Bedford County Gaol and House of Correction

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Bedford Gaol, Bedford County Gaol, Bedford Prison, HMP Bedford

Prison Type   Local Prison -  Common Gaol & House of Correction/Bridewell

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   1801

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   St Loyes Street   Bedford

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Bedfordshire

Critical Remarks

From 1801 until c1819 the County Gaol and House of Correction were included in the same institution. Although the 1818 Return listed them as separate institutions, the statistics have been merged. Between 1818 and 1820, a separate building was erected north of the Gaol to accommodate the House of Correction. Although the two institutions shared the same senior management, they were listed separately in the official documents. In 1847-49, the County Gaol and House of Correction were rebuilt as one institution on the same site.

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Prison Info

Alternative Names   Bedford Gaol, Bedford County Gaol, Bedford Prison, HMP Bedford

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   1801

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   St Loyes Street   Bedford

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   52.1395  Long.   -0.4701

County   Bedfordshire

Navigation

Critical Remarks

From 1801 until c1819 the County Gaol and House of Correction were included in the same institution. Although the 1818 Return listed them as separate institutions, the statistics have been merged. Between 1818 and 1820, a separate building was erected north of the Gaol to accommodate the House of Correction. Although the two institutions shared the same senior management, they were listed separately in the official documents. In 1847-49, the County Gaol and House of Correction were rebuilt as one institution on the same site.

Prisoner Statistics

Year 1818

Annual Committed   -   334

Daily Greatest number   -   105

Year 1823

Annual Committed   -   149

Daily Census   -   26

Year 1828

Annual Committed   -   210

Daily Census   -   40

Year 1833

Annual Committed   -   202

Daily Census   -   51

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   201

Daily Census   -   22

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   348

Daily Census   -   37

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   350

Daily Daily average   -   30

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   830

Daily Daily average   -   160

Year 1858

Annual Committed   -   575

Daily Daily average   -   122

Year 1863

Annual Committed   -   611

Daily Greatest number   -   204

Year 1868

Annual Committed   -   759

Daily Daily average   -   149

Year 1873

Annual Committed   -   373

Daily Daily average   -   44

Year 1878

Annual Committed   -   738

Daily Daily average   -   147

Year 1883

Annual Committed   -   503

Daily Daily average   -   87

Year 1888

Annual Committed   -   485

Daily Daily average   -   104

Year 1893

Annual Committed   -   407

Daily   -  

Year 1898

Annual Committed   -   328

Daily   -  

Principal Primary Sources

  • James Neild, The State of the Prisons of England, Scotland and Wales (London, 1812), p.35
  • Account of Gaols, Houses of Correction or Penitentiaries in the United Kingdom, 1818 (Parl. Papers, 1819, XVII.371), p.2
  • [Second] Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1820), p.23; The Third Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1821), Appendix, p.1; Fourth Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1822), Appendix, p.1; Fifth Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1823), Appendix, p.1; Sixth Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1824), Appendix, p.1; Seventh Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1827), Appendix, p.1; Eighth Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1832), Appendix, p.1
  • Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1824, XIX.359), p.12; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1825, XXIII.1), p.10; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1826, XXIV.1), p.10; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1826-27, XIX.365), p.10; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1828, XX.327), p.11; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1829, XIX.1), p.11; Reports and Schedules Pursuant To Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830, XXIV.1), p.10; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830-31, XII.1), p.9; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1831-32. XXXIII.197), p.10; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1833, XXVIII.1), p.11; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1834, XLVI.1), p.9; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1835, XLIV.225), p.8; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1836, XLII.1), p.6; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837, XLV.1), p.7; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837-8, XLIII.227), p.7; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXXVIII.17), p.5; Reports Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.1), p.7; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1841, XVIII.1), p.6; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1842, XXXII.1), p.7; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1843, XLIII.1), p.8; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXXIX.403), p.8; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXXVII.417), p.9; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXXIV.187), p.8; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847, XLVII.297), p.7; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847-48, LII.465), p.6
  • Abstract Return of Establishment and Expenditure of Gaols and Houses of Correction in England and Wales (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.241), p.2
  • Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Second Report (Parl. Papers, 1837, XXXII.1), p.213; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Third Report (Parl. Papers, 1837-38, XXX.1), p.163; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXI.1), p.59; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXV.1), p.1; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1841 Session 2, IV.1), p.1; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1842, XX.1), p.1; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Tenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXIII.1), p.1; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland and Eastern District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.1), p.1; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Fifteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1851, XXVII.1), p.58; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1859, Session 1, XI.1), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.1), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.229), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1861, XXIX.45), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.93), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1863, XXIII.1), p.11; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirtieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1865, XXIII.1), p.10; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1866, XXXVII.1), p.10; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1867-68, XXXIV.203), p.10; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1868-69, XXIX.1), p.4; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1870, XXXVII.1), p.4; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXIX.241), p.4; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1872, XXXI.1), p.3; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1873, XXXII.1), p.6; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1874, XXIX.1), p.6; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1875, XXXVII.1), p.6; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Fortieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1876, XXXV.1), p.6; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Forty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1877, XLIII.1), p.7; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Forty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1878, XLI.1), p.7
  • Commissioners of Prisons, Second Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1878-79, XXXIV.1, 97), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Third Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1880, XXXV.1,73), p.2; Commissioners of Prisons, Fourth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1881, LI.441, 521), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Fifth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1882, XXXIII.443, 541), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Sixth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1883, XXXI.445, 579), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Seventh Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1884, XLII.461, 551), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Eighth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1884-85, XXXVII.527, 651), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Ninth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1886, XXXV.1, 93), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Tenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1887, XLI.203, 335), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Eleventh Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1888, LVIII.1, 209), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Twelfth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1889, XLI.1, 181), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Thirteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1890, XXXVII.1, 183), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Fourteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1890-91, XLIII.1, 125), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Fifteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1892, XLII.1, 147), p.3; Commissioners of Prisons, Sixteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1893-94, XLVII.1, 121), p.3; Commissioners of Prisons, Seventeenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1894, XLIV.1, 183), p.3; Commissioners of Prisons, Eighteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1895, LVI.727, 865), p.3
  • Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1895-96 (Parl. Papers, 1896, XLIV.235), p.13; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1896-97 (Parl. Papers, 1897, XL.105), p.147; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1897-98 (Parl. Papers, 1898, XLVII.23), p.161; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1898-99 (Parl. Papers, 1899, XLIII.65), p.144; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1899-1900 (Parl. Papers, 1900, XLI.1), p.172

Secondary Sources

  • http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/GuidesToCollections/BedfordsGaolBuildings.aspx; Eric Stockdale, A Study of Bedford Prison, 1660-1877 (Chichester, 1977)

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Management

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR3/20

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Annual reports of Chaplain to Bedford Prison

Dates: 1850

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR2/1

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Annual reports of the Governor of the Gaol

Dates: 1850-1853

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR3/1-19

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Annual reports to the Quarter Sessions, including the reports of the Keeper of the Gaol & House of Correction; the Surgeon of the prisons and the Chaplain of the prisons

Dates: 1839-1857

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: BorBE10/3

Collection: Borough of Bedford archives

Description: Contract, including details of contribution of Borough of Bedford to the costs of the rebuilding of the Gaol and House of Correction by the County

Dates: 1846-1850

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: CP/R/6-8

Collection: Clerk of the Peace

Description: Returns, including prisoners tried at Quarter Sessions (1851, 1852, 1855), alterations of Gaol, House of Correction, Lock-ups (1853, 1854) 

Dates: 1851-1855

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PM2646-2683

Collection: Pym archive

Description: Papers sent to Chairman of Quarter Sessions, including prison regulations

Dates: 1840-1842

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR1/1-56

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Reports and papers on the gaol, on staffing matters (appointments, dismissals, salaries), the treatment of prisoners, rules and regulations, prison labour, contracts with other prisons to receive prisoners, financial matters, health and medical matters, and the gaol's enlargement and improvement

Dates: 1823-1881

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV17/1

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Warrant to remove all felons, debtors and other prisoners to the new Gaol in St Loyes, Bedford

Dates: 1801

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV17/2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Order that all prisoners in the Gaol or Bridewell be employed in such business as they have been accustomed to.

Dates: 1807

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV2/1-6

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Correspondence concerning Prison matters, including plans etc for the new Prison

Dates: 1848-1851

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QSP31

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Circular letters from the Home Office

Dates: 1891-1923

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QSR

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions rolls. Includes material relating prison administration

Dates: undated

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QSR1801/113

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Report of the Committee of Magistrates appointed to consider the regulations for the management of the (new) Gaol and Bridewell 

Dates: 1801

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM7/589

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Juvenile Adult Prisoners. Bedford Prison: special treatment, 1899-1900

Dates: 1899-1900

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR2/2-8

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Reports and papers concerning the prison (including prisoners in custody, criminal statistics, Visiting Justices, Governor, Surgeon, and Chaplain, accounts of petty cash and salaries, discharged prisoners)

Dates: 1861-1878

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR4

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Minute book of the Visiting Justices

Dates: 1825-1833

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR5

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Minute book of the Visiting Justices

Dates: 1833-1844

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGR6

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Minute book of the Visiting Justices

Dates: 1844-1848

Finance

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: P85/2/4/10

Collection: None

Description: Bundle of receipted invoices to the Luton church Restoration Committee. Includes receipt to Governor of Gaol for matting supplied.

Dates: 1865

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: BorBF17/1

Collection: Borough of Bedford archives

Description: Papers on payment of Borough's share of the cost of enlarging the County Gaol and rebuilding the House of Correction, with Counsel's opinion

Dates: 1849

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: BorBF17/2

Collection: Borough of Bedford archives

Description: Statement of terms on which corporation of Bedford and Justices of the County of Bedford shared cost of Gaol building etc

Dates: c.1850

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: BorBF17/9

Collection: Borough of Bedford archives

Description: Consols certificates, endorsed 'prison', presumably used as security for Prison

Dates: 1851-1855

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV5/1-10

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Quarterly abstracts of the accounts of the Gaol and House of Correction, including provisions, repairs, salaries, relief to discharged prisoners, and schedules of bills and other payments

Dates: 1843-1866

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV6/1-2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Prison accounts

Dates: 1851-1856

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV8/1-6

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Account of expenses payable by the Treasury to Bedfordshire JPs in respect of the maintenance in Bedford Gaol of prisoners sentenced to transportation

Dates: 1850-1856

Daily Business

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS1/2/1-3

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Governor's journals

Dates: 1852-1877

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM2/293-295

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Bedford Gaol, Bedfordshire: Governor's Journal

Dates: 1852-1859

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS4/2/1

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Prison visitors, rota books

Dates: 1881-1935

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS4/3/1

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Prison visitors, inute books

Dates: 1878-1926

Staff

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS3/2/1

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Register of Officers

Dates: 1890-1927

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS3/2/2

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Register of officers, arranged by rank

Dates: 1895-1910

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: Z603/1

Collection: None

Description: Photograph album showing incumbents and curates of various Bedfordshire parishes, including George Maclear, Prison Chaplain

Dates: c.1865

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QSR1834/4/2/6

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Letter to the Quarter Sessions from Robert Salmon proposing himself as a candidate for the vacancy of Governor of the New House of Correction

Dates: 1834

Archive name: Huntingdon Library and Archives

Catalogue ref: HCP/1/6 Miscellanea

Collection: Huntingdonshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Reply from Bedford that the Keeper of the combined County Gaol and House of Correction received £190, and house plus £25 to replace fees and garnish money

Dates: 1817

Archive name: Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies

Catalogue ref: Q/AG/2/9a-b

Collection: Buckinghamshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Committee papers and memoranda, including reply to the County Gaoler, Bedfordshire, to a questionnaire 

Dates: 1817

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV7

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Particulars of pensions in pursuance of Pensions Act (1877)

Dates: 1879-1881

Prisoners

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS2/2/1-7

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Nominal registers

Dates: 1879-1901

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV10/1-4

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Registers of prisoners in County Gaol or House of Correction

Dates: 1799-1876

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV12/1-2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Register of Prisoners, probably on remand

Dates: 1847-1879

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV13/1

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Register of prisoners received from outside the county and not convicted at Bedfordshire Courts

Dates: 1850-1865

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV13/2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Register of Middlesex prisoners and government convicts in Bedford Gaol 

Dates: 1863-1869

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV15/1-2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: List of debtors in Gaol

Dates: 1770-1878

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: BorBF4/83/4-7

Collection: Borough of Bedford archives

Description: Quarter Sessions rolls with fragments of returns of prisoners sent for trial (one dated 1832) 

Dates: 1832

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PRIS6/1

Collection: Bedford Prison

Description: Execution book

Dates: 1895-1962

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PUAC3/74

Collection: None

Description: Letter from Fred Lightfoot at Bedford Prison regarding his son Henry

Dates: 1887

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV16/2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Commitment and Description book

Dates: 1847-1850

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGV9

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Details of prisoners tried at Assizes

Dates: 1834-1866

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: BorBF3/4

Collection: Borough of Bedford archives

Description: Borough Quarter Sessions minutes, including listing of prisoners in the Gaol, and town prisoners to be kept in the County Gaol

Dates: 1824-1831

Land & Buildings

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: PP1-10

Collection: Prison Plans

Description: Plans of a proposed County Gaol (1786), and later rebuildings and improvements (19th century)

Dates: 1786, 19th century

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGE1

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Minute book of Quarter Sessions relating to the erection of the new Gaol

Dates: 1797-1801

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGE2

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Minute book of Prison Building Committee regarding alterations to the Gaol

Dates: 1848-1849

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGE3/22

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Memorandum and agreement between the Magistrates of the County of Bedford and Jn Wing, Bedford, Builder, including particulars of new building

Dates: 1801

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: QGE3/23

Collection: Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions

Description: Rebuilding of Gaol. Abstract of title to land. 

Dates: 1841

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: SL6/16/20-21

Collection: Shuttleworth Collection, miscellaneous architectural drawings

Description: Entrance gates and gates to prisoners' cells

Dates: 1894

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: SL6/21/28

Collection: Shuttleworth Collection, miscellaneous architectural drawings

Description: Additional storey to centre block of solitary cells

Dates: Undated

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: X1/60

Collection: None

Description: E.W. Brayley's 'Beauties of England & Wales', with inset plans of County Gaol and house of industry

Dates: 1807

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: Z495/2-24

Collection: None

Description: Correspondence relating to plans for new County Gaol

Dates: 1817-1820

Images

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: X373/489-492

Collection: Photographs and other illustrations

Description: Door from the Gaol, Silver Street

Dates: c.1880

Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Catalogue ref: Z49/419

Collection: Illustrations

Description: Colour picture of Bedford County Gaol (1973 copy of original, c.1820)

Dates: 1973

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