If you're following my Instagram, you'll know that I recently made the decision to spend a year in Australia. We have been spending the first part of our trip in Perth. Before setting off, I already knew I wanted to go to Fremantle. My partner had been before and he told me all about it. One of the places on my bucket list is New Orleans and this is pretty much the next best thing!
The Round House, on the other hand, is a whole different kettle of fish. Mind you, they could have something similar in New Orleans... who knows!
Shackles and Bell, replicas of those once used at The Round House, Fremantle
A Brief History
This iconic building was first opened in January 1831, making it Western Australia's oldest standing building. It took just 5 months to build! In its early life, it served as a prison before all prisoners were later moved to the larger Fremantle Prison in 1886.
The Execution of John Gavin at The Round House
I'm not entirely sure if this was a single occurrence, but in April 1844 a 15-year-old boy was executed here. Mr. John Gavin* was responsible for killing his boss' son, George Pollard. John's body was apparently laid to rest in the sand hills south of the round house. Who knows, his body may be lurking beneath you whilst you're casually enjoying the views at the beach!
* The link above takes you to a various historic recollections quoted by the families of George Pollard and the police.
George Pollard is buried at Pinjarra Saint John's Cemetery. I haven't been there yet, but stay tuned on my Instagram... I'll put it on my list to pay my respects.
Fun Fact: This building cost £1,603 in total to build. I didn't even know Australia used to be funded by pounds! Nevertheless, this would roughly amount to $3,392,000 in 2021.
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