County Bridewell, Tideswell, Derbyshire
A County Bridewell, or House of Correction was established at Tideswell in 1711. In 1746, it moved to new premises, reputed to be a house on Commercial Street, Tideswell. The property still exists, now known as Madeira House and used as retail premises.
In 1791, John Howard recorded that the establishment occupied:
an old house lately purchased. Prisoners were formerly confined in a room in the keeper's public house. No allowance, keeper's salary £20. 1788, Aug. 3. No prisoners.
In 1812, James Neild wrote:
The Keeper's house fronts the street, and the back of it constitutes this wretched Prison. It consists of a room, 13 feet by 11,and 7 feet high, with an iron-grated window and a fire-place. Also two sleeping-cells, each 7 feet by 3 feet 3 inches, and six feet high, without either light or sensible ventilation.
The court-yard, going down nine steps, is only 10 feet by 7 in extent; has a mud surface, and dung was laid in it.
Up stairs is a room for Women, of 13 feet by 10,and 9 feet high, with a fire place and glazed window. Their sleeping-cell is of the same size as those of the Men below. No water; no sewer; no Employment. I felt for the Keeper's severity; and therefore exercised a painful duty, in representing it to the Magistrates.
Keeper, William Sheldon. Salary, 20l. Fees, 2s. 4d. Prisoners,11th Oct. 1805, Two; viz. One for Bastardy, in double irons: the other a Woman. Allowance, fourpence a day.
In 1816, the County spent £600 on the construction a new House of Correction at Tideswell. It could accommodate up to eight inmates. In 1818, a total of 15 prisoners were held there, with the maximum of inmates at any one time being seven. In 1827, a pew was erected in the Parish Church which was allotted to the inmates. The establishment was closed in 1828 following the opening of the new County Gaol and Bridewell in Derby.
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.
- Derbyshire Record Office, New Street, Matlock, Derbyshire. Has Calendars of Prisoners (1749, 1756, 1758, 1761-9).
- 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.
