Plymouth Borough Gaol and House of Correction

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Plymouth Town Gaol, Plymouth Town Prison, Plymouth Borough Gaol

Prison Type   Local Prison -  Common Gaol

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   [1800]

Date closed   1849

Location   gaol adjoins to and is partly under the guild or town hall, Guildhall in Whimple Street   Plymouth

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Devon

Critical Remarks

Built 1800, possibly on the site of a previous borough gaol.

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Plymouth Town Gaol, Plymouth Town Prison, Plymouth Borough Gaol

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   [1800]

Date closed   1849

Location   gaol adjoins to and is partly under the guild or town hall, Guildhall in Whimple Street   Plymouth

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   50.369804  Long.   -4.1397785

County   Devon

Critical Remarks

Built 1800, possibly on the site of a previous borough gaol.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1818

Annual Committed   -   45

Daily Greatest number   -   12

 

Year 1828

Annual Committed   -   28

Daily Census   -   7

 

Year 1832

Annual Committed   -   67

Daily Greatest number   -   24

 

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   116

Daily Census   -   21

 

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   634

Daily Census   -   14

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   1014

Daily Daily average   -   26

Principal Primary Sources

  • James Neild, The State of the Prisons of England, Scotland and Wales (London, 1812), p.478
  • Account of Gaols, Houses of Correction or Penitentiaries in the United Kingdom, 1818 (Parl. Papers, 1819, XVII.371), p.10
  • The Third Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders (London, 1821), Appendix, p.16; 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.17; 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.338; 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.27; 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 (1829, XIX.401), p.38
  • Return of Places of Confinement Outside Gaol Acts in England and Wales (Parl. Papers, 1833, XXVIII.425), p.76
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Municipal Corporations of England and Wales, First Report, Appendices: Part 1 (Parl. Papers, 1835, XXIII.1), p.584
  • 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 I. Home District, Second Report (Parl. Papers, 1837, XXXII.1), p.39; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Second Report (Parl. Papers, 1837, XXXII.659), p.32; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXII.217), p.46; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1841 Session 2, V.177), p.165; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXIX.391), p.95; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Tenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1845, XXIV.207), p.141; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Eleventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXI.565), p.87; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twelfth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXV.1), p.87; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.133), p.60; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Fourteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1849, XXVI.93), p.45

Additional Primary Sources

  • William White, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Devonshire (Sheffield, 1850), p. 651.

Management

Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/608

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Gaol, house of correction. Returns, with lists of prisoners and expenses incurred and other associated papers. Also a return of the gaol describing the facilities and allowances given to prisoners.

Dates: 1821-1835


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1648/92

Collection: Plymouth Reformed Corporation

Description: Municipal Offices and Special Committee minute book. References to appointments and salaries of borough surgeon and Mrs Baker for prison. Prison Committee minutes questioning the necessity for building a new Borough Prison.

Dates: 1836-1845


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/362/100

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Application to Richard Jago Squire from a committee of ladies for leave to visit female prisoners, with comments on prison regulations

Dates: 1821


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/362/70/2

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Letter from officials of the Plymouth Auxiliary Bible Society offering to place bibles in the Borough Prison

Dates: 1816


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/613

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Returns of borough prison with of monthly expenses

Dates: 1833-1835


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/63-65

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Plymouth Quarter Sessions and constitution books. Likely to contain material relevant to the administration of Plymouth prisons

Dates: 1795-1835


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/722/5/16/2

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Papers re contract for supplying Guildhall and prisons with coal

Dates: 1836


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/722/5/16/3

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Papers re the supply of bread to town prisons

Dates: 1821-1836


Finance

Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/643/2

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Borough account book - cash. Includes references to Town prison

Dates: 1821-1822


Prisoners

Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/682

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Removal orders for convicts under sentence of transportation in Plymouth borough prisons

Dates: 1802-1836


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1648/201

Collection: Plymouth Reformed Corporation

Description: Town Clerk's letter book, with partial name index at back. Includes Mill Prison, the Salvador Del Mundo (prison hulk), transportation (including some names of convicts awaiting), House of Correction / Borough Prison.

Dates: 1808-1816


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/722/5/16/4

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Estimates for pumps to the town prison

Dates: 1818


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 1/722/5/16/5

Collection: Plymouth Borough

Description: Tenders re alterations in the prison

Dates: 1813


Other

Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 819/7

Collection: Plymouth, Borough, court summonses

Description: Includes case of conveying spirituous liquors to the prisoners in the Town Prison.

Dates: 1809-1810