Sessions Prison / Tallow House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland
A Bridewell, or House of Correction, also known as the Tallow House or Sessions Prison, formed part of the old Moot Hall on Castle Garth, Newcastle, where the county's Assize Courts were held.
In 1784, John Howard described it as follows:
The Old House of Correction, called the Tallow-House: two rooms, one for men, the other for women, and a dungeon now not used: no court: no water: allowance two pence a day, and coals. Salary, £15. Fees, 1s.
Criminals are first committed to the Tower in the Close for a day or two, and if not discharged by a magistrate, are removed hither or to the other prisons.
1776, Jan. 15, Prisoner 1. 1782, March 25, Prisoners 2.
In 1812, James Neild gave a similar report:
Keeper, Richard Hill; now James Sapwith, Town Marshal.
Salary, 15l. and for the Bridewell, 5l.
Fees, one shilling on entrance, and the same on discharge.
Number of Prisoners, 1802, Sept. 6th, Four. 1809, Sept. 17th, none.
Allowance, three-pence a day, and coals.
REMARKS.
This Old House of Correction consists of two rooms; one of them for Men, the other for Women; and its dungeon is now used as a cellar. Straw on barrack bedsteads, with three blankets, and a coverlet each.
No court-yard. No water. No employment. Criminals are sent hither for trial at the Quarter Sessions.
The prison closed in c.1812 with the opening of a gaol in the New Moot Hall.
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.
- Northumberland Archives, Woodhorn, Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, Ashington, Northumberland NE63 9YF. Few records survive.
- 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
- Higginbotham, Peter The Prison Cookbook: A History of the English Prison and its Food (2010, The History Press)
- Brodie, A. Behind Bars - The Hidden Architecture of England's Prisons (2000, English Heritage)
- Brodie, A., Croom, J. & Davies, J.O. English Prisons: An Architectural History (2002, English Heritage)
- Harding, C., Hines, B., Ireland, R., Rawlings, P. Imprisonment in England and Wales (1985, Croom Helm)
- McConville, Sean A History of English Prison Administration: Volume I 1750-1877 (1981, Routledge & Kegan Paul)
- Morris, N. and Rothman, D.G. (eds.) The Oxfod History of the Prison (1997, OUP)
- Pugh R.B. Imprisonment in Medieval England (1968, CUP)
Links
- 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.
