Birmingham Borough Gaol and House of Correction

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Birmingham Borough Gaol, Birmingham Prison, HMP Birmingham

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

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1849

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   Winson Green   Birmingham

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Warwickshire

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Birmingham Borough Gaol, Birmingham Prison, HMP Birmingham

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1849

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   Winson Green   Birmingham

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   52.493206  Long.   -1.937236

County   Warwickshire

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   1463

Daily Daily average   -   255

 

Year 1858

Annual Committed   -   1779

Daily Daily average   -   367

 

Year 1863

Annual Committed   -   2399

Daily Greatest number   -   454

 

Year 1868

Annual Committed   -   3119

Daily Daily average   -   380

 

Year 1873

Annual Committed   -   4061

Daily Daily average   -   480

 

Year 1878

Annual Committed   -   5551

Daily Daily average   -   494

 

Year 1883

Annual Committed   -   6594

Daily Daily average   -   532

 

Year 1888

Annual Committed   -   6252

Daily Daily average   -   472

 

Year 1893

Annual Committed   -   8029

Daily   -  

 

Year 1898

Annual Committed   -   8469

Daily   -  

Principal Primary Sources

  • Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Seventeenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1852, XXIV.1), p.36; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Nineteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1854, XXXIV.1), p.121; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twenty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1856, XXXIII.485), p.89; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1859, Session 1, XI.1), p.132; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.1), p.114; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.229), p.128; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1861, XXIX.45), p.123; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.93), p.114; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1863, XXIII.1), p.84; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirtieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1865, XXIII.1), p.238; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1866, XXXVII.1), p.213; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1867-68, XXXIV.203), p.292; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1868-69, XXIX.1), p.201; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1870, XXXVII.1), p.209; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXIX.241), p.268; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1872, XXXI.1), p.149; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1873, XXXII.1), p.312; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1874, XXIX.1), p.354; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1875, XXXVII.1), p.381; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Fortieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1876, XXXV.1), p.382; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Forty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1877, XLIII.1), p.386; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Forty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1878, XLI.1), p.382
  • Commissioners of Prisons, Second Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1878-79, XXXIV.1, 97), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Third Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1880, XXXV.1,73), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Fourth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1881, LI.441, 521), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Fifth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1882, XXXIII.443, 541), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Sixth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1883, XXXI.445, 579), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Seventh Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1884, XLII.461, 551), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Eighth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1884-85, XXXVII.527, 651), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Ninth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1886, XXXV.1, 93), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Tenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1887, XLI.203, 335), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Eleventh Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1888, LVIII.1, 209), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Twelfth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1889, XLI.1, 181), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Thirteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1890, XXXVII.1, 183), p.6; Commissioners of Prisons, Fourteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1890-91, XLIII.1, 125), p.5; Commissioners of Prisons, Fifteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1892, XLII.1, 147), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Sixteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1893-94, XLVII.1, 121), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Seventeenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1894, XLIV.1, 183), p.4; Commissioners of Prisons, Eighteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1895, LVI.727, 865), p.4
  • Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1895-96 (Parl. Papers, 1896, XLIV.235), p.17; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1896-97 (Parl. Papers, 1897, XL.105), p.151; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1897-98 (Parl. Papers, 1898, XLVII.23), p.167; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1898-99 (Parl. Papers, 1899, XLIII.65), p.151; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1899-1900 (Parl. Papers, 1900, XLI.1), p.179

Additional Primary Sources

  • Royal Commission on Condition and Treatment of Prisoners in Birmingham Borough Prison (Parl. Papers, 1854, XXXI.1)

Management

Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: QS/B/24/2

Collection: Birmingham Quarter Sessions

Description: Gaol general orders; Reports of Chaplain, Surgeon, Schoolmaster, Matron, Clerk

Dates: 1849-1853


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: BCC/1/AC/1/1-21

Collection: Birmingham City Council

Description: Watch Committee minutes. The Watch Committee acted as the administrative authority for the prison at Winson Green until 1878.

Dates: 1842-1900


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: BCC/1/AD/1/1/1-2

Collection: Birmingham City Council

Description: Minute books, including a good description of the new Gaol

Dates: 1844-1851


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: QS/B/23/1-6

Collection: Birmingham Quarter Sessions

Description: Gaol Session minutes.

Dates: 1849-1964


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: QS/B/24

Collection: Birmingham Quarter Sessions

Description: Records relating to Winson Green, volumes relating to Gaol Sessions

Dates: 1849 -1873


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: QS/B/24/1

Collection: Birmingham Quarter Sessions

Description: Gaol general orders

Dates: 1849-1853


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: QS/B/24/3

Collection: Birmingham Quarter Sessions

Description: Minute book

Dates: 1868-1873


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: PS/B/4/5/1/1-2

Collection: Birmingham Petty Sessions and Magistrate Court

Description: Prison Visiting Committee minutes

Dates: 1878-1902


Finance

Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: BCC/1/AQ/1/1, 1/3

Collection: Birmingham City Council

Description: Gaol Committee, minute books and draft minute books. It dealt solely with financial aspects, and in 1857, its function was transferred to the Finance Committee.

Dates: 1856-1857


Prisoners

Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: MS 1815/11

Collection: None

Description: HM Prison, Winson Green, register of executions

Dates: 1894-1962


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM2/296-299

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Birmingham Gaol, Warwickshire: Habitual Criminals Register

Dates: 1872-1875


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM2/430-434

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Birmingham Gaol, Warwickshire: Habitual Criminals Register

Dates: 1871-1875


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM2/436

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Birmingham Gaol, Warwickshire: register of convicts

Dates: 1849-1850


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM2/437

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Birmingham Gaol, Warwickshire: register of convicts

Dates: 1893


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: BCC/1/AM/4/1/1-3

Collection: Birmingham City Council

Description: Gaol Works Sub-Committee minute books. Includes details of the interior of the Prison.

Dates: 1871-1878


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: BCC/1/AO/D/2/7/3/1

Collection: Birmingham City Council

Description: New survey of the Borough of Birmingham by J. Pigott-Smith, Borough Surveyor

Dates: 1855


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: MS 1421

Collection: Daniel Rowlinson Hill and Daniel Shenton Hill, Architects, of Birmingham

Description: Includes some papers relating to D. R. H. designs for Prisons in Birmingham, Lewes and Surrey

Dates: 19th century


Archive name: Birmingham Archives & Collections

Catalogue ref: MS 681

Collection: None

Description: Birmingham Borough Gaol, Winson Green. Specification of the work and particulars of the materials to be used in the erection of the Birmingham Borough Gaol, according to the designs of D. R. Hill, Architect.

Dates: 1840s


Other

Archive name: Warwickshire County Record Office

Catalogue ref: HR101/5

Collection: None

Description: Birmingham broadsheets 'The Investigation respecting the cruelties perpetrated upon the prisoners at the Borough Gaol'

Dates: 1853