Alternative Names Chester New City Gaol and Bridewell, Chester City Gaol
Prison Type Local Prison - Common Gaol & House of Correction/Bridewell
Jurisdiction Municipality
Date opened 1808
Date closed 1872
Location west of the city walls, City Walls Road Chester
Map location exact or closely approximate
County Cheshire
Although the Chester City House of Correction was located next to the City Gaol and shared the same management, it was considered a separate institution in the 1818 Return and in the Royal Commission of 1835 (see ID 222). Official returns from 1824, however, merge the two institutions.
Alternative Names Chester New City Gaol and Bridewell, Chester City Gaol
Prison Type Local Prison
Jurisdiction Municipality
Date opened 1808
Date closed 1872
Location west of the city walls, City Walls Road Chester
Map location exact or closely approximate
Lat. 53.1912379 Long. -2.8976623
County Cheshire
Although the Chester City House of Correction was located next to the City Gaol and shared the same management, it was considered a separate institution in the 1818 Return and in the Royal Commission of 1835 (see ID 222). Official returns from 1824, however, merge the two institutions.
Year 1818
Annual Committed - 41
Daily Greatest number - 28
Year 1824
Annual Committed - 42
Daily Census - 22
Year 1828
Annual Committed - 41
Daily Census - 23
Year 1833
Annual Committed - 57
Daily Census - 17
Year 1838
Annual Confined - 348
Daily Census - 27
Year 1843
Annual Confined - 498
Daily Census - 79
Year 1848
Annual Confined - 734
Daily Daily average - 48
Year 1853
Annual Confined - 696
Daily Daily average - 67
Year 1858
Annual Committed - 499
Daily Daily average - 41
Year 1863
Annual Committed - 613
Daily Greatest number - 93
Year 1868
Annual Committed - 702
Daily Daily average - 49
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: CCLe 3/1/29
Collection: Cheshire County Council
Description: Case and opinion re whether inhabitants of Chester ought to be committed to the City or County Gaol for offences under the Turnpike ActsÂ
Dates: 1825
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: QAM
Collection: Cheshire Quarter Sessions
Description: Miscellaneous Committees minutes. Including Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society, pensions of prison officers, juvenile offenders and various appointments and testimonial Committees.
Dates: 1870-1893
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Assembly book. There are many references to the Gaol in this collection of records. Typical entries concern staffing and costs (eg for a new drop in the Gaol), and records related to the sale and rebuilding.
Dates: 1801-1820
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/f.102, [p.203], ZA/B/5/f.123, [p.245]; ZA/B/5/f.127v, [p.254], ZA/B/5/f.129, [p.257]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: City land committee may enter agreement for building of new gaol (15 July 1803). Other records include the contractors' work on the new Gaol (1806), and an orders on removal of prisoner and demolition of the old gaol
Dates: 1803-1808
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZAC/1
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Assembly Committees minute book. Typical entries contain information on the running of the Gaol and staffing etc.
Dates: 1805-1835
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZCCB/35
Collection: Chester City Council
Description: Special Committees Minute Book, Vol. 2. Committee re goods and property of prisoners, pp. 337-9 (13 June-22 June 1854).
Dates: 1849-1857
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZD/T/1/1847-1863
Collection: Chester City Council
Description: Includes report of the Gaol Committee at a meeting at the City Gaol (23 December 1847), and staffing matters, such as appointments, accounts, materials supply such as oakum, prisoners' clothing
Dates: 1847-1854
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/89
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Bundle of miscellaneous letters and papers, mainly from Whitehall, re the administration of the Gaol
Dates: 1840-1871
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/90
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Bundle of orders for the removal of prisoners from Chester Gaol to other prisons, lunatic asylums, reformatory schools and houses of correction
Dates: 1852-1871
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/92
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Copy of the complaint by John Carroll re the treatment of prisoners confined in the Gaol with the magistrates observations on the same
Dates: 1843
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/93
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Volume containing the Acts of Parliament re prisons
Dates: undated
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAS/1
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Special Sessions minute book. Includes minutes of Magistrates' monthly meetings and special sessions re licencing, Gaol, appointments etc.
Dates: 1864-1880
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQSF/145-6
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Quarter Sessions files (October). Includes schedule for Gaol.
Dates: 1849-1850
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/59
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Report book of Visiting Magistrates
Dates: 1823-1857
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQSF/107-109 and 112
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Includes papers re proposed rebuilding or repair of the Gaol and House of Correction (1801), memorandum re flour and bread used in the House of Correction (15 June 1801), accounts and receipts re building of new Gaol and House of Correction (1803-1804), papers and accounts re new Gaol and House of Correction (1805), lists of prisoners, and other papers re the city Gaol (1811).Â
Dates: 1799-1811
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/75
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Monthly returns by the Keeper of the City Gaol and House of Correction to the Justices at Petty Sessions in Chester of the fines and other sums of money received and how applied
Dates: 1848-1854
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/76
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Account book containing weekly receipts and payments
Dates: 1857-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/77
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Account book of weekly pay received by warders
Dates: 1867-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/78
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Account book of work done by prisoners in the City Gaol and House of Correction
Dates: 1824-1827, 1839
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZTCC/187-188
Collection: City of Chester Town Clerk
Description: Memoranda on the total expenditure on building, repairing, fitting and furnishing the City Gaol (£7,420 13s. 6d.) and the House of Correction (£9,306 2s. 8d) since 1800 (19 September 1831).
Dates: 1831
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/3
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Gaoler's daily report or journal
Dates: 1823-1839
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/34L
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Gaoler's daily report book or journal
Dates: 1839-1869
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/54
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Sunday School attendance register
Dates: 1839-1843
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/84-85
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Weekly register of prisoners' labour
Dates: 1863-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/32
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Register of prisoners' visitors and letters received
Dates: 1844-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/52-53
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Chaplains' daily report book or journal
Dates: 1844-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/88
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Letter book of Henry Steel and James Long. Successively Keepers of the City Gaol
Dates: 1857-1864
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/8
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Gaoler's daily reports
Dates: 1835-1836
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/39-40
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Matrons' daily report book (female prisoners)
Dates: 1853-1869
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/42-46
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Surgeons' report books or journals
Dates: 1824-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/47-50
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Surgeons' case books (with index)
Dates: 1846-1871
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/35
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Misconduct book
Dates: 1849-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/36
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Gaol temperature book
Dates: 1868-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/37-38
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Officers' daily report book
Dates: 1855-1861
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/60
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Bread book for the House of Correction containing the names of the prisoners and bread issued each day
Dates: 1827-1837
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/61-63
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Bread books of numbers of loaves delivered to the Gaol and House of Correction
Dates: 1858-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/64
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Meat book of meat delivered to the Gaol and House of Correction
Dates: 1862-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/65-68
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Tradesmens' day books (goods delivered or work done, daily)
Dates: 1853-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/69-73
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Provision, receipt and consumption book
Dates: 1850-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/74
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Book containing details of replacements of cleaning materials, clothes, blankets etc
Dates: 1836-1842
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/79-81
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Materials account books (stone, rope, oakum, mats etc)
Dates: 1839-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/82
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Labour account book of work sold
Dates: 1840-1857
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/83
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Ledger book of work sold
Dates: 1853-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/86-87
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Labour book of pauper labour, containing details of work done by paupers (named) mainly in cleaning the city streets
Dates: 1851-1854
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/95
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Selection of prayers from the Liturgy of the Church of England to be used by the prisoners confined in the City Gaol
Dates: 1867
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/51
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Extra diet book, i.e. supplied to prisoners by order of surgeon or visiting magistrates
Dates: 1866-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: EDP 79/2
Collection: Diocese of Chester
Description: Chester Miscellanea. Papers relating to chaplaincy of City Gaol.
Dates: 1846-1881
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/f.193, [p.385]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Assembly books. Corporation Chaplain to record his performance of divine service at City Gaol, and report on prisoners' behaviour at services (10 April 1817).
Dates: 1817
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/f.193-193v, [pp.385-386]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Assembly books. Reverend Mr Fish, Corporation Chaplain, to receive an addition of £30 per annum to his salary for taking divine service at Little St John Chapel and City Gaol (24 October 1815)
Dates: 1815
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZM/F/251
Collection: Mayor of Chester
Description: Letters from the Chaplain concerning conditions in the Gaol and House of Correction
Dates: 1833-1834
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/f.127v, [p.254]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Assembly book. Samuel Hughes confirmed Under-Keeper of the Northgate Gaol at a salary of £80 per annum, by order (18 September 1807).
Dates: 1807
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/1-11
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Registers of prisoners committed to the City Gaol (with indexes for some years)
Dates: 1808-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/55
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Prisoners' denomination register
Dates: 1870
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/8
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Register of debtors committed to the City Gaol
Dates: 1827-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQSMP/1
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Register of prisoners
Dates: 1853-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/2
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: List of executions
Dates: 1776-1823
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/56-58
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Prisoners' character books (compiled by chaplains, with index)
Dates: 1844-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/41
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Matrons' reports on one prisoner, Mary Ann Glynn
Dates: 1869-1870
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/12-14
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Number book of prisoners, taken weekly
Dates: 1830-1845
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/15-27
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Number book of prisoners, taken daily
Dates: 1853-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/28-31
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Prisoners' property book (with index)
Dates: 1842-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQAG/33
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Prisoners' address book (with index)
Dates: 1854-1872
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZQSF/153
Collection: Chester City Quarter Sessions
Description: Quarter Sessions files for July and October include letters from prisoners relating to their terms of imprisonment, written on Gaol note paper, and containing the rules of the Gaol etc (January, April, July, October 1857).Â
Dates: 1857
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: 224373
Collection: Local Studies Collection
Description: Plan of the County Hall, Gaol and Barracks at Chester
Dates: 1809
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/f.176, [p.351]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Assembly book includes reference to yards at City Gaol to be flagged, and City land committee to consider plan for making Gol more secure ( April 1815)Â
Dates: 1815
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/ff.186-186v, [pp.371-372]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: Old House of Correction to be sold by auction (12 September 1818).
Dates: 1818
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZA/B/5/ff.99v-100, [pp.198-199]
Collection: City of Chester Assembly
Description: New City Gaol to be built on land between the Infirmary and Stanley Place (18 April 1803)Â
Dates: 1803
Archive name: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Catalogue ref: ZCR 119/1079/10/p46
Collection: Frank Simpson Manuscripts
Description: Sketch - the Northgate (north)
Dates: 1800