These watchhouse keys were used to secure the cell doors in an unknown watch house. They most likely date from the 1880s. Large metal ring holding seven large keys to watch house cell doors.

Black and white reprint of Batchelder: watchhouse ( James Lerk 28.2.2000 ) , Market Square. Drays loaded with sacks both left and right. Brick building central chimney. Unmade roadway. Brick building with central arched doorway and 2 narrow windows each side of door. 1 window on Lh end of building. Contrast colour brick quoins around windows and door.batchelderbuildings, government, watch house, sandhurst

These watch house keys were used to secure the cell doors in an the Old Ararat Gaol. They are dated from the 19th century.These keys are a good example of keys used by Victorian prisons in the 19th century. Large metal ring holding seven large keys to Gaol cell doors.J. Hubball Melbournelocksmith, watchhouse, incarceration, keys, gaol, prison

The Sergeant, senior Constable, or Constable on duty at Orbost Watchhouse, received all charges against prisoners brought in by different constables, ascertained their nature and if satisfied it was a proper charge was obliged to record the name of each prisoner and the particulars of the offence. This information was recorded in a charge book. Recorded also were details pertaining to the charge itself included: the charge number; the date and hour of both the apprehension and the recording of the charge in the Charge book; personal details of the person being charged including name, address, date and place of birth, a short summary of the nature of the offence and any other relevant details which followed the charges. In general entries became less detailed over time but the format of the entries and the type of information collected remained similar.This book is associated with Orbost and provides insights into the nature of crime as well as the experiences of police and victims in Orbost.A large, heavy register with hand-written entries. Pages are ruled with columns and printed headings. It also contains an indexed list of names and dates in a separate section at the back.charge-booh-orbost-police-station crimes law