Daylesford's old Lock Up is a fascinating old three-room building, constructed of brick and stone and located behind the Community Garden on Camp Street.
Accompanied by the historic Court House and Police Residence, a series of information signs provide details about the buildings' features and history.
How to get to the Daylesford Lock Up
Park along Camp Street outside the Community Garden. You can't easily see the lock up from the road.
To reach the Lock Up, visitors can walk up a laneway alongside the Court House and over to the right up a grassy hill.
History of the Daylesford Lock Up
An information sign standing before the Lock Up displays the following text:
The Lock-up, 1862
The lock-up was de-commissioned in 1969. Inside, the walls bear testimony to the wit and wisdom of many of the locals who stayed here at Her Majesty's pleasure..
The original gaol was probably a single cell structure built in 1858 which was replaced by this solid three room building in the same year the new courthouse was constructed..
It is perhaps the earliest of this type of brick and stone lock-up ever built in Victoria and one of only five that still remain.
Standing the test of time
This type of brick and stone structure was a standard Public Works Department design with three cells and a porch. The brick work is laid on a slate damp-proof course on a bluestone plinth.
Friedrich Kawerau, the architect in charge of the courthouse design, as also responsible for this structure. The original contract was awarded to Henry Gardener who tendered £736 14s for the work.
The murder of Maggie Graham
The brutal murder in 1864 of local barmaid, Margaret Graham, and the subsequent capture, trial and hanging of her murderer aroused unprecedented publicity throughout the entire colony.
Eighteen year old Maggie was found by George, her husband of just six weeks, soon after midnight on 28 December. William Drummond, the District Coroner, presided over the formal inquest held at the courthouse. One witness gave evidence that she had seen David Young loitering in front of Maggie's house on the night of the murder. Five days later, Young was captured by one of Daylesford's mounted constables some sixteen miles away, near Kingston. Young was taken to the Daylesford lock-up and brought before the magistrate the next day.
Young's trial was subsequently held at the Circuit Court in Castlemaine. Found guilty, he became the first man to be hanged at the new Castlemaine Gaol. The trial judge was Redmond Barry who was later to preside over Ned Kelly.
Also of interest
BBQ
Daylesford
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