Pentonville Prison

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1842

Date closed   1885 [post 1900 (still open)]

Location   Caledonian Road   London

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Middlesex

Critical Remarks

Opened late 1842, for male convicts ideally aged 18-35 and with some promise, to serve a probationary period of 18 months before dispatch to the Australian penal colonies, their behaviour at Pentonville determining their place in the colonies (the best receiving tickets of leave). In 1849, however, the special status of Pentonville in the convict system was removed, and it became, like Millbank (ID 1000) a place for all male convicts to serve their probationary term (now reduced to 9 months), after which they would be transported or sent to a public works prison. This function continued more or less (notable exceptions including the reception of military prisoners in the 1860s, and the use of associated labour to enlarge the prison in the late 1860s and early 1870s) until the decision to remove it from the convict prison system in 1885 and hand it over to the local prison authorities (see ID 665).

Related Prisons

Prison Info

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1842

Date closed   1885 [post 1900 (still open)]

Location   Caledonian Road   London

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   51.545  Long.   -0.115833

County   Middlesex

Image Attribution   'Gateway of Pentonville' in Mayhew and Binny, Criminal Prisons of London (1862), p. 112

Critical Remarks

Opened late 1842, for male convicts ideally aged 18-35 and with some promise, to serve a probationary period of 18 months before dispatch to the Australian penal colonies, their behaviour at Pentonville determining their place in the colonies (the best receiving tickets of leave). In 1849, however, the special status of Pentonville in the convict system was removed, and it became, like Millbank (ID 1000) a place for all male convicts to serve their probationary term (now reduced to 9 months), after which they would be transported or sent to a public works prison. This function continued more or less (notable exceptions including the reception of military prisoners in the 1860s, and the use of associated labour to enlarge the prison in the late 1860s and early 1870s) until the decision to remove it from the convict prison system in 1885 and hand it over to the local prison authorities (see ID 665).

Related Prisons

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1843

Annual   -  

Daily Census   -   501

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   1020

Daily Census   -   507

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   981

Daily Census   -   488

 

Year 1858

Annual Confined   -   1296

Daily Census   -   465

 

Year 1863

Annual Confined   -   1287

Daily Census   -   521

 

Year 1868

Annual Confined   -   1490

Daily Census   -   589

 

Year 1873

Annual Confined   -   2383

Daily Census   -   871

 

Year 1878

Annual Confined   -   2652

Daily Census   -   1005

 

Year 1883

Annual Confined   -   2732

Daily Census   -   1062

Principal Primary Sources

  • Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Report (Parl. Papers, 1843, XXIX.377); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Second Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXVIII.71); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Third Report (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXV.53); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XX.97); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Fifth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847, XXX.481); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-48, XXXIV.59); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Seventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1849, XXVI.349); Commissioners for the Government of Pentonville Prison, Eighth Report (Parl. Papers, 1850, XXIX.125)
  • "9th Report on Pentonville Prison", Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank and Portland Prisons, and Hulks, 1850 (Parl. Papers, 1851, XXVIII.1); Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth and Dartmoor Prisons, and Hulks, 1851 (Parl. Papers, 1852, XXIV.197), p.9; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth and Dartmoor Prisons, and Hulks, 1852 (Parl. Papers, 1852-53, LI.385), p.9; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Hulks, 1853 (Parl. Papers, 1854, XXXIII.181), p.9; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Hulks, 1854 (Parl. Papers, 1854-55, XXV.33), p.5; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Hulks, 1855 (Parl. Papers, 1856, XXXV.1), p.5; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Hulks, 1856 (Parl. Papers, 1857 Session 2, XXIII.65), p.5; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1857 (Parl. Papers, 1857-58, XXIX.483), p.5; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1858 (Parl. Papers, 1859 Session 2, XIII P.1.191), p.5; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1859 (Parl. Papers, 1860, XXXV.429), p.5; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1860 (Parl. Papers, 1861, XXX.237), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1861 (Parl. Papers, 1862, XXV.331), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1862 (Parl. Papers, 1863, XXIV.1), p.3; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, 1863 (Parl. Papers, 1864, XXVI.209), p.24; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1864 (Parl. Papers, 1865, XXV.1), p.24; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1865 (Parl. Papers, 1866, XXXVIII.1), p.19; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1866 (Parl. Papers, 1867, XXXVI.1), p.27; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1867 (Parl. Papers, 1867-68, XXXIV.519), p.17; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor, 1868 (Parl. Papers, 1868-69, XXX.1), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1869 (Parl. Papers, 1870, XXXVIII.1), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1870 (Parl. Papers, 1871, XXXI.1), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1871 (Parl. Papers, 1872, XXXI.385), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1872 (Parl. Papers, 1873, XXXIV.1), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1873 (Parl. Papers, 1874, XXX.55), p.1; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1874 (Parl. Papers, 1875, XXXIX.1), p.281; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1875 (Parl. Papers, 1876, XXXVII.1), p.312; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1876 (Parl. Papers, 1877, XLV.1), p.328; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1877 (Parl. Papers, 1878, XLIII.1), p.302; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1878 (Parl. Papers, 1878-79, XXXV.1), p.305; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1879-80 (Parl. Papers, 1880, XXXVI.1), p.488; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1880-81 (Parl. Papers, 1881, LI.1, 51), p.290; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Pentonville, Parkhurst, Millbank, Portland, Portsmouth, Dartmoor, and Brixton Prisons, and Convict Establishments at Gibraltar, W. Australia and Tasmania, 1881-82 (Parl. Papers, 1882, XXXIV.1), p.294; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1882-83 (Parl. Papers, 1883, XXXIII.1, 43), p.253; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1883-84 (Parl. Papers, 1884, XLIII.1, 41), p.115; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1884-85 (Parl. Papers, 1884-85, XXXIX.1, 49), p.106; Directors of Convict Prisons: Reports on Discipline and Management of Millbank, Pentonville, Borstal, Brixton, Chatham, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Portland, Portsmouth, Wormwood Scrubs, Fulham and Woking Prisons and Convict Establishments in W. Australia, 1885-86 (Parl. Papers, 1886, XXXV.457, 505), p.118

Additional Primary Sources

  • Report on Construction, Ventilation and Details of Pentonville Prison (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXVIII.127); John Thomas Burt, Results of the System of Separate Confinement as Administered at Pentonville Prison (London, 1852); Joseph Kingsmill, Chapters on Prisons and Prisoners, and the Prevention of Crime, 3rd edn (London, 1854); Henry Mayhew and John Binny, The Criminal Prisons of London and Scenes of Prison Life (London, 1862), pp. 112-172

Management

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 21/4

Collection: Home Office

Description: Prisons entry books, series I, Pentonville

Dates: 1847-1849


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 45/335

Collection: Home Office

Description: Treatment of prisoners

Dates: 1843-1844


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/84-89

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville, minute books

Dates: 1842-1850


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/223

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Warrants constituting and appointing Convict Prisons etc. Pentonville Prison

Dates: 1853


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/96-97

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville Prison, Middlesex, visitors' order book

Dates: 1849-1850


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/90

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville, Commissioners visiting book

Dates: 1843-1854


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/91-92

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville, Directors' visiting books

Dates: 1854-1885


Daily Business

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/353

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville, Chaplain's journal

Dates: 1846-1851


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/93

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville Prison, Middlesex, visitors' book

Dates: 1862-1863


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/94

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville Prison, Middlesex, visitors' minute book

Dates: 1842-1849


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/95

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville Prison, Middlesex, visitors' observation book

Dates: 1880-1885


Staff

Archive name: London Metropolitan Archives

Catalogue ref: MJ/SP/1888/01/046

Collection: Middlesex Sessions of the Peace

Description: Accounts and General Purposes Committee. John Mayer, former Scripture Reader at Pentonville Prison, formerly Cold Bath Fields Prison. Particulars of his pension.

Dates: 1888


Prisoners

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 24/16-19

Collection: Home Office

Description: Pentonville Prison registers. volumes 1-4

Dates: 1842-1875


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/61-80

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville Prison, Middlesex, register of prisoners

Dates: 1842-1885


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/98-104

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Pentonville Prison, Middlesex, photograph albums of prisoners

Dates: 1875-1885