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Ancestry UK

County Bridewell, Manchester, Lancashire

According to John Howard, a County Bridewell was built, or rather rebuilt, in Manchester in 1774.

In 1784, Howard wrote:

Separate courts and apartments for men and women. Two rooms for an infirmary (14 feet by 11 feet 8 inches). The men have work-rooms, over which are chambers. Their four night-rooms or cells in a passage 45 feet by 6, are close; 11 feet by 8; 11 steps below the court; but not properly under ground, being on the declivity of a hill. Women have three rooms on the ground-poor, and three chambers: here is a dungeon, down 9 steps, 14 feet by 13; an inconvenient bath, no water in it. The iron-grate door into each court has a lock and fastenings of a contrivance singularly curious. No allowance. Keeper's salary was raised from £25 to £60, in lieu of fees, and is now raised to £80 in lieu of the tap.

The act for preserving the health of prisoners, and the clauses against spirituous liquors, hung up. The keeper is a chandler, and employs some of the prisoners in spinning candle-wick at three-halfpence a pound. In the front of the prison is a stone with an aperture into a box, having this inscription;—"Sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not." Matt. xxv. 43.

1774, Nov. 5,Prisoners 21.1779, May 12,Prisoners 1. Impressed 6.
1775, Nov. 16,6,1782, Nov. 22,14.       
1776, Sep. 15,12.  

The bridewell closed in around 1788, following the opening of the New Bailey Gaol and House of Correction.

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.

  • No individual records identified for this establishment — any information welcome.
  • 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.