Alternative Names Durham County Gaol, Durham Prison, HMP Durham
Prison Type Local Prison - Common Gaol & House of Correction/Bridewell
Jurisdiction County
Date opened 1819
Date closed post 1900 (still open)
Location Old Elvet Durham
Map location exact or closely approximate
County Durham
Alternative Names Durham County Gaol, Durham Prison, HMP Durham
Prison Type Local Prison
Jurisdiction County
Date opened 1819
Date closed post 1900 (still open)
Location Old Elvet Durham
Map location exact or closely approximate
Lat. 54.773333 Long. -1.568056
County Durham
Year 1823
Annual Committed - 703
Daily Census - 128
Year 1828
Annual Committed - 800
Daily Census - 111
Year 1833
Annual Committed - 1027
Daily Census - 203
Year 1838
Annual Confined - 1061
Daily Census - 165
Year 1843
Annual Confined - 1775
Daily Census - 260
Year 1848
Annual Confined - 2479
Daily Daily average - 229
Year 1853
Annual Confined - 2165
Daily Daily average - 270
Year 1858
Annual Committed - 3096
Daily Daily average - 390
Year 1863
Annual Committed - 3177
Daily Greatest number - 424
Year 1868
Annual Committed - 4021
Daily Daily average - 457
Year 1873
Annual Committed - 6763
Daily Daily average - 580
Year 1878
Annual Committed - 6187
Daily Daily average - 580
Year 1883
Annual Committed - 7100
Daily Daily average - 603
Year 1888
Annual Committed - 5462
Daily Daily average - 389
Year 1893
Annual Committed - 6198
Daily -
Year 1898
Annual Committed - 6443
Daily -
Archive name: Berwick-upon-Tweed Record Office
Catalogue ref: BRO17/Box 4/21
Collection: None
Description: Durham Gaol Act
Dates: 1809-1811
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/X 1569/1
Collection: None
Description: Report from the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the present state of discipline in Gaols and Houses of Correction. Together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, and appendix.Â
Dates: 1863
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: EP/Du.SO 112/23/1
Collection: None
Description: Return of the population of the Gaol and House of Correction at Durham
Dates: 1825
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/17/1-2
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Prison rules and orders
Dates: Undated
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/17/3
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Inspections' minute book
Dates: 1892-1935
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/S/OB/16-37
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: Order books: including orders relating to the Gaol and House of Correction, occasional special committees' reports such as the committee for new Gaol (1809-1820), material relating to prisoners' labour, prison rules, and the cost of transporting prisoners; Prison Governors', Chaplains' and Medical Officers' reports (1825 onwards); Visiting Justices' reports (1825 onwards)
Dates: 1798-1904
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/9/1
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Visiting Committee minute book
Dates: 1894-1932
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/A/C/11
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: Miscellaneous committee minutes, include those for Prison and Visiting
Dates: 1880-1889
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: CC/Tr 270
Collection: Durham County Council
Description: County Treasurer's Department loan account ledger relating to County Gaol, militia stores, and police superannuation fund (with index).
Dates: 1873-1887
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/C/A/4
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: Fees book, recording names of prisoners, costs and fees
Dates: 1865-1874
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/F/10
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: Special county rate for Gaol (1809); Orders for purchasing property for site of Gaol, and for levying rates (Jul 1809 - Apr 1816)
Dates: 1809-1816
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/F/11
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: Rate for new gaol. Assessments and receipts received from each parish
Dates: 1818-1820
Archive name: Tyne and Wear Archives
Catalogue ref: CH.KJH/9/2
Collection: None
Description: Rate for building a new Gaol and court house for the county of Durham
Dates: 1819
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/13/2-3
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Register of officers, Durham
Dates: 1897-1956
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/Lo/C 577
Collection: Londonberry Estate
Description: Londonderry estate letters, including one regarding appointment of the Gaol Chaplain
Dates: 1872
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Du 1/31/222
Collection: None
Description: Letter from Thomas Macavoy of Durham complaining about improper language of a Gaoler when escorting a deserter to Gaol
Dates: 1839
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/17/4
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Register of deaths
Dates: 1879-1963
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/17/5
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Register of habitual criminals and of persons sentenced to penal servitude who have been liberated between the 1 January and 31 December 1895
Dates: 1895
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM2/303
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Durham register of prisoners
Dates: 1848-1850
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: CCP 9/1-21
Collection: None
Description: Prisoners tried at Quarter Sessions and Assizes
Dates: 1857-1858, 1861-1881
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/Ph 482/1/1-8
Collection: None
Description: Copies of letters sent by Mary Ann Cotton from Durham Gaol
Dates: 1871-1873
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/St/C1/16/253
Collection: None
Description: Letter from William Tinmouth, Durham Gaol, to John Bowes concerning the qualification of a copyholder to vote in the election, and offers to vote for John Bowes
Dates: 1832
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/X 54/1
Collection: None
Description: Royal warrant of discharge from Durham Gaol
Dates: 1855
Archive name: Northumberland Archives
Catalogue ref: EP/79/212
Collection: Tweedmouth Parish records
Description: Letter from Alexander Martin, Shoe Maker at Durham Gaol offering support for case against Overseers
Dates: 1829
Archive name: Teesside Archives
Catalogue ref: U.DL/9/2
Collection: Darlington Library Collection
Description: Spare Minutes of Hartlepool 34 Years since and its Present State'Â by Mr R. O. Warwick of Hartlepool, late, a Warrant Officer in Her Majesty's Navy composed in Durham Gaol. In verse with account of his life at sea.
Dates: 1840
Archive name: Tyne and Wear Archives
Catalogue ref: DX1096/4
Collection: None
Description: Administration with will annexed of Joseph Southwell Stokes, deceased. The will was written while the testator was imprisoned in Durham Gaol awaiting trial.Â
Dates: 1844
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: CC/Arch 242-283
Collection: Durham County Council
Description: County Architect's Department, plans of Durham Gaol, 19th century (1850 onwards)
Dates: 19th century
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: CC/Deeds 15-18
Collection: Durham County Council
Description: Deeds and bonds relating to Durham Prison
Dates: 1776-1869
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/X 1207/1/564
Collection: None
Description: Schedule of deeds relating to messuages and a close in Old Elvet, sold by Reverend John Fawcett to the Quarter Sessions to build a new Gaol and House of Correction, and court houses
Dates: 1809
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/15/58-61
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Prison plans, interiors
Dates: Undated
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/15/6-18
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Prison plans, interiors
Dates: 1881-1898
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: P/15/62-63
Collection: Durham Prison
Description: Prison plans, Officers' facilities and houses
Dates: 1893-1896
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/A/P/144
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: County Surveyor and Architect. Plan of site of Durham Gaol transferred to Prison Commissioners.
Dates: 1887?
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: Q/A/P/1-95
Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions
Description: County Surveyor and Architect Durham Gaol Plans
Dates: 1858-1873
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM7/114
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Durham Prison: Ownership of wall dividing prison property and Gregson's Garth
Dates: 1895
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM7/115
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Durham Prison: Sale and purchase of land to and from Durham University as site for new prison hospital
Dates: 1897-1903
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/CL 27/277/1252-7
Collection: Durham Library Collection
Description: Photographs of the Old Gaol
Dates: 1988
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/CL 5/829
Collection: Durham Library Collection
Description: Photograph of Durham City, Assize courts and prison. View of frontage.
Dates: 1929
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/Ph 157/8
Collection: None
Description: Postcard of Old Elvet
Dates: c.1900
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: D/X 1271/1-7
Collection: None
Description: Papers relating to Dora Greenwell, poet and essayist (b.1821), who was involved in philanthropic work among the prisoners in Durham prison, and the inmates of the Workhouse
Dates: 20th century
Archive name: Durham County Record Office
Catalogue ref: EP/Be 14/2
Collection: None
Description: Justice's Justice: Workhouse v. Prison' - a new song on the case of an old woman sent to gaol for begging
Dates: Undated