brick-paved floorWarders’ Quarters1852-1853Built of stone, shingled roof, floor boardsInfirmary1853-1855Built of brick, shingled roof, floor boards, ceiling beams lined using sawn timberKitchen/Bake house1854Temporary building of 1852 replaced in 1854 by cookhouse of brick construction, shingled roof, brick-paved floor Commissariat1852-1855 Built of stone, shingled roof, brick-paved floor. Brick extension 1853. Complex completed 1855Sappers’ Quarters1852,1854Two quarters, one built of stone, the other of brick. Brick-paved floors. Roofs shingledSuperintendent's Office1852Built of stone with a shingled roof, brick-paved floorBlacksmith's Shop1852 Essential for depot. Also had a good well Superintendent's Quarters1855-1856Built of brick, floor boards, shingled roof. Two bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen, servant's room
Preparations In February 1852, Second Lieutenant Edmund Frederick Du Cane was placed in charge of all convict works within the Eastern District of the Swan River Colony. The building of convict hiring depots at Guildford, York and Toodyay became his responsibility. Improvement of district roads and bridges would be under his direction. Du Cane was advised to travel regularly from one depot site to another, especially during the early years of construction. His home would be at Guildford. Detailed progress reports were to be submitted to Comptroller General E Y Henderson every six months.Based on Reports by Lt Du Cane to Comptroller General Henderson, Battye Library, 343.2 COL, Convict System, Vol. 6, July 1852, pp. 214-216, Vol. 6, 14 April 1853, pp. 166-168, Vol. 6, 26 January 1854, pp 197-198, Vol. 6, 25 September 1854, pp. 145-149, Vol. 6, 17 January 1855, pp. 99-102, Vol. 7, 11 August 1855, pp. 209-213, Vol. 7, 15 January 1856, pp.42-44.
Du Cane was made a Visiting Magistrate in September 1852 to ensure that punishment for offences committed would be administered within an appropriate time frame. Henderson always advised care in administering punishment which, under convict law, could be severe.
The 20th Regiment of Sappers and Miners of the Royal Engineers began arriving at the end of 1852, their task being to supervise the development of infrastructure necessary to the new convict system. It was agreed that non-commissioned officers of Sappers and Miners would fill the dual role of instructing warders at convict hiring depots, prisons, various administration buildings, roads and bridges in addition to escorting convicts to and from work sites. Sappers who were trained blacksmiths, carpenters and stonemasons would be of immense value during the construction of convict hiring depots.
Enrolled Pensioner Guards were attached to each convict hiring depot. Many became regular warders. A senior assistant superintendent was appointed to each depot. Lionel Lukin, who resided on the adjacent property of "Deepdale", was one such man appointed to the Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot.
Construction Construction of the new Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot began immediately after the appointment of Du Cane. Throughout 1852, Du Cane was assisted in Toodyay by Corporal Joseph Nelson and six other sappers who were acting as instructing warders. The new Toodyay Lock-up, situated at the old township of Toodyay, was completed at the end of 1852, after which time the number of sappers was reduced to four.
Avon Location 110 was situated on a gently sloping hillside adjacent to the Avon River. Clearing of the hillside began at once and a well was sunk to provide water. A nearby permanent spring supplied additional water when the well almost ran dry at the end of summer. The stream arising from the permanent spring was named Pelham Brook.
A large waterproof tent furnished with tables and stretchers provided temporary accommodation for the ticket-of-leave holders. The tent had been part of the equipment which the sappers had brought with them. For a short period of time, sappers were housed in straw huts which were considered far more suitable as many of the sappers had wives and families. The straw huts were subsequently replaced by other temporary, but more substantial dwellings, made of Swan River mahogany (jarrah) boards.
The first buildings erected included the infirmary, a store and one of the two planned sappers' quarters. It is reported that the wife of one of the sappers was very ill at the time. The infirmary and the sappers' quarters were built of stone using clay as a mortar. A source of lime was yet to be procured. The infirmary was found to be wrongly positioned and, as it had seen little use, the building was converted into a quarter for the commissariat. During the first few months all cooking was carried out on an open rough stone fireplace.
Governor Charles Fitzgerald visited the depot in April 1852 and was very critical of what he found. He thoroughly disapproved of one of the sappers' quarters having been built prior to organizing more permanent accommodation for the ticket-of-leave holders, especially as winter rains were approaching. He demanded that better arrangements be made for cooking meals and ordered a bakery oven be constructed. He also insisted that an infirmary was necessary. Matters were duly attended to. Most importantly, the cook-house and bakery was erected immediately. It was built of mud.
During the coming months, an average of forty ticket-of-leave holders were based at the depot. A good many of these men found work when farmers began seeding crops in the autumn. Ticket-of-leave holders who later found themselves out of work were required to return to the depot where they were once again involved in its construction. Some were fortunate enough to gain paid employment within the depot as cooks, bakers, cleaners and later as police constables. Depot construction was often delayed due to insufficient ticket-of-leave holders being housed at the depot. Nevertheless, the number of men at the hiring depot very much depended on the arrival of ships with convicts on board who, on obtaining their ticket-of-leave, needed to find work. Very few probationary convicts were accommodated at hiring depots during this period of time.
Timber was carted from saw pits at Jimperding. Doors and window frames, floorboards, mantelpieces and skirting boards were prepared on site. Shingles were split from she-oak at bush sites. Offcuts were burnt to produce charcoal for the blacksmith. The road from Jimperding was badly eroded by the carting of timber to the depot.
The blacksmith was most essential to depot construction for it was he who repaired tools, made hinges, nails, bolts and chains when necessary. He also shoed horses, and mended carts and axles. The blacksmith had his own forge and a good well close by.
During the latter part of 1852, a local brick-maker began providing bricks for the depot at an affordable rate. Soon a kiln was erected on site and a source of lime was found. During 1853, the depot at Toodyay began producing its own bricks. However, the warders’ quarters, completed in June 1853, were built of stone with a clay mortar. It had a shingled roof.
The Commissariat was extended in 1853 using bricks on raised stone foundations. The extension measured . The roof was shingled and the floors were boarded. A wooden stable was added later and a fenced garden put in place. The main depot barracks were built of brick with a shingled roof. The floors were brick-paved. It measured approximately and originally housed 60 men. In 1854, this number was increased to 120 by the installation of two tiers of hammocks. The infirmary, new kitchen/cookhouse, blacksmith's forge and superintendent's quarters were made with bricks. All but the blacksmith's shop had shingled roofs. Most of the buildings were white-washed after completion. By 1855, building was nearing completion and sheds and other temporary buildings were being removed.
During 1855, Rev Charles Harper began building a chaplain's quarters on Glebe Land, Lot 111, adjacent to the new depot. Ticket-of-leave labour assisted in its construction. The handsome parsonage was named "Braybrook".
Enrolled Pensioner Guards
Enrolled Pensioner Guards had volunteered as guards on the ships transporting convicts to Western Australia. After an initial period of six months military employment in the colony (later increased to twelve months), the men were released from permanent duty but were expected to attend twelve days exercise per year without additional pay. Each Sunday morning the pensioners appeared for muster and church parade. If necessary, they could be called upon for extra duties of peace-keeping of a military nature thus ensuring additional army presence at a fraction of the cost of military troops. A considerable number of the Pensioner Guards chose to become warders.
Enrolled Pensioner Guards in Toodyay were allocated thirteen allotments situated as closely as possible to the new depot. Suburban allotments, S1-S13, were surveyed by Francis T Gregory during his survey of the depot in 1852. An allowance of ten pounds towards the cost of building a small cottage was made by the government. The allowance compensated for the fact that free grants were no longer permitted and the pensioners were required to contribute ten pounds towards the cost of each grant. The allowance was increased to fifteen pounds in January 1853. Full title was granted after seven years occupation.
Building of the pensioner cottages did not commence until 1854. In the meantime, the pensioners were housed at the depot site at the old Toodyay townsite. Here they shared a number of straw huts and a cottage on Lot R1 and Lot 69. The area became known as "The Barracks" (as distinct from the Toodyay Barracks at Toodyay Town Lot L1). The government had agreed that the Pensioner Barracks would be maintained as long as the Pensioner Guards showed a need for them. Towards the end of winter 1853, large straw huts were erected on four of the new allotments so that some of the men might come and live on their land and cultivate it while their cottages were being built. Of the first six cottages built, three were of mud, one was of brick and two were of stone. Each had a thatched roof and a brick floor. All thirteen cottages were completed by 1856. Most were white-washed.
The years 1853 and 1854 saw the old depot site also being used as an Immigrants’ Depot. The straw huts saw even further use. An average of five men, fifteen women and fourteen children occupied the site. In 1857, both the York and Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot underwent changes which resulted in Pensioner Guards having no further use for the Pensioner Barracks at the old Toodyay townsite. In 1857, Lot 69 and Lot R1, were sold off.
Road construction