The Military Guardhouse and Barracks
Cockatoo Island's convicts were guarded by British army 'redcoats'. This barracks was built by convicts in 1841 with stone from the island, to the likely design of Royal Engineer, George Barney. The plan-with windows for cross-ventilation, was standard from the 1820s for regiments serving in tropical countries.
From here, the guards could observe the prison block and, if necessary, it
could be used as a stockade. Muskets-the 'brown bess', could be fired through
the numbered loopholes, or slits. The building also functioned as a barracks,
with accommodation for 56 soldiers. Their kit bags were hung from iron hooks.
Adjacent to these buildings was a range of 12 punishment cells, now erased.
Prisoners would be lowered-in through trapdoors.
In 1864 the army was finally withdrawn from prison duty, and the police took
over.
From this time, Building 1 underwent a variety of changes, it's stonework
being pillaged for other uses.