Leicester County Gaol and House of Correction

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Leicester County Gaol and Female House of Correction, Leicester County Gaol, Leicester Prison, HMP Leicester

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

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   1828

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   Welford Road (near the junction of the Lutterworth and Welford roads)   Leicester

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Leicestershire

Critical Remarks

By 1829, included a Female House of Correction, taking all female prisoners from the County House of Correction (ID 41). From 1843, the prison was significantly renovated and enlarged, in part to include the County House of Correction which was closed on completion of the work in 1847.

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Leicester County Gaol and Female House of Correction, Leicester County Gaol, Leicester Prison, HMP Leicester

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   1828

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   Welford Road (near the junction of the Lutterworth and Welford roads)   Leicester

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   52.627422  Long.   -1.131922

County   Leicestershire

Critical Remarks

By 1829, included a Female House of Correction, taking all female prisoners from the County House of Correction (ID 41). From 1843, the prison was significantly renovated and enlarged, in part to include the County House of Correction which was closed on completion of the work in 1847.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1833

Annual Committed   -   431

Daily Census   -   72

 

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   592

Daily Census   -   42

 

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   733

Daily Census   -   84

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   1042

Daily Daily average   -   170

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   953

Daily Daily average   -   210

 

Year 1858

Annual Committed   -   713

Daily Daily average   -   224

 

Year 1863

Annual Committed   -   730

Daily Greatest number   -   114

 

Year 1868

Annual Committed   -   740

Daily Daily average   -   79

 

Year 1873

Annual Committed   -   740

Daily Daily average   -   67

 

Year 1878

Annual Committed   -   2336

Daily Daily average   -   283

 

Year 1883

Annual Committed   -   1604

Daily Daily average   -   174

 

Year 1888

Annual Committed   -   1543

Daily Daily average   -   158

 

Year 1893

Annual Committed   -   1389

Daily   -  

 

Year 1898

Annual Committed   -   1600

Daily   -  

Principal Primary Sources

  • 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.23
  • Reports and Schedules Pursuant To Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830, XXIV.1), p.133; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1830-31, XII.1), p.129; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1831-32. XXXIII.197), p.130; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1833, XXVIII.1), p.137; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1834, XLVI.1), p.126; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1835, XLIV.225), p.128; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1836, XLII.1), p.82; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837, XLV.1), p.86; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1837-8, XLIII.227), p.91; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXXVIII.17), p.85; Reports Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.1), p.95; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1841, XVIII.1), p.98; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1842, XXXII.1), p.100; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1843, XLIII.1), p.102; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXXIX.403), p.101; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXXVII.417), p.122; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXXIV.187), p.112; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847, XLVII.297), p.129; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847-48, LII.465), p.130
  • Abstract Return of Establishment and Expenditure of Gaols and Houses of Correction in England and Wales (Parl. Papers, 1840, XXXVIII.241), p.28
  • Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District. First Report (Parl. Papers, 1836, XXXV.269), p.31; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXII.217), p.209; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1841 Session 2, V.177), p.194; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXIX.391), p.261; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Eleventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXI.565), p.238; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twelfth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXV.1), p.243; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland and Eastern District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.1), p.64; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Seventeenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1852, XXIV.1), p.125; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Nineteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1854, XXXIV.1), p.52; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twenty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1856, XXXIII.485), p.30; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-third Report (Parl. Papers, 1859, Session 1, XI.1), p.46; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.1), p.42; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.229), p.41; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1861, XXIX.45), p.39; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Midland District, Twenty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.93), p.44; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Northern District, Twenty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1863, XXIII.109), p.68; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Twenty-ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1864, XXVI.89), p.25; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirtieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1865, XXIII.257), p.45; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1866, XXXVII.233), p.49; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1867-68, XXXIV.1), p.34; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXIX.1), p.37; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXIX.529), p.48; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1872, XXXI.169), p.28; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1873, XXXII.337), p.48; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1874, XXIX.389), p.65; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Thirty-ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1875, XXXVII.417), p.67; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Fortieth Report (Parl. Papers, 1876, XXXV.417), p.67; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Forty-first Report (Parl. Papers, 1877, XLIII.421), p.67; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain II. Northern District, Forty-second Report (Parl. Papers, 1878, XLI.417), p.67
  • Commissioners of Prisons, Second Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1878-79, XXXIV.1, 97), p.41; Commissioners of Prisons, Third Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1880, XXXV.1,73), p.52; Commissioners of Prisons, Fourth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1881, LI.441, 521), p.54; Commissioners of Prisons, Fifth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1882, XXXIII.443, 541), p.59; Commissioners of Prisons, Sixth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1883, XXXI.445, 579), p.63; Commissioners of Prisons, Seventh Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1884, XLII.461, 551), p.60; Commissioners of Prisons, Eighth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1884-85, XXXVII.527, 651), p.60; Commissioners of Prisons, Ninth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1886, XXXV.1, 93), p.54; Commissioners of Prisons, Tenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1887, XLI.203, 335), p.51; Commissioners of Prisons, Eleventh Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1888, LVIII.1, 209), p.50; Commissioners of Prisons, Twelfth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1889, XLI.1, 181), p.50; Commissioners of Prisons, Thirteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1890, XXXVII.1, 183), p.50; Commissioners of Prisons, Fourteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1890-91, XLIII.1, 125), p.48; Commissioners of Prisons, Fifteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1892, XLII.1, 147), p.47; Commissioners of Prisons, Sixteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1893-94, XLVII.1, 121), p.46; Commissioners of Prisons, Seventeenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1894, XLIV.1, 183), p.45; Commissioners of Prisons, Eighteenth Annual Report (Parl. Papers, 1895, LVI.727, 865), p.46
  • Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1895-96 (Parl. Papers, 1896, XLIV.235), p.113; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1896-97 (Parl. Papers, 1897, XL.105), p.255; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1897-98 (Parl. Papers, 1898, XLVII.23), p.282; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1898-99 (Parl. Papers, 1899, XLIII.65), p.285; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1899-1900 (Parl. Papers, 1900, XLI.1), p.325

Additional Primary Sources

  • William White, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Leicestershire and the small county of Rutland, together with the adjacent towns of Grantham and Stamford (Sheffield, 1846), pp. 76-77; Royal Commission on Condition and Treatment of Prisoners in Leicester County Gaol and House of Correction (Parl. Papers, 1854, XXXIV.197)

Secondary Sources

  • Kane, 'Prison palace or "Hell upon Earth": Leicester County Gaol under the Separate System', Trans Leicestershire Archaeol and Hist Soc, 70 (1996), p. 131

Management

Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS26/3/1/3-4

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Report of County Prisons Committee and Chaplain to the Gaol and House of Correction

Dates: 1843


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/7

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Quarterly reports by the Gaoler (of Old Gaol) and the Keeper of House of Correction, and report on the progress of building work at the new Gaol by County Surveyor

Dates: 1828


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/1/2

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Proceedings and orders of Gaol Committee, and copies of mortgages of county rate to raise money for new Gaol buildings

Dates: 1824-1825


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/1/3

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Gaol Committee proceedings

Dates: 1844-1847


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/15

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Correspondence with Home Office about objections from Under-Sheriff of Leicestershire against inclusion of the House of Correction in the new Prison

Dates: 1846


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/16

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Returns to Home Office of claims for maintenance of prisoners 

Dates: 1846-1848


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/17

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Papers relating to committal of Borough debtors to the County Prison

Dates: 1836-1848


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/18

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Orders and papers relating to the division of the new Prison into County Gaol and House of Correction, with plans of prison

Dates: 1847


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/19, 20, 21, 24

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Reports and papers and correspondence about admission of Borough prisoners and debtors to County Gaol 

Dates: 1847-1849, 1850, 1857


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/22-23

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Papers about hard labour sentences, and enquiry by Royal Commission into discipline and management of the county gaol

Dates: 1852-1853


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/25

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Request for information about the average number of prisoners in the County Gaol during previous year

Dates: 1873


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/6

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Order for appropriation of cells in new County Gaol, and for the classification of the prisoners therein

Dates: 1827


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/9

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Examinations taken at the County Gaol, concerning an attempted mass escape

Dates: 1828


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/5/12

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Amended Table of Dietaries for Prisoners, approved by Leicestershire Quarter Sessions and Home Secretary, with correspondence

Dates: 1849-1850


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS38/8

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Petitions and memorials. Petition about the increased county rate and the intended alterations to the County Prisons.

Dates: 1843


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS6/2/1-8

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: These deal entirely with the general administrative business of Quarter Sessions. They cover some of the material 'missing' from the Sessions Bundles (QS4 series). Likely to contain material relevant to the administration of the county prisons

Dates: 1809-1892


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS4/1-58

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Records include draft minutes, memoranda of the Clerk of the Peace, reports of various Committees, officials and others such as the County Treasurer, the County Surveyor, the Visiting Justices, the Chaplain, and others on the Gaol (1854-1883).

Dates: 1854-1883


Finance

Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS101/6/10

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Account book of costs of conveying offenders to prisons 

Dates: 1844-1855


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS112/245

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: New Gaol rebuilding accounts

Dates: 1825-1828


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS112/295, 308, 317

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Abstracts of fines and penalties due from Petty Sessional Courts, Gaol and House of Correction 

Dates: 1837-1838, 1840-1843


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS26/2/3

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Mortgage to raise £25,000 for the rebuilding work at the County Prison

Dates: 1844


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/14

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Papers relating to Gaol loans and mortgages on county rates 

Dates: 1842-1846


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/3

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Gaol Account Book, being Accounts for (Welford Road) New Prison.

Dates: 1825-1856


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/5

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Material relating to loan for completion of new County Gaol

Dates: 1826-1828


Staff

Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE4766/39

Collection: Records of HM Prison, Leicester

Description: Register of officers

Dates: c.1884-1912


Prisoners

Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE3492/1-2

Collection: Leicester County Gaol records

Description: Reception registers

Dates: 1876-1877, 1878


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE4766/44-50

Collection: Records of HM Prison, Leicester

Description: Register of prisoners

Dates: 1868-1879


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE4766/51

Collection: Records of HM Prison, Leicester

Description: Prisoners' admission and discharge register 

Dates: 1879-1880


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE4766/56/1

Collection: Records of HM Prison, Leicester

Description: Register of executions

Dates: 1894-1953


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO23/4-7

Collection: Home Office

Description: Registers of Prisoners from national prisons lodged in County Prisons, Leicester

Dates: 1848-1865


Archive name: Derbyshire Record Office

Catalogue ref: D2375/M/94/25

Collection: Harpur Crewe family of Calke Abbey

Description: Copy of confession of John and James Varnham of Wednesbury, Staffordshire, horse stealers, made at Leicester Gaol

Dates: 1829


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: CO.1/4-14

Collection: Coroner's records

Description: Bundle of Inquests including several for people who died in Leicester County Gaol

Dates: 1869-1872


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: M828

Collection: None

Description: Letter written by William Newell while a prisoner in Leicester Gaol

Dates: 1894


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/10

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Inquiry held by the Justices as a result of complaints by William Marshall, a prisoner, about the County Prison 

Dates: 1834-1835


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/12

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Reports, letters and papers about different proposals for extensions at the new Prison, to include the House of Correction 

Dates: 1842-1843


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/2/13

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Draft minutes of Prison Committee, reports, letters, plans and papers about different proposals for extensions to the new Prison

Dates: 1843


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/3/15/1-5

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Papers relating to the building of the New Prison in Welford Road

Dates: 1824-1825


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/3/16/1-4

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Letters about of proposed alterations to County Gaol to provide cells for female prisoners

Dates: 1846


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/3/17

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Certificate of fitness of new cells by Prison Inspector

Dates: 1846


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: QS32/3/18

Collection: Leicestershire Quarter Sessions

Description: Bundle of Attested Copies of Deeds to County Gaol, sent to Home Office May 1879, and other papers

Dates: 1879


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE4766/56/2

Collection: Records of HM Prison, Leicester

Description: Plans of old and new Prison burial grounds, lists of interments, Coroners' orders for burial etc (1856-1953)

Dates: 1856-1953


Images

Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE3736 Boxes 17 and 30

Collection: Topographical series: Leicester streets 

Description: Includes images of Borough Gaol and Welford Road Prison

Dates: 1830-1890


Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland

Catalogue ref: DE3856/18

Collection: None

Description: Album of Leicester postcards. Includes postcard of Gaol. 

Dates: 1894