Darcy Dugan
Encyclopedia
Darcy Ezekial Dugan was an Australia
n bank robber and New South Wales'
most notorious prison escape artist.
Darcy Dugan grew up in the inner suburb of Annandale in Sydney. During his criminal career, he committed numerous armed holdups, robbing banks and even a hospital. However he became more famous for his daring escapes than for his initial crimes.
On 4 March 1946, Darcy Dugan escaped from a prison tram which was transporting him between Darlinghurst Courthouse and Long Bay Gaol
.
As the tram passed the Sydney Cricket Ground
, Dugan used a kitchen knife to saw a hole through the roof, through which he escaped. The tram is still kept today at the Sydney Tramway Museum
.
After another prison escape, Dugan reportedly left behind a note scrawled on the wall of his cell which read, "Gone to Gowings
."
Dugan served a total 35 years in prison, exactly half of his life. He served his final prison sentence at Long Bay Goal and was released on parole in 1984.
from Parkinson's disease on 22 August 1991. He was buried at Rookwood Catholic Cemetery on 29 August 1991.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n bank robber and New South Wales'
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
most notorious prison escape artist.
Darcy Dugan grew up in the inner suburb of Annandale in Sydney. During his criminal career, he committed numerous armed holdups, robbing banks and even a hospital. However he became more famous for his daring escapes than for his initial crimes.
On 4 March 1946, Darcy Dugan escaped from a prison tram which was transporting him between Darlinghurst Courthouse and Long Bay Gaol
Long Bay Correctional Centre
Long Bay Correctional Complex is located in the suburb of Malabar in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Long Bay comprises six institutions, four maximum security and two minimum security.-History:...
.
As the tram passed the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, Dugan used a kitchen knife to saw a hole through the roof, through which he escaped. The tram is still kept today at the Sydney Tramway Museum
Sydney Tramway Museum
The Sydney Tramway Museum is an operating tramway museum, located in Loftus in the southern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Sydney Tramway Museum is the trading name of the South Pacific Electric Railway ....
.
After another prison escape, Dugan reportedly left behind a note scrawled on the wall of his cell which read, "Gone to Gowings
Gowings
Gowings was a department store chain in Sydney, Australia, established in 1868. It specialised in men's casual clothing, camping gear and novelty items....
."
Dugan served a total 35 years in prison, exactly half of his life. He served his final prison sentence at Long Bay Goal and was released on parole in 1984.
Final years
He worked as a rehabilition officer during his final years of freedom until his health declined. Darcy Dugan died in Glebe, New South WalesGlebe, New South Wales
Glebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 km south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
from Parkinson's disease on 22 August 1991. He was buried at Rookwood Catholic Cemetery on 29 August 1991.