Convict Silos at Cockatoo Island, Sydney
When you read about the history of prisons at Cockatoo Island, it brings back some gory and painful images. One of them is about Convict Silos.
These silos were the first government grain silos built by the convicts who were imprisoned at the island. The bottle shaped silos were chiselled down by hand and were made to avoid food shortages.
There’s a story reported on 5th October 1852. Three men were sent down into the silo (maybe to fetch wheat grains). Their long absence and silence lead to suspicion that all was not right. Three more men were sent down to fetch them. They found the three men and were drawn up using ropes. At first the men were quite insensible but later on were brought around.
The other three men who had so heroically rescued the men were also under the influence and their life was extinct. It is said that the air of the pit was impure and believed it must have arisen from wet wheat grains, leading to air becoming fatal for life.
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What an interesting way they thought of storing grains. I guess this was at the time when convicts were thought of as easily dispensable. Tragic.
yeah that's true. Thanks for writing in.
wow..reminded me of BHIMBETIKA in Madhya Pradesh…though they are famous for a different reason.
ohh I haven't heard of that before. Thanks for writing in.
wow! Very interesting info..
I had never heard of this place before!
thanks for writing in 🙂
Interesting and tragic!
thanks for dropping by.
Sad indeed. It was interesting to read as I have never heard about this island before.
Well now you have 🙂 thank you for writing in.
This is so sad. Thanks for sharing this info.
Indeed, It is sad. Thanks for writing in.
Very sad. But thanks for the photos.
thanks SG for writing in.
i like the photo guys.. so beautiful cave but endanger the engineer Thanks for sharing
thank you so much for writing in.
Tragic story, one of many associated with that time, I'm sure! Thanks for sharing.
true, there were many other tragic takes. Thanks for visiting m blog
now that is good info.. and quiet a way to keep the grains..
but dangerous too as the air becomes dangerous
Bikram
yeah I didn't know that it could get dangerous. Thanks for dropping by.