Hyde Park Barracks - Convict Life in AustraliaHyde Park Barracks, designed by the ex-convict architect Francis Greenway, was built between 1817 and 1819. Located on Macquarie St it was purpose built to house convicts transported from Britain.Francis GreenwayFrancis Greenway had been convicted of forging a document after becoming bankrupt and sentenced to death, which was later commuted to 14 years transportion to Australia. His talents in architecture were already known in Britain before his conviction, while his friendship with Admiral Arthur Phillip enabled him to get a recommendation from him to Governor Lauchlan Macquarie. So while other prisoners that arrived on the same ship were sent off to make rocks, he was able to take up the position of colonial architect. He was later commissioned by Governor Lauchlan Macquarie to design many other public buildings in the colony, many of which still stand today. Transporting convicts from Britain was finally abolished in 1848, when the barracks building was used to house single females who recently arrived as free settlers. Description: The Barracks as designed by Francis Greenway. Find and Book Sydney Hotels Hotels in Sydney. | 
