Group Photo Parramatta Gaol 1979.

L to R: Billy Downes doing time for armed robbery. Suzie Keene Jail Visitor. George Crawford doing time for armed robbery. Mick Medina (armed robbery). Jimmy Murray - bank robber and ex-Katingal prisoner. Mick Markovski – lifer and ex-Katingal prisoner. Rick Groom – bank robber.

Lenny Lawson – lifer. Lawson was duped into taking an entertainer hostage during a prison concert inside Parramatta Gaol during 1972. Two prisoners ‘overpowered’ Lawson and were later rewarded by the NSW Government with special paroles. It was years before the government and prison authorities realized they had been duped. The entertainer Lawson took hostage later became a victim of the controversial ‘deep sleep therapy’ in a NSW psychiatric institution. Lawson died inside Grafton Gaol in 2003.

The Class of ’79 – Group photo at Parramatta Gaol 1979:

L to R: Arthur Loveday (lifer & prison escapee). Buck Hewitt (lifer). Billy Downes (armed robbery). Bernie Matthews (armed robbery, escape and ex-Katingal prisoner). Jimmy Murray (armed robbery and ex-Katingal prisoner). Steve Shipley (armed robbery and serial prison escapee. Ex-Katingal prisoner. Shipley was murdered inside Parramatta Gaol during 1981). Daryl Burke (armed robbery. Burke and Teddy Barker were the youngest members of Darcy Dugan’s 1969 armed robbery gang tagged ‘The Lavender Hill Mob’ of ‘The Lavenders’). Jimmy Crilley (armed robbery). Mick ‘Jap Eyes’ Stevens (armed robbery). Charlie Sale (assault & grievous bodily harm).

Front row L to R: Mick Burke (armed robbery). Ago Canu (armed robbery). Ronnie Thomas (lifer & prison escapee). Kevin Holland ( assault). Mick Markovski (lifer and ex-katingal prisoner).

Prison muster at the Central Industrial prison inside the Long Bay State Penitentiary during the 1960s.

Left of photo. Mick Meredith at a friend’s wedding after his release from prison in the 1980s. Meredith was one of the younger members of Archie ‘Mad Dog’ McCafferty’s 1973 thrill-kill gang. Meredith was convicted for the manslaughter of two people. McCafferty, who was portrayed as Australia’s answer to Charlie Manson, received three life sentences. He was given another 14-years for a prison murder and trafficking heroin in Parramatta Jail. McCafferty became a prison supergrass during the 1980s and was deported to Scotland in 1997.

Group photo inside Long Bay Gaol.

Prison activist and former bank robber Brett Collins with former wife and NSW senator Irina Dunn.

Brenton Dorling – South Australian drug trafficker doing time inside Parramatta Gaol during 1979.

Billy Downes (armed robbery) Parramatta Gaol 1979.

Bernie Matthews at Parramatta Jail 1979.