The material below is taken from the web page Unless otherwise indicated, content is copyright Peter Higginbotham and may not be re-published without permission.
Ancestry UK

Horfield Prison / HMP Bristol, Bristol, Gloucestershire

In 1875, construction began of a new gaol in Bristol to replace the city's existing New Gaol and Bridewell. It was located at Horfield, to the north of the city, and so became known as Horfield Prison. In 1877, with the impending nationalisation of the prison system, building work was suspended. It had resumed by 1882, when the nationalised system had come into operation under control of the Commissioners of Prisons. The prison seems to have come into use into 1883, although building work continued until 1889.

The architect was Alexander McHardy, who served as the government's Surveyor of Prisons from 1882 to 1886. Unlike the radial prison layouts popular in the 1840s-1860s, Horfield comprised a number of separate blocks at right angles to one another. The main gate of Cambridge Road led towards the large central block which contained administrative functions and, on the first floor, the chapel. A tower at the south-east corner of the building contained a clock transferred for the New Prison. Rising to four storeys at the rear of the central block was the male prisoners' wing.

The Prison Commissioners' report on the prison for 1883 noted:

Horfield prison, which has been built by free labour to take the place of this prison, has recently been occupied by 24 male prisoners, with a view to their completing the internal work. 137 cells for males and 23 for females are now completed, together with cook-house, baths, laundry, &c. The chaplain has performed the usual services on Sundays and read prayers daily.

A four-storey women's wing, at the north side of the central block, and at right angles to it, came into operation in 1885. The Commissioners' report for that year recorded:

This prison being still under construction, there is at present no means of carrying out hard labour of the 1st class, and prisoners in the first stage are for the most part employed in picking oakum.

About 9 prisoners are employed at mat-making, and the greater number of the remainder have been employed on the new buildings.

One female prisoner assaulted two of the female warders, and was admonished, on promise of amendment, by a member of the Visiting Committee, to whom the case was reported. During a subsequent sentence she set fire to several articles of apparel in her cell, but the act was soon discovered and the flames were extinguished before much damage had been done. For this offence she received seven days additional imprisonment.

The new female prison was occupied on 13th March this year, which will obviate the necessity of transferring to other prisons either males or females, which has recently had to be done on several occasions.

In 1887, the Commissioners' reported:

Hard labour of the 1st class has been carried out by means of cranks in the cells. 2nd class hard labour has consisted of mat-making, oakum picking, tailoring, shoemaking, and the necessary works in the prison, in addition to which a considerable number of prisoners have been employed on the new buildings.

The prisoners generally have been well conducted, the greater number of reports have been for minor offences, principally idleness at work.

The supplies from the contractors have been satisfactory.

Considerable progress has been made in the building department; the visiting room, committee room, and offices for the governor, chaplain, surgeon, and clerks have been completed and taken into occupation, the chapel is in an advanced state and will probably be ready for use in a few months. The new cook house is also progressing satisfactorily.

The usual Sunday and daily services have been performed by the chaplain, though at times the latter have had to be dispensed with during assizes, &c. Although the services are held in the corridor the chaplain reports that there has been very little misconduct, and that the prisoners join in them with readiness.

The prisoners entitled to receive instruction have been attended to by the schoolmaster and examined quarterly by the chaplain.

More progress was recorded in the 1888 report:

The chapel has been completed, and was taken into use in June. The kitchen is also now in occupation, and the bread is now baked in the prison. A new bath-room with seven baths has also been completed. An extension to both male and female wings is now in progress, also a van house and a house for the chief warder.

Two new blocks, known as B and C wings were added to the prison in the 1960s.

Bristol Prison from the east, 2022. (c) Microsoft.

The prison currently adult male prisoners and also acts as Young Offenders Institution for 18 to 21-year-olds. Inmates range from those on remand to local courts as well as convicted prisoners, including some sentenced to life imprisonment and indeterminate sentences for public protection.

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

  • Bristol Record Office, 'B' Bond Warehouse (in the 'Create Centre' section from 3-Dec-2013), Smeaton Road, Bristol BS1 6XN. Holdings include: Nominal registers (1881-1912).
  • The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Has a wide variety of crime and prison records going back to the 1770s, including calendars of prisoners, prison registers and criminal registers.
  • Find My Past has digitized many of the National Archives' prison records, including prisoner-of-war records, plus a variety of local records including Manchester, York and Plymouth. More information.
  • Prison-related records on Ancestry UK include Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951, and local records from London, Swansea, Gloucesterhire and West Yorkshire. More information.
  • The Genealogist also has a number of National Archives' prison records. More information.

Bibliography

  • Prison Oracle - resources those involved in present-day UK prisons.
  • GOV.UK - UK Government's information on sentencing, probation and support for families.

Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.