An Opening Night of Festivities
An account is provided in Governor Macquarie's diaries for the festivities that surrounded the official opening of the barracks on the 4th of June.
At 1 o’clock to-day (after the firing of the Troops in Hyde Park) I went to the Convict Barrack accompanied by Lieutenant-Governor Erskine, Mr. Justice Field, Major Druitt and my own family to see the convicts sit down to their first dinner according to the new system in the new elegant barrack in Hyde Park. This was a most highly gratifying and interesting sight: no less than 580 convicts having sat down to a most excellent dinner, plum pudding, and an allowance of punch being allowed to them, in addition to the regular meal on this auspicious day. I addressed them in a short, plain speech and was followed by Mr Judge Advocate Wylde in one more at length. Mrs M and myself and the friends who accompanied us drank to their health and prosperity. They all appeared very happy and contented, and have us three cheers on our coming away.
A Reprieve from the Monotony
In May 1882 the women from the Hyde Park Asylum for Infirm and Destitute Women were treated to a celebration in honour of the Queen's Birthday. An account is provided in the Sydney Morning Herald of their festivities.
“Queen’s Birthday was celebrated at the Hyde Park Asylum on Wednesday with the usual tokens of rejoicing. The old ladies were regaled with a bountiful dinner of roast beef and plum pudding, washed down with a glass of ale. A harper and violinist were afterwards introduced, to whose music some of the old girls danced jigs as merrily as they would have done some 50 or 60 years ago. The whole party seemed to enjoy themselves greatly, and were loud in their praises of the matron (Mrs. Hicks) and the Government, to whom they were indebted for the treat.”
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 29 May 1882
The Arrival of New Convicts
In July 1831 convicts held on the newly arrived ship Eleanor came ashore and were promptly taken to Hyde Park Barracks. Below is a letter written by Robert Mason dated July 27th 1831.
We remained on board till Monday 11th of July when we were permitted to come on shore in our own clothes, a great indulgence and considered an extraordinary thing by the people. We went to the Barracks where we were inspected by the secretary and then put into a backyard with orders not to correspond with those who were sent here for CRIMES. The character that our Captain and Doctor gave us excellent and the people of Sydney considered us to be downright honest men a valuable qualification here.
The Convict who Rebelled over a few Straw Hats
"The New Military Barracks Stockade- Yesterday morning, five or six of the convicts employed in the above stockade were brought before the Hyde Park Coutr by their overseers, charged with various acts of insubordintion, insolence, and attempting to escape. One of them, in defence, informed the Court that he had fallen out with his convict overseer, because he would not contribute a straw hat per week, with the rest of his messmates, to purchase a new coat for the said overseer, when he gets his ticket-of-leave, which he expects to obtain in a few weeks. He also stated that it was quite a common custom for the convict overseers to "let the men absent themselves for a day to hawk straw hats in Sydney, on payment of a shilling: and that in some cases, after the shilling had been paid to one overseer, another would watch the man who had paid, until he left with the hats, and then take him into custody."
