Rutherglen Historical society’s Nyree Wiggins, Suze Rogashoff and Judy Harrison in front of the makeover police cells.
Lock down the old police cells
Rutherglen Historical Society is raising funds to implement a permanent ground encasing for the town’s old police cells to be housed within the Rutherglen Common School Museum.
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“It will enable a wonderful visitor experience to the museum, combined with displays and information relating to the cells and others like them jotted across rural Victoria,” historical society research officer Nyree Wiggins told The Free Press.
“Our plan for the future is to get these cells embedded with their ground pegs, open them up with internal displays and information and provide people with a sense of our early police and town history.”
The sign says it all in Murray Street Rutherglen with historical society members keen to secure the two makeover prison cells at the rear of the premises.
Rutherglen’s historic old police cells have had a makeover. There was a lot of work to be undertaken in restoration work, costing time, effort and money.
Substantial sanding and painting was undertaken by Andrew, Cat and (daughter) Jess Claessens to restore the old cells to their former selves.
“The cells are looking fantastic and with more future work over the next 18 months or so, this project along with many others are starting to kick some goals,” Nyree said.
From the late 1850s, police lock-ups were established in small towns across the state in order to contain a prisoner prior to a court hearing. In some instances, they were utilised as a form of overnight punishment. Lock-ups also offered useful containment when the capacity of the local internal gaol was full.
At times permanent lock-ups were being built and or maintenance was being undertaken to existing police gaols, the Public Works Department then provided these portable wooden structures as an interim measure.
These cells were based on an English design and built by the maintenance and construction section of Victoria Police which was staffed with professional skilled tradesmen whose job it was to assemble these plank type portable cells, along with other general construction and repairs to police assets.
The cells have been given a date estimate of manufacture which ranges between the period of 1929 to 1935. It is thought these cells were transferred at some early time from the Wodonga Police Compound to Rutherglen where they were housed at the back of the Rutherglen Police Station over many years until their removal and relocation to the Rutherglen Common School Museum.
This process occurred in 2017/18 during the time of Mr. Harry Thomas’ presidency at the museum. “Thankfully, they were significant enough to save from the scrap heap as they have a connective relationship to Rutherglen,” Nyree said.
“Indeed, many people remember these cells and referred to them as the Winery Walkabout Lockups!
“They were utilised over some early periods when the Rutherglen Wine Festival was in its infancy. Sobering up and safety were two main concerns for the young people who had become inebriated and these cells served a purpose across these times. The cells were in use up to the mid-1970s.”
Rutherglen Historical Society is hoping the townsfolk may know some additional information about the old cells that will assist in building upon their story.
Including drainage and encasing works, the project is expected to cost about $5,000. Treasurer Suze Rogashoff wants the community and visitors to share in Rutherglen’s rich history and is urging all to get behind the project.
Restoration work and the safe installation of the cells cost money,” she said. “Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.” Suze can be contacted at treasurer.rutherglenhistsociety@gmail.com or on 0435 003 710.
