Bathurst Female Factory

The establishment of female factories away from Parramatta, was first canvassed in 1832.  In February 1833, the first fifteen females per “Fanny” were sent to Bathurst Female Factory where Mrs Black was appointed Matron.  This factory operated until the new gaol was built in 1844.

Matron Black resigned in 1838 and was succeeded by Mary Jaggers, Sarah Keenan and Emma Cory.

In March 1833 the female factory was part of the Government establishment, which now contained Government-house, the residence of the Commandant, a cottage for the officer of Police, court-house, and Superintendent’s quarters, commissariat store, office and officer’s residence, hospital and Surgeon’s quarters, military barracks, gaol, prisoner’s camp,  with one or two cottages for the accommodation of the subordinate officers of the settlement.

The original building housed 15 women but a later two storey building had a separate kitchen wing and wash house.  Sleeping dormitories were upstairs.  Hundreds of female convicts (531 in 1836)   were sent to the factory where they were assigned out to work using their many skills in farming, dairying, needlework, nursing, food production and manufacturing. Indeed these women married and had children and either stayed in the area or moved off to become pioneers with their families in other parts of Australia.

By September 1846, the Bathurst Female Factory was broken up and female prisoners were then housed in the Bathurst gaol.