Liverpool Main Bridewell

Overview

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Overview

Nation   England

County   Lancashire

Location   Cheapside, Liverpool  Liverpool

Map location   exact or closely approximate

Year opened   1864

Year closed   1999

Century of Operation   1800-1899, 1900-1999

Building Type   Prison, Police Station, Courthouse

Remarks   The main Bridewell was the central lock-up for the city of Liverpool. It opened in 1864 as part of a complex which included the police courts, the police headquarters, and the central fire station. It was designed by Liverpool corporations architect Mr Weightman. The complex was the first of a kind in the UK and believed was often taken on board by other forces across the country. Now a hotel and student accommodation. Note - that in Liverpool all police stations with cells were called 'bridewells'. The Main Bridewell 'was classified as a prison with its own Governor who was a Police Chief Inspector' (City of Liverpool Police).

Descriptions

'The Main Bridewell was in Cheapside in Liverpool and the building is still standing although it is in the process of being re-developed. It was first opened in 1867 having been built in the Victorian tradition of striking fear into anyone who had the misfortune to have to spend some time there under lock and key. It had approximately 60 cells with each having a heavy wood door and each cell measuring 7ft x 7ft in total accommodation size. The toilet was positioned at the end of the wooden bench where a prisoner would have to sleep and the floors were made of stone. The reception area of “the main” ( as it was referred to by Police Officers) had a huge heavy door that was attended to by a Constable/ jailer. Once inside the premises, a prisoner would be presented to the Bridewell Sergeant or Inspector and the circumstances of the arrest would be explained by the arresting officer. Prisoners then had to remove articles of value and items such as belts, laces, braces etc for safe keeping and to prevent the prisoners causing harm to themselves. They would then be searched and detained in a cell. Prisoners that were detained at other Bridewells throughout the greater Liverpool area who would be appearing at the Liverpool Magistrates Court the following morning would be transferred during the early hours of each day to the Main Bridewell for detention before court, as the Magistrates buildings was adjacent to the Court complex and had underground access. This prison was completely secure. Once you were in that was it. A plaque on the wall in the reception area said: "Please do not ask for bail because a refusal often offends"'

'Main Bridewell - Liverpool City Police' (http://liverpoolcitypolice.co.uk/main-bridewell/4552047916)

'Large bridewell, 1857-9, by John Weightman. Mellow brick, Flemish bond to front elevation, English bond to rear and side elevations, sandstone dressings, stone plinth, slate roof hidden from view by deep cornice and plain frieze. 4-storey front block, 3-storey rear wings plus basement, austere classical style. ... Historic records reveal that the bridewell was opened in 1860 and it is believed to have originally had approximately 80-90 cells (an 1862 report records 32 cells on the second floor alone), which was later reduced to approx.60. It originally held both men and women on mixed floors. Cells to the front of the building on each floor were knocked through in the mid-late C20 and became offices when the Main Bridewell was used as a police station and lock-up.'

Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Main Bridewell, Liverpool', LEN 1068316

Featured Images

  • ExteriorPhoto © John Allan (cc-by-sa/2.0)

SOURCES

    Information from a Merseyside police officer
  • 'Main Bridewell - Liverpool City Police'

  • http://liverpoolcitypolice.co.uk/main-bridewell/4552047916
  • Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Main Bridewell, Liverpool', LEN 1068316

  • https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1068316

Comments

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11 Comments

  1. Andy gaunt

    Nice read i visited the main bridewell about 6 times in the 90s it felt more like you were being put into dungens rather than cells

    • Rosalind Crone

      Hi Andy, thanks for the comment. Always good to hear what it is like inside these buildings! So many are off limits for members of the public.

  2. Mike

    I was a guest here in the 70s , only 1 night I might add. I was asked to stay as I had “had a bevvy” I was 16!

    I remember the stench and the cold and in the morning I received some “ tea “ in a transparent jug and a breakfast of cold white beans, on cold rubber bread no sauce ( no Heinz for us drunks) on a lovely metal plate
    I was released several hours later no charge.
    Ahhhhh the good ol days🙄

  3. Annie Ward

    My great grandfather, Detective Inspector William John Pierpoint was Governor of the Bridewell from 1919 – 1929, when he retired. He survived the sinking of the Lusitania in May 1915 after being sucked down one of it’s funnels and then blown out again and eventually managed to swim to and board a lifeboat.
    I believe that he and his family lived in a house in Dale Street, not far from the Bridewell.
    My grandfather was engaged to one of Pierpoint’s daughters, Margie; they got married in February 1922.One year, according to my grandfather, the Pierpoint’s hosted a New Year’s eve party at their home. There wasn’t enough beds for everyone in the house so my grandfather and a couple of other young male guests spent a night in the cells!

    • Rosalind Crone

      Wonderful story! Thanks so much for sharing a slice of your family history. These details bring these buildings alive.

  4. Matt

    I live next to this building, I appreciate the developers not knocking it down!

    Thank you for this excellent article.

    • Rosalind Crone

      You’re welcome 🙂 And I agree – really important to preserve historic buildings and to find new uses for them.

  5. David wood

    I spent one night in a cell there in the 1960s alongside 4 other people sharing one bench and one toilet that was sat upon and used shall we say by one of my fellow guests who unfortunately for the rest of us needed to shed some weight! We were served some concoction of mashed potato, corned beef (which was mouldy green and gravy for lunch that nobody could eat) fortunately for me my misdemeanor was slight so I was released on £10 bail but I have often wondered what happened to my fellow ‘friends’ of one day !

  6. Damien Morgan

    I recall landing in Liverpool port from Dublin circa 1977/1978 with my friend.
    Just out of university I was travelling to an interview at Findus Foods.However we were intercepted by special branch officers & taken to the Bridewell where we were detained under the special powers act & kept in a small cell for 30 hrs before being released.For that period we effectively disappeared & had no rights whatsoever.Scary times, an unhappy memory & needless to say I missed my interview.

  7. Carole Parkes

    The article says the Bridewell opened in 1867, but a Thomas BOOTHBY was Keeper of the Bridewell in the 1841 census. Was it just a police station then, or perhaps in a different location or building. Perhaps someone knows and can clarify this.

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