Exeter City Gaol and Bridewell

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

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

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1819

Date closed   1863

Location   Queen Street and Northernhay Street   Exeter

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Devon

Critical Remarks

From 1863, borough prisoners sent to the County Gaol (ID 12) and the Borough Gaol closed.

Prison Info

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1819

Date closed   1863

Location   Queen Street and Northernhay Street   Exeter

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   50.72551  Long.   -3.5335565

County   Devon

Critical Remarks

From 1863, borough prisoners sent to the County Gaol (ID 12) and the Borough Gaol closed.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1823

Annual Committed   -   137

Daily Census   -   137

 

Year 1828

Annual Committed   -   71

Daily Census   -   98

 

Year 1833

Annual Committed   -   174

Daily Census   -   174

 

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   326

Daily Census   -   37

 

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   374

Daily Census   -   36

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   555

Daily Daily average   -   54

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   296

Daily Daily average   -   36

 

Year 1858

Annual Committed   -   265

Daily Daily average   -   33

 

Year 1863

Annual Committed   -   348

Daily Greatest number   -   52

Principal Primary Sources

  • 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.16; 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.27; 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.26; 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.9
  • Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1824, XIX.359), p.264; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1825, XXIII.1), p.334; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1826, XXIV.1), p.318; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1826-27, XIX.365), p.285; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1828, XX.327), p.328; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1829, XIX.1), p.293; Reports and Schedules Pursuant To Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830, XXIV.1), p.295; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830-31, XII.1), p.290; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1831-32. XXXIII.197), p.289; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1833, XXVIII.1), p.314; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1834, XLVI.1), p.299; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1835, XLIV.225), p.285; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1836, XLII.1), p.192; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837, XLV.1), p.193; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837-8, XLIII.227), p.194; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXXVIII.17), p.195; Reports Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.1), p.210; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1841, XVIII.1), p.224; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1842, XXXII.1), p.226; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1843, XLIII.1), p.227; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXXIX.403), p.218; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXXVII.417), p.257; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXXIV.187), p.267; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847, XLVII.297), p.270; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847-48, LII.465), p.273
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Municipal Corporations of England and Wales, First Report, Appendices: Part 1 (Parl. Papers, 1835, XXIII.1), p.491
  • 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.28; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXII.217), p.36; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1841 Session 2, V.177), p.158; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXIX.391), p.89; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Tenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXIV.207), p.132; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Eleventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXI.565), p.81; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twelfth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXV.1), p.81; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.133), p.54; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1849, XXVI.93), p.39; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Sixteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1851, XXVII.669), p.129; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Eighteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1852-53, LII.113), p.40; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twentieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1854-55, XXVI.1), p.72; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1857-58, XXIX.69), p.21; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.153), p.14; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.5), p.22; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Southern District, Twenty-ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1864, XXVI.1), p.21

Additional Primary Sources

  • William White, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Devonshire (Sheffield, 1850), p. 70.

Secondary Sources

  • http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/councildemocracy/record_office/information_dalss/guide_sources/crime/prisons_in_devon.htm; W.J. Forsythe, A System of Discipline: Exeter Borough Prison, 1819-1863 (University of Exeter, 1983)

Management

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 79c

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Reports of the Keeper of the Prison and House of Correction

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 263

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Returns of expenses of prisoners maintenance

Dates: 1848-1858


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 275

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Daily number of prisoners (statistics)

Dates: 1855-1869


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 276

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Report of Special Committee of Town Council re removal of prisoners to County Gaol

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 292a

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Copy of rules and orders from Gaol Act with notes on their observation in Exeter

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 79c

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Proceedings of the Magistrates under Gaol Act 1823

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: GMH/F3/6/2/5 – 6/3/5

Collection: None

Description: City Gaol Records

Dates: 19th century


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: GMH/G3/24/9/4

Collection: None

Description: Bills and Acts of Parliament relating to Exeter Gaol and House of Correction

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: GMH/G3/5/7/5

Collection: None

Description: 1863 Sale of City Gaol, removal of prisoners to County Gaol, employees' claims for compensation, Committee Reports

Dates: 1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: QS/107/10

Collection: Devon Quarter Sessions

Description: Contract, for imprisonment of prisoners from East Stonehouse in Borough Gaol

Dates: 1854


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: Warehouse in Deeds D3

Collection: None

Description: Contracts for supplying goods to Exeter City Gaol

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: WH 11A/6/TOP

Collection: None

Description: Return to Secretary of State

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: WH 11A/9/TOP

Collection: None

Description: Report of Inspector of Prisons

Dates: undated


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 274, 274a

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Visiting Magistrates' Journals

Dates: 1836-1878


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 295

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Minutes of the Committee of Visiting Justices

Dates: 1851-1878


Daily Business

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 252-259

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Chaplains' Diaries

Dates: 1819-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 251

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Book labelled 'Southgate Prison', includes chaplain's diary and miscellaneous memoranda and keeper's journal and account book, 1816 [1819] - 1828

Dates: 1816-1828


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 285 to 292

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Keepers' Occurrence Books

Dates: 1819-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 266

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Schoolmaster's Monthly Report Book

Dates: 1857-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 282-284

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Surgeons' Journals

Dates: 1823-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 261

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Prisoners' Misconduct Book

Dates: 1851-1863


Staff

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: WH 12B/11/TOP

Collection: None

Description: Keepers' bonds for safe custody of prisoners

Dates: undated


Prisoners

Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 277, 278, 281

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: House of Correction Registers

Dates: 1819-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 260, 279

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Lists of Deserters in Custody

Dates: 1819-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 279a, 279-280

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Lists of Prisoners in Custody

Dates: 1819-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: 5853H/A/1/1-6

Collection: H.M. Prison, Exeter

Description: Receiving books for Exeter City Prison

Dates: 1863-1879


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: 5853H/A/2/1-5

Collection: H.M. Prison, Exeter

Description: Indexes to receiving books for Exeter City Prison

Dates: 1863-1879


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 267- 269

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Sentences of Prisoners tried at Quarter Sessions and Assizes

Dates: 1801-1863


Archive name: Devon Heritage Centre

Catalogue ref: ECA Bk 293-294

Collection: Exeter City Archive

Description: Prisoners' Reception Books

Dates: 1857-1863


Land & Buildings

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