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
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.
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
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.
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 -
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 prisonersÂ
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 GaolÂ
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
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 prisonsÂ
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 CorrectionÂ
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 ratesÂ
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
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
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 registerÂ
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 PrisonÂ
Dates: 1834-1835
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 CorrectionÂ
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
Archive name: Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland
Catalogue ref: DE3736 Boxes 17 and 30
Collection: Topographical series: Leicester streetsÂ
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.Â
Dates: 1894