LEARNING A TRADEevery prisoner at work

▪ The St Helena Island Community ▪ www.sthelenacommunity.com.auJuly 2019

Trades

The prison on St Helena was built by prisoner labour. Self-sufficiency was a necessity in the earliest times, so prisoners grew their own food, created construction resources and built their houses and cells. Later, the need to make a profit for the government expanded the trades industry to new areas, ensuring that every prisoner was set to work.

Gangs of prisoners would be set to a specific work task outside – making lime from coral and shells, milking the cows and producing sugar. Unique pioneer industries saw prisoners picking mulberries for the silk worm industry, making rope from hemp and processing olives for olive oil. Inside the stockade, prisoners were selected to learn a trade such as making boots, clothing, saddles, hammocks, sails and bookbinding.

Warder / Trade Instructors taught the men the skills they needed and a bulk supply of labour meant St Helena produce was sold all around Queensland. Learning a trade also offered the chance for a prisoner to reform, having skills he could utilise when released.

Inside view of the Saddler’s workshop around 1911. Prisoners learnt the trade of saddle making from Warder Trade Instructors. In the image is an unidentified prisoner at his personal workstation. Source: Beitz Collection, QPWS.

Consider:

What technology was available at this time?

On the prisoner’s right is a “Shadowboard” with outlines of the tools. How is this part of the security of the prison?

learning a trade Page 2

Prisoners working at making rope from sisal hemp, around 1911. The machine is called a ‘Raspador.’ Source: Laurie Collection, QPWS.

Growing sisal hemp and learning to make rope was a new idea for the prison at this time. St Helena Penal Establishment saw innovation as an important part of being self sufficient. Would you agree?

This area was used as a laundry, silos for storing water and grain and for making rope. Imagine the daily life of a prisoner working in this area. What technology would be available?

What would be his daily routine and tasks?

All prisoners must work and learn a trade. Is this a form of punishment or a means of reform?