Executions Guided Night Tour
Overview
Come to the dark side where history is gruesome and macabre…
Our Executions tour explores the grim history of capital punishment in NSW as it was imposed on the condemned at Maitland Gaol. The 16 men who were executed at the Gaol between 1843 and 1897, their crimes and the infliction of the ultimate sentence upon them forms the basis of this special experience.
Your guide will explore the historical context of capital punishment in colonial Australia, the extraordinary range of seemingly innocuous crimes that could lead to the ultimate punishment and the gruesome mechanics of how the death sentence was imposed. This tour includes firsthand accounts, printed in the Maitland Mercury, by those who witnessed the hangings at the Gaol.
The Executions tour is a specialised (adults only) tour which only visits those parts of the Gaol directly relevant to condemned prisoners and the executions at the Gaol. This tour will not cover the broader history of the Gaol or visit all areas within the site.
CONTENT & EMOTIONAL DISTRESS WARNING
Please note that the ‘Executions’ tour contains adult themes and is an ADULTS ONLY experience. It may also be confronting or triggering to some adults.
Themes included in the storytelling are:
- The evolution, process and equipment used for executions by hanging.
- Executions of First Nations people
- Names and images of deceased persons
- Adult language
- Violence, Sexual crimes, Crimes against children
- Language from the past
If you are unsure if this tour is right for you, please contact the Maitland Gaol office for more information before purchasing a ticket.
Upcoming dates
- 22 December 2023 8.00 pm - 9.30 pm
- 27 December 2023 8.00 pm - 9.30 pm
- 3 January 2024 8.00 pm - 9.30 pm
- 12 January 2024 8.00 pm - 9.30 pm
- 21 January 2024 8.00 pm - 9.30 pm
