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 Construction started in 1851 and was completed in 1859. It was originally called Imperial Convict Estasblishment. Convict labour was used to build the prison and was built out of limestone that was quarried on site.
In 1868 penal transportion had stopped in Western Australia and the number of convicts which were being transported had declined. It was renamed Freemantle Prison in 1886 after the colonial goverment took over the control of the prison.
The gallows were built at the prison in 1888, and were the only legal place to be executed in Western Australia. Betwwen 1888 and 1984, throughout that time 43 men and 1 woman was hanged.
The last male prisoner to be hanged was Eric Edgar Cooke in 1964 for murder and the last female was Martha Rendell in 1909 also for murder. Aswell as capital punishment there was also copporal punshment such as lashings, and solitary confinement.
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It became the prison for local men and women to be sent there to make room for the women the bakery was converted to accomadate them. The women continued to be sent there until 1970 when the womens were closed and they were sent to Bandyup Womens Prison.
During the construction of the prison deep shafts were sunk in the bedrock to provide the prisoners with fresh water from a limestone aquifer. The water was such good quality it began being pumped by hand to the colonies and to ship who were berthing at the port. A steam pump was installed in 1888 to take over the work. To help bring more water to the surface tunnels were built 20 metres underneath the prison. This was done in poor conditions and using prison labour. In 1910 these tunnels were no longer need and were sealed leaving the equipment behind. These tunnels are accessable and open to the public. Also in the local are athere are many myths surrounding these tunnels.
Following population growth and the gold rush the prison was extended in 1907 this time using contractors.
During 1939 and 1946 because of the wars the Australian Army took over part of the prison and it was used as military prison.
In 1991 the prison was decommisioned and prisoners were transferred to Casuarina Prison. For ten years it was leased to The Fremantle Guardians who ran tours around the prison. After this the state goverment took back control in 2001 and set out to conserve the site. The prison is open to the public for tours and is also a heritage museum.
The prison is allegedly very haunted some of the things that have been witnessed are past convicts still roaming around, many banging noises, the feeling of unease near the gallows and Martha Rendells face is said to appear in the church window.
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