The Final Escape: An analysis of suicide at the penal settlement of Port Arthur

The penal settlement of Port Arthur is renowned for its harsh andrepressive treatment of convicts, and there is no doubt that thisreputation is to some degree well deserved. It should thereforebe no surprise to learn that some prisoners felt compelled totake their own lives in order to escape their conditions. During itsyears of operation between 1830 and 1877, Port Arthur convicts diedfrom a multitude of causes, the most common being disease. Thosewho suicided made up a very small percentage of the mortality rate,yet to ignore them would be to disregard a significant piece of thejigsaw puzzle that makes up Port Arthur's convict past.