EARLY DARWIN
NONE OF THESE DATES IS NECESSARILY CORRECT.
The Government blocks occupied the Esplanade frontage between Mitchell & Smith Streets. The pivot for these images is the corner of Mitchell Street & the SE Esplanade where the Supreme Court stands today - the site of the original Police Station & Inspector's Foelsche's Residence - hence the images.
The Government blocks occupied the Esplanade frontage between Mitchell & Smith Streets. The pivot for these images is the corner of Mitchell Street & the SE Esplanade where the Supreme Court stands today - the site of the original Police Station & Inspector's Foelsche's Residence - hence the images.
Cnr Mitchell St & SE Esplanade
POLICE BUILDINGS
1873
SLSA image Summary "Palmerston. Sub. Inspector of Police's Quarters (Mr Paul Foelsche) After arriving in Palmerston and realising there was no Police Station Foelsche and his six troopers built one. His first residence was a two room tin hut which was later replaced by a three roomed house in Mitchell Street. Paul Foelsche was Keeper of the Palmerston Gaol from 1872 - 1874. The quarters were built on the site of what was later to be the Government Administrative Offices, almost facing the Cable Quarters." SLSA B-9733 c1870 Police Quarters
nla.obj-141835455-1 Foelsche 1873 - the reciprocal of image SLSA B-10103 below - image taken from the upstairs middle window
nla.obj-141845508-1 1st Police Res. Pt. Darwin - Chain fence & Sweet in same shirt 15-9-1870 so
|
nla.obj-141832857-1 First Police Office, Port Darwin, - NTRS 3420 P1 image 43 1870 - flash tin roof ~ so <1873
|
nla.obj-141832754-1 First Police Lock Up, Darwin, ca. 1889 - built by 1873
|
1875
SLSA B-9733 c1870 Police Quarters - in image below by 1873 - famous mousing cat
|
SLSA B-10838 New Gaol c1870 - old Gaol behind was 1871 new gaol by 1875
|
nla.obj-141832658-1 1st Land & Survey Office c 1889 - NTRS 3420_P1_photo 42 1873 - Land Office afterwards used as Police Stn.
|
PIC P827-14 LOC Album 914-1&2-nla.obj-141836657 June 3rd 1875 stitch 4
SLSA B10838 detail old cells roof & tree
|
SLSA B10838 detail old cells door
|
SLSA B10838 Detail new cells & ornate weather board of Lands & Survey Bldg
|
NTRS 3420_P1_photo 14 1887
nla.obj-141837655-1 New Police Station 1875 - Govt Offices 1878
|
nla.obj-141840306-1 Government Offices and Police Inspector's Quarters, June 1879 - confirmed NTRS 3420 P1 image 64 - Govt. Secretary's Office
|
June to December 1879
SLSA B-10107 June 1879 Esplanade looking west
|
SLSA B-10126 June 1879 Esplanade L>R Court House & Medical Officer's Qtrs
|
The materials for the new Police Station are on site and the seven gables on the Residency confirm the date. The extension has been done to the Mitchell Street side of the Government Secretary's buildings on the corner. The Court House is comprised of two timber buildings.
nla.obj-141841656-1 Police Station, Court House & medical Officer's Quarters Palmerston, December 1879 - confirmed NTRS 3420 image 63
The brass plaque on the Courthouse - the only one on these buildings - attests to construction in 1884 as the first Courthouse, Cellblock and Police Station in the NT. The date of construction may refer to the stone Courthouse alone which is a effectively two buildings {as the walls abut} with the front portion - presumably the court - is approximately square whilst the rear, two storey, rectangular & wider portion contains offices, chambers etc. The separate block of 3 cells at the rear now contains the air-conditioning unit in the middle and western cells.
|
Plaque on Court House Built 1884
|
|
The 1879 J.G. Knight and G.R. McMinn stone building, incorporating the circa 1938 verandah
Government House is constructed of locally quarried Porcellanite Stone & Cypress Pine and is set in tropical gardens.
1871 First Residency completed
1874 Second storey added
1877 2nd story demolished by white ants
1878 Architect John George Knight designed 2nd Residency
1879 ‘house of seven gables’, completed in porcellanite & Cypress pine
1897 (7 January) cyclone damage to roof, verandah and flagstaff
1912 Dr John Anderson Gilruth changed name to Government House because he was a prat.
Government House is constructed of locally quarried Porcellanite Stone & Cypress Pine and is set in tropical gardens.
1871 First Residency completed
1874 Second storey added
1877 2nd story demolished by white ants
1878 Architect John George Knight designed 2nd Residency
1879 ‘house of seven gables’, completed in porcellanite & Cypress pine
1897 (7 January) cyclone damage to roof, verandah and flagstaff
1912 Dr John Anderson Gilruth changed name to Government House because he was a prat.
Skyline Sequence
SLVic H141687 Residency & Camp - capt. Sweet's anchor ergo
SLSA Sweet 1870 B-4637 c1870/71 - house on Liberty Pk - Police House - Police Stn before tin roof & all important Lands Survey Office
nla.obj-141835455-1 Foelsche 1873 b crop
PIC P827-14 LOC Album 914-1&2-nla.obj-141836657 b June 3rd 1875 stitch 3
B-5039 - 1878 perhaps post white ant conversion - Lands Survey Office still there so pre Police Station Mk2
nla.obj-141833053-1 1889 Foelsche - 2nd Gaol still there so predates SLSA B5060
SLSA Foelsche B5060 & stitch c1887 - 1st & 2nd Gaols gone - Courthouse stone front & back so cells behind - Steamer Tower at far right
The Residency
Residency SLSA B-10103 & NTRS 3420 - 37 1874 - perhaps damage to verandah from white ants - a nice albumen silver nitrate print
Detail PIC P827-46 LOC Album 914-1&2 1879 - new chimney
|
SLVic H141687 Govt House & Camp crop b
|
nla.obj-141840105-1 June 1879 east side
c1870
nla.obj-141845409-1 1st Inspector of Police Residence - NTRS 3420-55 1870 2nd Class Surveyor's Quarters - doubtless multiple users over time.
|
|
Image at right - SLSA B-27498 1894 " 'Blanket Day' when blankets were distributed to the natives by the Government" - caption on card
Dump
Google Earth - Parliament stands on OT & BAT site - Mitchell Street ran through to the SE Esplanade & Bennett St. ran through to the SW Esplanade
SLSA B-10840 (1) The Telegraph Offices c1870