Fremantle Prison has a historic collection of objects, photographs and archives that relate to the history of the site. To learn more about the Prison Collection, please refer to the Prison Collection section of this website.
The official records for the operational years of Fremantle Prison, from its construction in the 1850s through to its closure in 1991, are located at the State Records Office of Western Australia. The State Records Office should be consulted when conducting any genealogical or historical research. To search convict era material, please refer to State Records Office of WA | Convicts. To search post-convict era material, please refer to State Records Office of WA | Prison and Gaol Records.
Please note that prison records are sealed for 70 years after their date of creation. If you wish to access records less than 70 years old, a formal Freedom of Information application will need to be submitted to the Department of Justice by the person whom the record relates too, or their next of kin. Further information and application forms can be accessed here: Freedom of Information | Department of Justice.
Fremantle Prison also has a small research library with secondary sources available for researchers. The library is available by appointment only. To make a time to visit the library, please email the curatorial team via curatorial@fremantleprison.com.au.
USEFUL CONVICT FAMILY RESEARCH LINKS
- Family History WA | Western Australian Convicts - The official website of the Convict Special Interest Group of Family History WA. It features stories, records, and curated links relating to the early convict ships that arrived in Western Australia.
- Convicts of the Southwest WA - This website has been developed to identify and record key details of almost 2000 Male Convicts who had a presence in the South West of Western Australia between 1851 and 1900.
- The Digital Panopticon - This website allows you to search millions of records from around fifty datasets, relating to the lives of 90,000 convicts from the Old Bailey. Tracing London Convicts in Britain & Australia, 1780-1925.
OTHER USEFUL RESEARCH LINKS:
- Trove - Search a wide range of newspapers, books, photographs and other online resources.
- Fremantle History Centre | City of Fremantle - Search the Fremantle Council Local History resources, including historic photographs of the Prison.
- Metropolitan Cemeteries Board | Name Search - Search for burial records in the Perth Metropolitan area.
- The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - Search online indexes for Western Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- State Library of WA | Family History - This link is a good starting point if you are a beginner starting to trace your family history or a seasoned researcher looking to dig a little deeper, access our resources.
- State Library of WA | Aboriginal Family History - Explore and discover Aboriginal Family History via National and State resources.
- State Records Office of WA | Aboriginal History - The State Records Office holds historical sets of records from Colonial and State government agencies that document interaction with Aboriginal people throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries.
- Australian War Memorial - Search for family members with military history and view official resources.
- National Archives of Australia | Defence and War Service Records - Access the individual records of those who served in the Australian Armed Forces.
- Family History WA - Search your family history, Family History WA holds over 45 data sets containing nearly two million records in searchable tables, some being available free of charge. These datasets focus on Western Australia and include data from a wide range of public, private and church records.
- Royal Sappers and Miners Western Australia - Research the Royal Sappers and Miners sent to Western Australia.