The executions carried out were public hangings until 1851. After this time it was thought improper that women and children should be witness to such events and the remaining executions that took place at the Gaol happened privately inside the walls. The executions were carried out at a number of locations around the gaol including, it is believed, the main gates and the back corner behind the original kitchen building.
The first executions took place on the site in 1843 with the execution of two aboriginal men named Melville and Harry. After petitioning the NSW Government to have the Gaol erected in East Maitland progress had been very slow, so as an appeasement to the people the two men sentenced to hang in Newcastle were brought to this site by steamer and kept in wooden cells until their execution date. The Maitland Mercury reported that a crowd turned out to witness the execution, after which the bodies were left hanging for one hour before being removed from the temporary scaffold.
The last man executed was Charles Hines in May 1897 for raping his step daughter. Hines maintained his innocence until he took his last breath.
There is a booklet titled ‘Hurled into Eternity’ available in the Maitland Gaol gift shop.
Melville
Age unknown
Murder
Harry
Age unknown
Murder
George Waters Ward
Age 40
Murder
William Hayes
Age 41
Murder
Michael Collihane
Age 36
Rape
Patrick McNamara
Age 28
Murder
Daniel Gardiner
Age 39
Murder
Christopher Walsh
Age 34
Murder
William Ross
Age 26
Murder
Jemmy
Age 25
Murder
Jim Crow
Age 23
Rape
John Jones
Age unknown
Murder
Harry
Age 24
Murder
Henry Wilson
Age 20
Murder
Michael McMahon
Age 60
Murder
Charles Hines
Age 51
Rape