Confined But Free!

In recent years, there has been an increased interest in researching female convicts and prisoners in the Colony of New South Wales; however, little attention has been given to the female staff who supervised their imprisonment. This publication aims to redress that omission by revealing those forgotten women who worked in Maitland Gaol in the 19th Century. A chronological account of their work and the working conditions of the female staff has been documented. While not guilty of any crime, the conditions of their employment kept these women virtual prisoners within the gaol. This research has uncovered unexpected information and intriguing stories of the Matrons and the female warders. It finds answers to questions such as, what motivated women to seek employment in Maitland Gaol? And why did Maitland Gaol have one of the highest turnovers of staff in the Colony during the tenure of one particular Matron? The research also reveals a transition in employment as a female prison officer from being one of necessity to a career of choice.Biographies were compiled for most of the thirty-nine women who were employed at the gaol between 1848 and 1900. This provided insights into the circumstances which resulted in their employment as prison officers and, for some, revealed tragedies which are not recorded in the official documentation.