what was port arthur used as a convict prison
It wasn't all tea and biscuits for these British convicts. Port Arthur Prison was established in 1830 as a timber camp that used prisoners as convict labor. Only three years later it became a punishment station for repeat offenders. The Church was a mandatory part of convict life in Port Arthur. Prisoners and guards attended church every Sunday and this church had a capacity of 1100 people. That's a lot of praying. Much of the stonework found on the church was created by the Point Puer Boys Prison.