Devon County Bridewell

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Exeter County House of Correction, Devon House of Correction

Prison Type   Local Prison -  House of Correction/Bridewell

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   1807

Date closed   1853

Location   on a field adjoining the County Gaol   Exeter

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Devon

Critical Remarks

When the County Gaol (ID 12) was rebuilt in 1853, the County House of Correction was officially merged with it. Until this time, the two institutions were located next to each other and shared the same senior management, but officially regarded as two separate institutions.

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Exeter County House of Correction, Devon House of Correction

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   1807

Date closed   1853

Location   on a field adjoining the County Gaol   Exeter

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   50.728353  Long.   -3.5321493

County   Devon

Critical Remarks

When the County Gaol (ID 12) was rebuilt in 1853, the County House of Correction was officially merged with it. Until this time, the two institutions were located next to each other and shared the same senior management, but officially regarded as two separate institutions.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1818

Annual Committed   -   1922

Daily Greatest number   -   233

 

Year 1824

Annual Committed   -   945

Daily Census   -   189

 

Year 1828

Annual Committed   -   986

Daily Census   -   169

 

Year 1833

Annual Committed   -   771

Daily Census   -   109

 

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   923

Daily Census   -   118

 

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   982

Daily Census   -   144

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   1374

Daily Daily average   -   167

Principal Primary Sources

  • James Neild, The State of the Prisons of England, Scotland and Wales (London, 1812), p.214
  • Account of Gaols, Houses of Correction or Penitentiaries in the United Kingdom, 1818 (Parl. Papers, 1819, XVII.371), p.10
  • [Second] Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1820), p.36; 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.14; 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.10; 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.15; 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.26; 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.25; 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.8
  • Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1825, XXIII.1), p.74; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1826, XXIV.1), p.72; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1826-27, XIX.365), p.63; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1828, XX.327), p.72; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1829, XIX.1), p.60; Reports and Schedules Pursuant To Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830, XXIV.1), p.55; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830-31, XII.1), p.55; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1831-32. XXXIII.197), p.57; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1833, XXVIII.1), p.61; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1834, XLVI.1), p.57; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1835, XLIV.225), p.61; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1836, XLII.1), p.36; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837, XLV.1), p.40; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837-8, XLIII.227), p.39; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXXVIII.17), p.36; Reports Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.1), p.37; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1841, XVIII.1), p.39; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1842, XXXII.1), p.40; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1843, XLIII.1), p.44; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXXIX.403), p.41; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXXVII.417), p.41; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXXIV.187), p.43; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847, XLVII.297), p.48; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847-48, LII.465), p.52
  • Abstract Return of Establishment and Expenditure of Gaols and Houses of Correction in England and Wales (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.241), p.10
  • Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Second Report (Parl. Papers, 1837, XXXII.659), p.25; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXII.217), p.29; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1841 Session 2, V.177), p.149; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXIX.391), p.88; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Tenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXIV.207), p.115; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Eleventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXI.565), p.74; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twelfth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXV.1), p.74; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.133), p.48; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1849, XXVI.93), p.33

Secondary Sources

  • http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/councildemocracy/record_office/information_dalss/guide_sources/crime/prisons_in_devon.htm

Management

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/101/2

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Bridewell Mill Committee minutes

Dates: 1821-1822


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/107/3

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Contract to provide prisoners in county gaol and bridewell with bread, and to buy corn ground by bridewell treadmill

Dates: 1824


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/110/3-7

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Annual reports, gaol and bridewell

Dates: 1834-1849


Finance

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/134/8/1-6

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Voucher bundle for expenses of County Gaol and Bridewell

Dates: 1820-1825


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/138/1-3

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Gaol and Bridewell Loans ledger (with account for rebuilding of County Gaol)

Dates: 1848-1856


Prisoners

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/108/1-3

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Account of prisoners in County Bridewell

Dates: 1815-1819


Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 44M69/G3/1020

Collection: None

Description: Printed account of the prisoners confined in the new County Bridewell (29 September 1815-1816). Sent to George Purefoy Jervoise Esquire, at Herriard House.

Dates: 1815-1816


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: L1508M/T/Abstracts/5

Collection: Courtenay of Powderham

Description: Exeter St Thomas, abstract of title. Reference to part House of Correction, the late Governors' dwelling house.

Dates: 1832


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: DEX/4/a/TM/Exeter (St David)

Collection: None

Description: Exeter, St David tithe map. Depicts the county Gaol, Bridewell, City Prison, barracks.

Dates: 1842


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/105/1-10

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Contracts for building work and alterations at the gaol, bridewell and castle

Dates: 1821-1831


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/106/1-2

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Contracts for building work and alterations at the bridewell

Dates: 1822-1823