Steelhouse Lane Lock-up is currently home to the West Midlands Police Museum. They’d like to make it their permanent home. To do this they need your help and support.
Steelhouse Lane Lock-up, Exterior (courtesy of West Midlands Police Museum)
Steelhouse Lane Lock-Up, Birmingham is hosting a number of events in January 2020.
The Grade II listed, city centre prison operated from 1891 to 2016 to hold prisoners awaiting trial in the neighbouring Victoria Law Courts, but is now open to the public on selected days. For more information on the lock-up and plans to convert it to a permanent home for West Midlands Police Museum, please see the article written by the museum’s archivist, Corine Brazier, on the history of the Steelhouse Lane Lock-up.
The first of Steelhouse Lane Lock-Up’s monthly open days takes place on 3rd January, during which you can visit the cells, find out about the Victorian prisoners held there and see the displays of old uniforms and police memorabilia. For the children, there are quizzes, games and the chance to be fingerprinted or try on uniforms! Tickets £5 or less
The lock-up is also running an evening tour on Saturday 11th January 2020 which features a talk by local historian, Kay Hunter. Kay has researched capital punishment extensively, including the case of the last man publicly hanged in Birmingham in 1806. The visit includes a chance to look around the prison and its displays, and see pictures of the Victorian prisoners held there. Tickets £13.
Finally, in January the West Midlands Police Museum are organising a Lock-up Lockin. Participants are raising sponsorship money to spend the night in the allegedly haunted lock-up. Fancy a night behind bars in an historic cell? Want to put someone else behind bars and give money to a good cause in the process? Why not get involved and lend your support!
To buy tickets and find out about other events planned at Steelhouse Lane Lock-Up, visit West Midlands Police Museum’s website.
