Fremantle Prison and the Face of Martha Rendell

When

since 6 October 1909 date from records made at the time

Where

Fremantle Prison, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

Verdict

Legend

In the chapel of Fremantle's convict-built prison, the face of Martha Rendell – the last woman hanged in Western Australia – is said to appear in a stained-glass window.

What happened

Fremantle Prison was built by convicts themselves in the 1850s and held prisoners for 136 years, until 1991. It is now part of the UNESCO-listed Australian Convict Sites. Gallows were installed in the late 1880s and first used in 1889. On 6 October 1909 Martha Rendell was hanged there, convicted of murdering her de facto husband's son and suspected in the deaths of his two daughters. She was the last woman executed in Western Australia, and although the press was barred, 25 witnesses watched – the most at any execution in the prison's history. The case caused a sensation at the time and still raises doubts about her guilt and motive. According to prison lore, Rendell's face can be seen in a stained-glass window of the chapel, and on night-time torchlight tours guides tell of children's voices and of hundreds of long-gone prisoners. Part of the old cell blocks is now a youth hostel, which has its own stories of restless nights.

Witnesses

Guides on the Torchlight Tour, staff and guests of the hostel set up in the former cells.

Explanations and hypotheses

The history of the prison and the Rendell case are well documented; the face in the stained glass belongs to a legend that has grown over the years around a place of execution. Stained glass and old panes easily form face-like patterns (pareidolia), and visiting by torchlight at night encourages such sightings. The lingering doubts about Rendell's guilt make her an especially strong magnet for stories of a restless spirit.

Legend A story handed down through generations – it can be neither confirmed nor disproved.

Sources

More: Wikipedia (en)