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Ancestry UK

Debtors' Prison, Southampton, Hampshire

Prior to about 1785, Southampton's Debtors' Prison was located in the Bar Gate.

In 1784, John Howard wrote:

The Bar Gate: Sheriff's ward for Debtors. Two rooms: in that for women, no chimney. In 1779, there were some alterations in these rooms, but the sewer was offensive. There is no court: Keeper, the oldest sergeant at mace: salary, now £10: fees, 13s.4d. no table. Prisoners pay 9d. a week. The corporation allows 4d, a day to poor debtors. Clauses against spirituous liquors hung up.— The old keeper dead; the house now perfectly clean.

1774, Sep. 24,Debtors 2.1779, Mar. 3,Debtors 3.
1776, Feb. 26,2.1782, Feb. 24,2.

In about 1785, the debtors' prison moved to part of the town's God's House Gate, at what is now the corner of Winkle Street and Town Quay. The gate building was already home to a Bridewell and a Felons' Gaol. The debtors occupied part of the old tower.

God's House Gate, Southampton, early 1900s. © Peter Higginbotham

After a visit there in 1788, James Neild reported:

The Bar Gate is discontinued as a prison for debtors. The gaol for felons (the tower) is enlarged, and converted into two prisons, one for debtors, the other for felons; each of which has a court and water, and a separate keeper. Salary to each £10. Allowance to prisoners, 3d. a day.

1788, July 5, Debtors 2. Felons 2.

James Neild made several visits to the prison and in 1812 recorded:

Gaoler, Jeffery Truss, Sergeant at Mace. Salary, 15l.
Fees, at entrance, 4s. On Discharge, 20s. for the first Action, 10s. for the second and every other Action; and 2s. to the Turnkey. No Table.

Surgeon, when wanted, sent by the Mayor.

Number of Debtors,
1802, March 19th. Four. 1803, Oct. 23d, One. 1807, Sept. 22d, One.

Allowance, sixpence a day to Paupers, and a bushel of coals per week.

This Gaol occupies a part of the old Tower, at the farther end of the Town. Here is a small court-yard, 46 feet by 36, not paved; and ducks, fowls, &c. are kept in it. Two rooms, with glazed windows and fire-places, of 16 feet each by 12, to which the Corporation allows a wooden bedstead, woollen mattress, two blankets, and a rug. A room at the top of the Tower is furnished by the Keeper, at 2s. 6d. per week. The Act and Clauses are not hung up, either here, or in the Felons' Gaol, or Bridewell. In 1S03, I found the pumps out of repair, and for twelve months no water had been supplied to any of the three Gaols.

In 1855, the prisons in God's House Gate moved to new purpose-built premises in Ascupart Street, in which two small wards were allocated to debtors.

The God's House Gate building still stands as part of Southampton's preserved city walls and gates.

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.