Cambridge Borough Gaol and House of Correction

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Cambridge Borough Gaol

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

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1829

Date closed   1878

Location   south-east side of Parker's Piece   Cambridge

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Cambridgeshire

Critical Remarks

From the early 1850s, also took all female prisoners from the County.

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Cambridge Borough Gaol

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1829

Date closed   1878

Location   south-east side of Parker's Piece   Cambridge

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   52.203038  Long.   0.128519

County   Cambridgeshire

Critical Remarks

From the early 1850s, also took all female prisoners from the County.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   282

Daily Census   -   18

 

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   292

Daily Census   -   27

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   349

Daily Daily average   -   33

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   404

Daily Daily average   -   43

 

Year 1858

Annual Committed   -   253

Daily Daily average   -   30

 

Year 1863

Annual Committed   -   278

Daily Greatest number   -   50

 

Year 1868

Annual Committed   -   286

Daily Daily average   -   46

 

Year 1873

Annual Committed   -   205

Daily Daily average   -   28

 

Year 1878

Annual Committed   -   8

Daily Daily average   -   0

Principal Primary Sources

  • 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.3
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Municipal Corporations of England and Wales, First Report, Appendices: Part 4 (Parl. Papers, 1835, XXV.1), p.2194
  • Abstract Return of Establishment and Expenditure of Gaols and Houses of Correction in England and Wales (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.241), p.4
  • Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District. First Report (Parl. Papers, 1836, XXXV.161), p.10; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern, Third Report (Parl. Papers, 1837-38, XXXI.1), p.167; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXV.565), p.84; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1842, XXI.1), p.171; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXIX.227), p.25; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Eleventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXI.483), p.10; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland and Eastern District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.1), p.29; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Fifteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1850, XXVIII.291), p.202; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Sixteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1851, XXVII.461), p.135; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Seventeenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1852-53, LII.1), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Eighteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1856, XXXIII.1), p.8; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Nineteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1856, XXXIII.385), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Twenty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1857, Session 2, XXIII.1), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern and Eastern District, Twenty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1857-58, XXIX.1), p.9; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1859, Session 1, XI.1), p.17; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.229), p.16; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1861, XXIX.45), p.16; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.93), p.16; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1863, XXIII.1), p.17; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirtieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1865, XXIII.1), p.33; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1866, XXXVII.1), p.28; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1867-68, XXXIV.203), p.35; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1868-69, XXIX.1), p.19; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1870, XXXVII.1), p.19; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXIX.241), p.20; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1872, XXXI.1), p.15; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1873, XXXII.1), p.26; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1874, XXIX.1), p.30; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Thirty-ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1875, XXXVII.1), p.34; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Fortieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1876, XXXV.1), p.34; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Forty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1877, XLIII.1), p.35; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Forty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1878, XLI.1), p.35

Secondary Sources

  • http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/directory_record/4182/prisons

Management

Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/10/3-4

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Acts relating to building a new Gaol for the town

Dates: 1794-1839


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/17/10/Page 279

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Contract for maintenance of female prisoners in the Borough Gaol

Dates: 1850


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/17/9/Page 365

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Petition from the Corporation to the Commons to build a new Gaol in the Borough of Cambridge

Dates: 1830-1842


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/1

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: An Act for building a new Gaol for the town of Cambridge

Dates: 1827


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/50

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Copy draft contract for the maintenance of female county prisoners in the Borough Gaol

Dates: 1850


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/54

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Draft report of the Watch Committee relating to the Prison gateway

Dates: 1855


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/7

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Act to amend an act for building a new Borough Gaol

Dates: 1839


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/21/2/10, 20, 30, 38

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Town Clerk's letters relating to the management of the Borough Gaol (subjects: alterations, rules and regulations, transfer of female prisoners, gaol bills)

Dates: 1830, 1850


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/21/3/25

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Town Clerk's letters relating to the management of the Borough Gaol (subject: use of borough gaol)

Dates: 1851


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/21/4/24-25

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Town Clerk's letters relating to the management of the Borough Gaol (subject: reports from borough gaol)

Dates: 1852


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/21/5/88 and 111

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Town Clerk's letters relating to the management of the Borough Gaol (subject: printing, removal of Spinning House prisoners to town gaol)

Dates: 1827, 1853


Finance

Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: 1360/CB/6/1

Collection: Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Description: Account book of John Payne, Borough Gaoler (found within the records of Cambridge Borough Police Force)

Dates: 1822-1839


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/14/9/7

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Account for appraising prisoner's effects forfeited to the Crown

Dates: 1849


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/17/9/Page 397

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Warrants for collection of the Gaol rate

Dates: 1839-1846


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/2

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Abstract of accounts of Borough Treasurer re Gaol

Dates: 1828-1833


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/62

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Specimen vouchers for Gaol expenditure

Dates: 1863-1877


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/TR/1/20/3-57

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Treasurer's accounts. Vouchers for expenses, including those for the Gaol, such as for provisions, clothing, wages etc.

Dates: 1856-1865


Staff

Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/21/4/69

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Correspondence between Governor of the City Gaol, Hereford, to Cambridge City Town Clerk, concerning salaries

Dates: 1852


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/TR/1/3, 20

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Wage and salary payments to the Governor, Matron, Warders, Turnkeys etc recorded in Cambridge City Treasurer's accounts. Vouchers.

Dates: 1836-1872


Prisoners

Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: 1271/O5/2

Collection: Cambridge Prison and Cambridge Town Gaol

Description: Register of 'journal' of prisoners, male and female, giving much personal, as well as criminal information

Dates: 1850-1859


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: 1271/O5/1

Collection: Cambridge Prison and Cambridge Town Gaol

Description: Receiving book, male and female, giving personal and criminal information

Dates: 1850


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/Co/P

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Cambridge Borough Coroner: Reports include some deaths in County and Borough Gaols

Dates: 1836-1870


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/17/12/Page 40

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Reconveyance of Borough Gaol

Dates: 1863-1881


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/17/45

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Fire insurance policy for Town Gaol

Dates: 1868


Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/59

Collection: Cambridge City

Description: Report of the Visiting Justices relating to alteration in Gaol

Dates: 1866


Images

Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives

Catalogue ref: X21/24

Collection: Cambridgeshire photograph collection, Cambridge University

Description: Photograph from engraving of Fenners cricket ground, with Borough Gaol in background

Dates: 1842