Chatham Prison

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   St Mary's Prison (includes Chattenden Prison, 1876-86)

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1856

Date closed   1892

Location   St Mary's Island   Chatham

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Kent

Critical Remarks

Opened September 1856 on the break up of the Warrior (ID 2017) and Defence (ID 2022) prison hulks at Woolwich as a public works prison for male convicts. Notorious for riots which broke out at the prison in early 1861. Between 1876 and 1886 served as the administrative authority for the small ‘branch’ prison at Chattenden Barracks. In 1880, Chatham was selected for the receipt of “star class” convicts: men with no previous convictions sent here for public works but kept separate from other classes of prisoners. In 1892, closed and transfered to the Admiralty.

Related Prisons

Prison Info

Alternative Names   St Mary's Prison (includes Chattenden Prison, 1876-86)

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1856

Date closed   1892

Location   St Mary's Island   Chatham

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   51.397222  Long.   0.527778

County   Kent

Critical Remarks

Opened September 1856 on the break up of the Warrior (ID 2017) and Defence (ID 2022) prison hulks at Woolwich as a public works prison for male convicts. Notorious for riots which broke out at the prison in early 1861. Between 1876 and 1886 served as the administrative authority for the small ‘branch’ prison at Chattenden Barracks. In 1880, Chatham was selected for the receipt of “star class” convicts: men with no previous convictions sent here for public works but kept separate from other classes of prisoners. In 1892, closed and transfered to the Admiralty.

Related Prisons

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1858

Annual Confined   -   1731

Daily Census   -   1063

 

Year 1863

Annual Confined   -   2068

Daily Census   -   1096

 

Year 1868

Annual Confined   -   1734

Daily Census   -   1375

 

Year 1873

Annual Confined   -   2173

Daily Census   -   1706

 

Year 1878

Annual Confined   -   1787

Daily Census   -   1313

 

Year 1883

Annual Confined   -   1758

Daily Census   -   1263

 

Year 1888

Annual Confined   -   1315

Daily Census   -   973

Principal Primary Sources

  • Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Hulks, 1856 (Parl. Papers, 1857 Session 2, XXIII.65), p.283; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1857 (Parl. Papers, 1857-58, XXIX.483), p.229; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1858 (Parl. Papers, 1859 Session 2, XIII P.1.191), p.279; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1859 (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.429), p.227; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1860 (Parl. Papers, 1861, XXX.237), p.233; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1861 (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.331), p.240; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1862 (Parl. Papers, 1863, XXIV.1), p.221; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1863 (Parl. Papers, 1864, XXVI.209), p.193; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1864 (Parl. Papers, 1865, XXV.1), p.145; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1865 (Parl. Papers, 1866, XXXVIII.1), p.116; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1866 (Parl. Papers, 1867, XXXVI.1), p.148; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1867 (Parl. Papers, 1867-68, XXXIV.519), p.190; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1868 (Parl. Papers, 1868-69, XXX.1), p.196; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1869 (Parl. Papers, 1870, XXXVIII.1), p.188; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1870 (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXXI.1), p.246; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1871 (Parl. Papers, 1872, XXXI.385), p.230; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1872 (Parl. Papers, 1873, XXXIV.1), p.244; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1873 (Parl. Papers, 1874, XXX.55), p.220; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1874 (Parl. Papers, 1875, XXXIX.1), p.37; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1875 (Parl. Papers, 1876, XXXVII.1), p.57; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1876 (Parl. Papers, 1877, XLV.1), p.67; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1877 (Parl. Papers, 1878, XLIII.1), p.67; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1878 (Parl. Papers, 1878-79, XXXV.1), p.66; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1879-80 (Parl. Papers, 1880, XXXVI.1), p.98; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1880-81 (Parl. Papers, 1881, LI.1, 51), p.59; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1881-82 (Parl. Papers, 1882, XXXIV.1), p.73; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1882-83 (Parl. Papers, 1883, XXXIII.1, 43), p.55; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1883-84 (Parl. Papers, 1884, XLIII.1, 41), p.16; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1884-85 (Parl. Papers, 1884-85, XXXIX.1, 49), p.13; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1885-86 (Parl. Papers, 1886, XXXV.457, 505), p.15; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1886-87 (Parl. Papers, 1887, XLI.725, 773), p.11; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1887-88 (Parl. Papers, 1888, LVIII.615, 651), p.11; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1888-89 (Parl. Papers, 1889, XLI.657, 711), p.11; Directors of Convict Prisons. Reports, 1889-90 (Parl. Papers, 1890, XXXVII.515, 565), p.10; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1890-91 (Parl. Papers, 1890-91, XLIII.449, 497), p.15; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1891-92 (Parl. Papers, 1892, XLII.467, 539), p.15; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1892-93 (Parl. Papers, 1893-94, XLVII.427, 473), p.15

Management

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/224

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Warrants constituting and appointing Convict Prisons etc. Chatham Convict Prison

Dates: 1856-1885


Daily Business

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/426-429

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Chatham Prison, Kent, Governor's journal 

Dates: 1857-1859


Staff

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/367

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Chatham Prison, Kent, register of prison staff

Dates: 1847-1869


Archive name: Medway Archives Centre

Catalogue ref: 06a_DE_SERIES_1001_1200/DE1049

Collection: None

Description: Miss Hilda Jacobs of 113 Richmond Road, Gillingham. Records of career of Charles Edwin Jacobs (1858-1949) including as Assistant Warder, HM Convict Prisons Service, serving firstly at HM Convict Prison, Chatham (from 1884), and then at HM prison, Borstal (until 1899). Includes photographs of HM Convict Prison, Chatham (c.1884), head and shoulders studio photograph of subject in Prison Warder's uniform (c.1884).

Dates: c.1884


Prisoners

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/1-6

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Chatham Prison, Kent, register of prisoners

Dates: 1856-1892


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/7-9

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Chatham Prison, Kent, index to registers of prisoners

Dates: 1863, 1881-1892


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 8/130-207

Collection: Home Office

Description: Quarterly returns of prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons, Chatham, Kent

Dates: 1856-1876