Port Arthur A Timeline

Today I am just going to share with your all Port Arthur a timeline...............we start in 1830 and go through to 1877.

1830 Port Arthur penal settlement is established as a small timber station.

1831 Wooden huts for convicts and soldiers and cottages for officers are completed.

1833 Charles O'Hara Booth began 11 year term as commandant and the semaphore signal system began.

1834 1^st group of boys transferred to Point Puer (boys prison/reform school)

1836 Foundation of the Church laid and Guard Tower constructed.

1837 1^st public service held in the Port Arthur Church

1841 Introduction of probation system lead to growth in convict numbers

1842 Construction of the Corn Mill and Granary (later to be the penitentiary) commenced and the completion of the brick hospital was done.

1844 At the end of commandant O'Hara Booth's term Port Arthur included 1100 convicts and 634 boys at Point Puer.

1848 1^st stone of Separate Prison was laid

1849 Point Puer Boys' Establishment closed and approximately 3500 young prisoners had passed through it.

1853 Transportation to Van Diemen's Land is abolished, James Boyd became commandant

1868 Completion of the Asylum is done

1877 End of the convict era at Port Arthur