County Bridewell, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
A Derbyshire County Bridewell, or House of Correction, existed from 1729. From 1791, it occupied a new building at Wash Green, Wirksworth.
In 1812, James Neild wrote:
This House of Correction is on Wash Green, and was built in 1791. At the back of the Keeper's house are two court-yards, one for the Men, the other for the Women, of about 28 feet by 19 feet 6, with a sewer in each.
Nine steps down, in the Women's court, is a damp Dungeon,7feet by 6feet6, and 6 feet 4 high, to the crown of the arch. All the light or ventilation here received is by a grating through the door, six inches square.
On each side of the Keeper's apartment a door opens into a little day-room, 11 feet 9 inches by 7 feet, with a fire-place in both. These are for the Men and Women; and each has attached to it two small sleeping-cells, 7 feet by 5 feet 6, and 8 feet high; ventilated and lighted by iron grating over each door, 18 inches by 15, and by a square aperture in the door, of 6 inches. Wooden bedsteads only are provided by the County: straw-in-sacking and chaff-beds are furnished by the Keeper.
The Prisoner here was a shoe-maker, committed for bastardy: he was at work.
No water, but what is fetched from a distance.
Keeper, Thomas Mather. Salary, 25l. No Fees.
Surgeon, Mr. Anthony Goodwin. Makes a Bill.
Prisoner, 1805, Oct. 12th, One.
Allowance, none whatever; so that the Keeper said many might starve, if he did not relieve them at his own expence!
The prison was closed in about 1828.
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. Holdings include: Calendars of Prisoners (1749, 1756-8).
- 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.
