Fremantle Prison
Research Library
Library No:(•-, •

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P. BINDON & J.-P. RAYNAL
Community Report 93/1
Anthropology Department Western Australian Museum
March 1993

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EZCAVA1110115
I N U H E Y R E M A N I C L E , IAbyPeter BINDON1 & Jean-Paul RAYNAL2

1 Anthropology Department, Western Australian Museum.

2 Universite de Bordeaux 1, UMR CNRS C9933, Visiting Scientist WA Museum.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 2 -°NM-NTS

P. 3

FOREWORD
1 - EXCAVATION BY VACUUM UNIT

P. 3

2 - SEDIMENTS AND CULTURAL FEATURES IN LOCATION "A"

p. 4
P. 4
p. 6
P. 9

2.1 - STRATIGRAPHY
2.2 - CIS FERN
2 3 - EARTHING TRENCH
3 - REPORT ON THE SEDIMENT REMOVAL, LOCATION "C"

p. 10

4 - REPORT ON THE WESTERN TUNNEL

p. 13

4.1 - FIRST EXPLORATION
4.2 - SECOND EXPLORATION

p. 13
p. 19

4 - RECOMMENDATIONS

p.21

U S T OF FIGURESFIGURE 1: SKETCH PLAN OF CELLAR AREA, FOUR DIVISION, MAIN CELL BLOCK

p. 5

FIGURE 2: SKETCH OF FEATURES, LOCATION C

P. 7

FIGURE 3: CISTERN DETAILS

p. 8

FIGURE 4: CISTERN CROSS-SECTION ON A-A 1

p. 12

FIGURE 5: ACTUAL TUNNEL POSITION

p. 16

PLAN :OF THE NORTHERN TUNNEL

in an envelope at the end of the reportFremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 3 -E Z C A V A F I I M O N O HN
7 ' H E THIR7MAN'TILE fAllE,
FOREWORD
Following a request from the Building Management Authority,
archaeologists from the Anthropology Department of the Western AustralianMuseum agreed to undertake a watching brief on excavations of historical fills
in parts of the Fremantle Jail complex. Archaeologists attended the site on six
different occasions3 to supervise work, to excavate and to examine sediments
and fills which were to be removed. Discussions on techniques and methods tobe followed were held with B.M.A. staff and contractors and advise was given
concerning the procedures to be followed.
The report attached describes some of the methods used and discoveries
made during the attendance of the archaeologists, however there has been noattempt made in this report to interpret the numerous portable cultural objects
found during excavation.

1 - EXCAVATHON Y VACUUM UN T
Limited access was available to Location "A" (Figure 1) through an
unused gateway and a path beside the sloping ramp adjacent to the north wall.
An examination of the sediments and limited test pitting indicated that it waspossible to remove large amounts of fill using a vacuum-truck. This special
machine is normally used in cleaning up spills of hazardous or dangerous
powdered chemical residues. The truck and trailer were parked in the access
way between the Main Cell Block and New Division. Sections of suction hosewere added as necessary, allowing excavations to proceed more than twenty
metres away from the unit. The vacuum hose was passed to the face of the
excavation through ports in the paved areas and through doorways or windows
without any fear of damage to the fabric of the buildings.
3 Visits on February 11, 19, 23 and March, 3, 4, 9.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 4 -The high suction capacity of this machine and the eighteen centimetre
diameter suction hose readily and quickly removed dry loose sediments. Piecesof brick and chunks of limestone up to fifteen centimetres across were able to besucked up along with the matrix into the enclosed, high capacity, trailermounted bin. As the bin filled, it was taken to an on-site dump area where eachload was tipped as a discrete unit. Thus it will be possible, if necessary, toscreen these deposits for artefacts. To prevent the loss of valuable historicalartefacts found adjacent to identified features, a piece of woven wire mesh wasused. This heavy mesh had wires of five millimetres in diameter and openings
one centimetre square. A piece of this mesh fifty centimetres by thirty fivecentimetres was laid on sections of the fill and by placing the sucker hose on topof this grid, the sandy matrix was sucked away from rubble and cultural objects.
When the grid was removed, any remaining objects could be examined andbagged or discarded as required.

SEDIIMENTS AND CULTURAL FEATUJRSOBSERVED :N LOCAT:ON "A"
2.11 - STRATEGRAPHY
Sediment removal was organized to reveal several faces and sections for
close examination. We identified two different sedimentary units which
represent at least two infill episodes of the area.
The upper one (Unit 1) consisted of fine grey silts and sands at the top
grading into white calcareous sands at the bottom. It was very poorly
consolidated, with lumps of calcrete, broken roof tiles, pottery shards andcharcoal fragments scattered throughout. At the base were a few culturalobjects. These included a bucket, boots, pieces of wood and several glass
bottles. Unit 1 extended over most of the surface of the northern excavation andwas between one and a half and two metres thick and probably derived fromwithin the walls of the jail complex. The upper contours of this unit andFremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 5 -"Sketch plan of the cellar under the northern end of the main cell block. Based onmain cell block, BMA plan, 1859. Key to original use. 1. steward's office; 2. clerk's
office, 3. issuing office, 4, clothing store; 5. provision store; 6. prisoners' property
store." (From p.42, KERR J S., 1992. Fremantle Prison, A policy for its conservation.
B.M.A. Perth).
Locations in this report :"A": area examined first,"B": latex peel taken from sediments in this area,"C": see Figure 2 for detail,"D": walls (not removed at this stage),"E": vestibule area,"F": entrance to tunnel system,—"G"• access door to Location "C", , 7"H" lightning rod,"J": cistern
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FIGURESKETCH PLAN O F CELLAR AREA
FOUR DIIVISNON I4LMN CELL BLOCK(P.B./.I.P.R., March 1993)

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 6 -the termite tunneling activity within it suggest that it was brought to this location
on several different occasions. It was deposited through ports in the paved areaadjacent to the north wall of the main cell block in order to fill the undergroundspace after the concrete roof was installed.
A latex peel (located at "B", Figure 1) has been taken to preserve a two
metre deep section of unit 1 in the eastern part of the excavation., however weconsider this sediment to be of limited historical importance, although the latex
peel will be an interesting artefact for display in the jail museum.
Beneath unit 1, in the central and western part of the excavation, adifferent type of sediment was encountered (Unit 2). The top surface of this unit
consisted of horizontally bedded and well compacted ashes, charcoal and roofslates. Beneath some areas of this unit, we discovered fine lenses of pinksediment indicating in situ burning or deposition of live coals. This featuresuggests that the sedimentary subunit was also derived from within the jailcomplex, perhaps from a building destroyed by fire very close to this location.
The lower part of unit 2 consisted of white calcareous sands, large lumps of calcrete, shards, and pieces of decayed wood. This fill apparently also derived frombuilding rubble and alterations within the jail complex We consider that this.
portion stands on a more or less level part of the quarry floor. This latter surface
may have been the trackway or access to the lower rooms when the ramp into
the open space was still in use, as the finely crushed limestone and sand which
derived from the quarrying operations are very strongly compacted, indicating
heavy usage.

2.2 - CISTERN
The bottom section of wall on the north side of the ramp is cut into a solid
limestone face. At the foot of the ramp, an horizontal framework of wood was
discovered. Careful excavation revealed that this framework, which was fitted
neatly between a series of limestone blocks, formed the cover of a small cistern(Figures 2, 3). The Jarrah framing, joined with neat pegged joints, was in very

Fremantle Jail Excavation- March 1993 - 7 -FEGURIE 2

CHSTERN DETAILS(P.B./J.P.R., March 1993)/__/ //

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Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 8 GURE 3

CHSTERN CROSS-SECTION
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poor condition and we do not consider it would be worth conserving thesepieces o f timber. When the top of the cistern was revealed, parts of the timber
framing were missing. We know that a few pieces were removed by the sucker
truck and some may have decayed in earlier times or have been deliberatly
broken to allow unhindered access. It is unclear why the timbers roofing thecistern were so substantial, but perhaps it was because this cistern was still in
use when the ramp leading down to these lower rooms was being used. Notes on
the construction methods used were made as the remaining framework wasremoved. The cistern was ninety one centimetres square and ninety one
centimetres deep (i.e. three feet square and three feet deep) and filled withblocks of stone, broken paving slabs and fine sands. We think that the sediment
which filled the cistern predates the other two sediment units in the series
described above. A layer of greenish silty clay, very finely bedded, fivecentimetres thick, covered the floor of the cistern. We think this shows that
surface water drained into the cistern and remained for some time allowing

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 9 -suspended sediments to settle. As the floor and the four sides of this structure
were plastered with an impervious cement layer, we consider it conclusive thatthe structure served as a water tank. One edging stone on the southern side ofthe lip of this cistern had been grooved at some previous time (see below).
2 3 - EARTHING TRENCH
Attached to the north wall of the cell block, more or less level with thefoot of the ramp, is a thick iron lightning rod. This descends into the groundadjacent to the southern side of the cistern. We think that the lightning rod wasintended to go north, perpendicular to the wall, but when the builders discovered
the edge of the cistern where they grooved an edging rock and then encountered
the wooden frame, they decided to turn north east. The underground extremityof the lightning rod was encased in the new trench which was then filled withpieces of scrap iron, axe heads, blacksmith's tools, charcoal and salt. We
presume this fill was to provide better conductivity. An unknown length of thistrench remains to be uncovered although the forked end of the lightning
conductor has been revealed. In the trench, close to where the lightning rod
enters the ground, a hole about fifteen centimetres in diameter descends
vertically for about one and a half metres ultimately encountering yellow
Spearwood sands. If this hole was deliberately bored then these sands may have
prevented further descent at this spot. The purpose or function of this hole, if
deliberately made, is not known, but perhaps it was originally intended to earth
the lightning rod in this hole. For some reason this scheme was abandoned infavour of the north-east heading trench. Further exploration of the trench andthis hole is desirable.
Mister E. SMITH, of Bourke St., Yokine, attended the excavation tocomment on the metal artefacts found in the trench. He has long experience withaxes and wood hewing implements. His comments on individual pieces wererecorded separately by the Site Curator. In general, he concluded that many of
the axe heads had been used in quarrying and squaring limestone blocks. Manyof the axe polls had been repaired by a blacksmith adding slabs of metal suggesting that the backs of the axes had been battered with heavy hammers or otherFremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 10 -axes. The contours of the blades were of the kind suggesting stone work rather
than wood work. The cutting edges were thick and the top part of each blade
was heavily worn. Many of the polls were cracked or crushed. This wear patternis typical of axes used in stonework. Some squaring and mortising axes, bothused on wood, were also recovered along with picks, a spade, blacksmith's
stakes and other miscellaneous pieces of iron. On the north edge of the trench, acache o f copper bars and rods was uncovered which supports our conclusionthat the trench was to increase local soil conductivity. We presume that the ironobjects were gathered from a scrap pile, perhaps from a blacksmith's shop,where they had been sent for repair and re-sharpening.

SEIT'11MQNT REMOVAL, LOCATITON °C"
A doorway ("G", Figure 1) in an unused room of the lowest level of thenorthern end of the Main Cell Block was cleared to reveal fill which, it was
believed, filled to ground level a previously open area (Location "C", Figure 1).
This sunken area ultimately joins with Location "A" on the northern end of thebuilding and is clearly shown in old plans. Before proceeding with the
excavation, the reinforced concrete flooring above the fill was chiseled away sothat sediment removal could take place without fear of collapse from above.
Excavation proceeded southwards from the door along the east wall of
the main cell block. The stratigraphy of the fill as revealed from the top was asfollows :- Unit 0 : Reinforced concrete which varied in thickness between eight andsixteen centimetres. This lay on a bed of compacted pisolites and clay(common fill material obtained from the Darling Scarp due east of Perth). The
contact surface between these two capping parts was undulating.
- Unit 1 : Below this, poorly compacted grey silty sands were encountered. We
believe that this unit correlates with the upper part of Unit 1 in Location "A".

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993- 11 -This material lacked structure and contained numerous cultural objects andwas probably gathered from within the prison complex. Stratigraphic features
demonstrate that this fill was deposited in several more or lesscontemporaneous episodes. There were large gaps in the lower part of thisunit, caused by the lack of compaction and the large spaces between thelimestone chunks. These features show that this fill was tipped in from above
with no attempt being made to tamp it solidly. For thirty centimetres above theold floor level, this sediment was damp, an indication of the proximity of a
false rising water table. Some halo-clasticism developing on the adjacent brickand stone walls indicates that the removal of this sediment was timely as far as
the preservation of the fabric of the walls and rooms is concerned.
Included in this lower sediment were the following :- lumps of limestone which became more numerous towards the base of
the deposit but never composed more than about twenty per cent of thefill by volume,- burnt limestone,- broken brick,- pottery plumbing tiles,- dolerite flakes,- lenses of yellow gravels up to five centimetres thick. The origin of
these gravels is unknown,- ashes and cinders, which probably derive from the brick kilns on site
and whose presence explains the base colour of this and other fills
examined around the jail complex,- broken roof slates, not lying horizontally indicating there were no
trodden or living surfaces within the fill,- hand forged roofing nails,- broken beer bottle (green glass),- other broken glass bottle fragments,- bird breastbone (Welcome Swallow),- burnt shells. These lay in an horizontal lens shape and,by the wall
thickness, seem to be baler (Melo sp.) shells, but no specificdetermination could be made because of the small size of the pieces.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 13 -been squared. Some holes and solution pipes in the original calcrete face arefilled with limestone rubble and a plaster of lime mortar.
The east wall of the stores ramp is composed of limestone rubble pointed
to give the impression of limestone blocks. The ramp is a plastered obliquesurface (angle is rising 500) with an edging of halved sandstock bricks with theirsquared ends facing outwards away from the ramp. They protrude about two
centimetres beyond the east wall of the ramp.
Half way along the eastemmost wall of Location "C", the quarry turns
east at 90° and the space between the end of the quarry wall and the south end of
the building has been walled with limestone blocks grouted with lime mortar.
Behind this wall is a fill of limestone rubble, paving slabs and a few bones of
sheep suggesting a fill of similar composition to that seen in the south corner.
Spearwood sand fills a cavity in the top of the limestones close to the corner ofthe quarry excavation.
The floor of this excavation revealed the upper surfaces of several
bricked drains. These are original storm drains for the building, and are settled
more or less fifty centimetres deeper than the original ground level of thequarry. A hatch into a junction of two of these revealed that they were chokedwith chunks of limestone and sands.

TUNNEL
4.1 - FIRST EXPLOillATION4
Several brick-lined drains were encountered at the base of the easternwall of the main cell block (Number 4 Division) in Location "C" (Figure 1).
These lead under the building and were located where they emerge on its
western side in Location "E" (Figure 1). Each drain, which all seem
4 March 3 and 4.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - Maich 1993 - 14 -contemporaneous on the eastern side of the building at least, is composed of acircular tubing about thirty centimetres in diameter, formed of sandstock bricks5
laid longitudinally and cemented with lime mortar.This type of construction is
known as a "barrel drain". A rectangular inspection sump made of the same
sandstock bricks is located at a junction of two drains near the bottom of thestore's unloading ramp which adjoins the eastern face of the building. A castcement slab which was probably once the inspection hatch cover can be seen ina collapsed portion of the fill in the eastern wall of the excavation. On theeastern side of the building, the drains are filled with the same limestone rubble
which occurs at the base of the fill described in section 3 of this reportconcerning Location "A". We conclude thet the drains must have thus fallen out
of use prior to the filling of the open areas "A" and "C".
In the western vestibule of the lower rooms at the foot of the stairs(Location "E", Figure 1), the compacted calcrete and sand floor has been pierced
in several places to locate the western extremity of each of the drains. Two
different types of drain construction were found here :- Type 1 : matches those discovered on the eastern side of the building andfollowing the angles and directions at which they disappear in the east, we determined that these correlate with the ones found on the western side where theyre-emerge.
- Type 2 : occurs about thirty centimetres higher in the sequence and is built ina different manner. This has the same longitudinal brick casing on its lower
semi-circular half but the top half is roofed with a single line of bricks placed
lengthwise across the channel. At the western extremity of this channel, a hole
has been pierced in the top of an underlaying T i drain, into which the water
carried in the T2 channel passes. According to old plans, the western extremityof all these drainage features passes into a tunnel dug in the solid limestone
basement.

Probably fired on-site.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 15-

The entrance to this tunnel (which collects waste water from several
other drains along its length) could not be located until a portion of the seemingly solid limestone facing of the western wall of the vestibule was pierced(Location "F", Figure I). This was because the drainage tunnel is not exactly inthe position marked on old plans of the gaol, but is a few metres north; perhaps
this was done to confuse any would-be escapees who had access to plans of theprison complex! An observation hole broken through the west wall o f thevestibule through which the drains disappear revealed a section of tunnel
leading away to the west. For two metres from the quarry wall, loosely
cemented limestone blocks and rubble closed off the tunnel entrance. The
sideways extent and exact profile of the tunnel at this point has not beenprospected. It is likely that at least fifty centimetres of fill covers the bottom of
the tunnel as the brick conduit which emerges further on down the tunnel iscompletely covered by fill and rubble walling at this stage. We suggest that thetunnel profile and the brick drainage channel be carefully exposed here. On thenorthern side of the tunnel end of the brick conduit, several rows of bricks are
missing, although we think these were complete when the tunnel was first inuse.
The limestones composing the walls and roof of the tunnel are poorly
cemented, consistent with the characteristic eolianite of the Fremantle area.
About twenty metres from its eastern end, the tunnel passes through a contact
zone between the upper eolianites and lower calcarenites. Many characteristicfeatures of this limestone series can be seen in the tunnel walls including
concreted root tubules, vertical solution pipes (up to twenty eight centimetres indiameter) filled with Spearwood sands, small solution pipes and other secondary
limestone formations including small stalactites. These secondary limestone
structures are particularly noticeable in the lower walls of the riser describedlater and here the cavities associated with the limestone formation hold anumber of cultural objects. The high humidity levels in the tunnel have allowed
the formation of a kind of moonmilk on some parts of the roof but it is moregranular than that typically encountered in limestone caves.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 17 -Following an initial exploration of the extent of the tunnel, a plan wasmade using compass, clinometer and measuring tapes. At five metre intervals atunnel profile was drawn and distance and direction were plotted continuously.
Mean slope in angle depressed from horizontal to the west, was plotted for the
initial section as shown on the plan. The curved roof and outward sloping wallsof the tunnel have been cut by hand through solid limestone. This tunnel profileis the result of the physical constraints on the kneeling tunnellers wielding picks
and other tools, first on their right and then on their left. In many places, thewalls clearly show the marks of the metal tools used in this enterprise anddemonstrate that the tunnels were driven from both ends to meet at certain
points. On either wall, about eighty centimetres above the assumed floor level,small pyramidal or conical holes can be seen. These occur in pairs on opposite
walls and seem to represent the anchor points for some kind of cross-bracing
which was moved forward progressively as the tunnels were driven. We
consider that this cross-bracing probably supported a hand-driven drill whichpierced an initial hole or holes in the going end of the tunnel. Crow-bars andpicks were then used to cut and lever out large blocks of limestone to form theinitial tunnel, the walls and roof of which were later dressed with flat-bladed
tools. The marks of these, tools are still clearly visible on the tunnel walls andsuggest that mattocks and broad bladed picks were used for the trimming andfinal dressing process.
The size of the tunnel ,varies along its length and the tunnel changes
direction and slope in several places (see plan). The floor of the tunnel is notclearly exposed for its whole length, but we assume it has a continuous bricklining composed of a roughly semi-circular central drainage channel flanked bysloping edges. In some places, where the slope of the floor is close to zero
degrees, interbedded clays and sands have been deposited and are up to thirty
centimetres in thickness, completely hiding the floor lining.
About fifty five metres into the tunnel, a chamber topped by a verticalshaft or riser is encountered. In its upper parts, this is lined with large smoothly
surfaced calcrete blocks in the form of a "Cornish Chimney". Several small
brick-lined drains and tile pipes pierce the upper stone walls of this chamber.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 18 -One drain is lined in its lower half with a semi-circular course of sandstock
bricks laid longitudinally, and its upper part is covered by substantial blocks ofsquared and trimmed limestone blocks. These have been cut to fit neatly into thetrench in which the brick lining has been placed and they appear to have beenstacked back up almost to the previous ground level. The riser is blocked off at
the top with a metal plate which appears to sit on a shelf, itself set back from thelimestone lining. The exact arrangement of the capping is unclear because
without a long ladder, we were unable to examine it closely.
The tunnel continues beyond the riser for an unknown distance, buteleven metres west from the chamber, the tunnel is blocked off with large piecesof limestone, mesh and expanded metal bread baskets, sheets of corrugatedgalvanised iron and pieces of wood.
Throughout the length of the tunnel examined so far, fine sandy silts
cover most of the floor as already noted, and at various points a few culturalobjects are partly buried in these sediments. Bones and bone fragments fromsheep occur in the sediments and in cavities in the limestone walls of the tunnel
and riser. Unbroken glass bottles were found in the riser and glass shards, stems
from hand-made drinking glasses and fragments of more modern glass bottles
were discovered. Crockery fragments were found in cavities in the wall of theriser and these include the bowl of a clay smoking pipe with a well defined andintact manufacturer's mark. Metal objects are very rare in the tunnel, probably
because they were not readily available within the jail and because theconstantly damp atmosphere would hasten their decay. One half o f what appears
to be a metal chain link was found in a cavity of the riser. A few broken sectionsof brick are scattered along the length of the tunnel and these also occur in cavities in the riser. We consider that most of these artefacts, except perhaps thebricks which may derive from broken portions of the drainage channels, arrived
in the tunnel through one or other of the drains feeding into the end of tunnel orthe sides of the riser.
Mean water level flow in the tunnel, and a high water surge level in theriser are marked by fine grey greasy sediments deposited on the walls. WhereFremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 19 -the tunnel has least slope, this watermark is about thirty centimetres above thepresent tunnel floor, but in the riser and the furthest portion of the tunnel against
the blockage, much higher water levels were observed. Average waterflow wasprobably only ten or fifteen centimetres deep and resulted in undercutting at thebase of some parts of the walls as shown in the tunnel cross sections on theattached plan.

4.2 - SECOND EXPLORATION6
Two hours of work were necessary to clear a passage through theblockage on the western side of the riser, and because of the distance from theentrance, the materials blocking the tunnel were not removed completely but
had to be spread over fifteen meters of its length to allow access above them.
This has prevented cross-sections from being taken for this portion of the tunnel.
However, the parts we have examined show a reasonably consistent crosssection and demonstrate that the construction methods described earlier werealso employed in driving this portion of the tunnel. One difference in the finishof the tunnel which was noted was that the brick lining to the central drain wasabandoned in favour of a paving of tabular limestone pieces cemented together.
This change occurs somewhere beneath the rubble and its position has not been
established exactly.
After clearing a crawl space through the rubble, it was discovered that it
had been placed in the tunnel through another riser, the surface location ofwhich remains to be determined, but from the plan attached this should bewithin the rifle range. This riser is still choked above the tunnel with the same
metal and rubble components mentioned earlier. The riser is not set evenly
above the tunnel but is offset to the south by about thirty centimetres. Where it
opens into the tunnel, the riser has a sub-rectangular section, but its upper form
is not known as it is still filled with rubble. The construction of this riser is not
the same as that of the one previously described, nor of the tunnel. Its "out-ofplumb" alignment suggests to us that it was sunk from the surface to meet the
6 March 9.

Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 20 -tunnel at some later time. Perhaps it was constructed to facilitate the blocking of
the tunnel with the materials described previously being thrown down from thesurface. After the original tunnel had been in use for some period, it wasapparently decided that it was ineffective as a water supply for irrigating thegardens. Consequently, it became necessary to completely block the tunnel toeffectively prevent ingress by outsiders or egress by prisoners.
Beyond this second riser, the tunnel continues to another blockage
formed of decayed wood, calcretes and sand. A small hole cleared through partof this revealed a partly collapsed wooden lining to the roof of the tunnel. The
longitudinally placed Jarrah planks making up this roofing are between twenty
and twenty-five centimetres wide and two centimetres thick. They were
supported by Jarrah beams ten centimetres square. This roofing was seen toextend for three metres. The lining and parts of the karst features of this end of
the tunnel are filled with fine grey silty soils containing fist-sized chunks oflimestone. On the top of the collapse and on the lower sides of the tunnel, is aweakly bedded dark grey silt containing tree roots. The calcretes at this end of
the tunnel are pierced by numerous sink-holes and exhibit karst featuresconfirming the close proximity of the surface. We think that this portion of thetunnel was dug into a small cavern which probably contained a seasonal spring.
T.H.J. Browne's watercolour of "The Convict Establishment, Fremantle,
W.A.", painted in 1864 shows (above the title word "The"), what appears likely
to be the outer drain exit. This is probably located on the Parry St. car park slope
near the fig tree whose roots have been seen in the tunnel sediment.

Reference :KERR J.S., 1992. Fremantle Prison, A policy for its conservation. B.M.A. Perth)Fremantle Jail Excavation - March 1993 - 21 -5

MM,PNIDATIIONS

1 - The lightning rod trench and the associated features in Location "A" should
be further examined.
2 - Conservation experts should see the objects recovered from this location.
3 - Fill material behind the latex peel should be removed and the peel stored
carefully pending display.
4 - A replacement wooden framing should be fitted on the cistern.
5 - The remnant of fill in Location "C" should be removed and sieved andsamples of fill, objects etc., bagged for further examination.
6 - The tunnel entrance and barrel drain should be exposed by careful
excavation at its eastern extremity in Location "F".
7 - The second riser in the tunnel should be cleared of the objects blocking it.
8 - The westernmost end of the drainage tunnel should be located, cleaned andrestored to its previous form.
9 - A decision should be made concerning the future of the tunnels. This willlead to action concerning the recovery or conservation in place of cultural
items found in the tunnel and riser.
10 - The easternmost end of the tunnel and parts of the barrel drains leading into
it should be developed as a location on the jail tour to elucidate earlyattempts at self sufficiency for the Institution.
11 - Sediments adjacent to the eastern side of Four Division, Main Cell Blockshould be removed as soon as possible to counter problems of rising damp.