Portland Prison

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1848

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   Grove Road   Portland

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Dorset

Critical Remarks

Opened November 1848 as the first male convict public works prison, receiving prisoners who had already undergone periods of separate confinement at Millbank, Pentonville and specially contracted local prisons. In the late 1860s and 1870s, selected to receive the small number of male juveniles who continued to receive sentences of penal servitude.

Prison Info

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1848

Date closed   post 1900 (still open)

Location   Grove Road   Portland

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   50.5502  Long.   -2.4226

County   Dorset

Critical Remarks

Opened November 1848 as the first male convict public works prison, receiving prisoners who had already undergone periods of separate confinement at Millbank, Pentonville and specially contracted local prisons. In the late 1860s and 1870s, selected to receive the small number of male juveniles who continued to receive sentences of penal servitude.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   1620

Daily Census   -   1312

 

Year 1858

Annual Confined   -   2681

Daily Census   -   1496

 

Year 1863

Annual Confined   -   2198

Daily Census   -   904

 

Year 1868

Annual Confined   -   1994

Daily Census   -   1558

 

Year 1873

Annual Confined   -   1949

Daily Census   -   1584

 

Year 1878

Annual Confined   -   1976

Daily Census   -   1587

 

Year 1883

Annual Confined   -   1903

Daily Census   -   1438

 

Year 1888

Annual Confined   -   1183

Daily Census   -   879

 

Year 1893

Annual Confined   -   1404

Daily Census   -   1065

 

Year 1898

Annual   -  

Daily Daily average   -   749

Principal Primary Sources

  • Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1895-96 (Parl. Papers, 1896, XLIV.235), p.290; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1896-97 (Parl. Papers, 1897, XL.105), p.428; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1897-98 (Parl. Papers, 1898, XLVII.23), p.477; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1898-99 (Parl. Papers, 1899, XLIII.65), p.508; Report of Coms. of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, 1899-1900 (Parl. Papers, 1900, XLI.1), p.563
  • Report on the Discipline and Construction of Portland Prison (Parl. Papers, 1850, XXIX.151)
  • "Second Report on Portland", 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.149; 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.115; 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.125; 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.107; 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.131; 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.115; 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.143; 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.109; 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.117; 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.119; 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.116; 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.109; 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.87; 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.67; 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.70; 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.88; 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.87; 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.96; 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.117; 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.102; 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.108; 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.96; 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.318; 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.353; 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.371; 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.342; 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.344; 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.551; 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.331; 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.340; 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.296; 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.135; 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.126; 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.137; 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, 1886-87 (Parl. Papers, 1887, XLI.725, 773), p.54; 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, 1887-88 (Parl. Papers, 1888, LVIII.615, 651), p.48; 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, 1888-89 (Parl. Papers, 1889, XLI.657, 711), p.42; Directors of Convict Prisons. Reports, 1889-90 (Parl. Papers, 1890, XXXVII.515, 565), p.38; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1890-91 (Parl. Papers, 1890-91, XLIII.449, 497), p.44; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1891-92 (Parl. Papers, 1892, XLII.467, 539), p.47; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1892-93 (Parl. Papers, 1893-94, XLVII.427, 473), p.44; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1893-94 (Parl. Papers, 1894, XLIV.491, 541), p.38; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1894-95 (Parl. Papers, 1895, LVI.1177, 1227), p.44

Management

Archive name: Norfolk Record Office

Catalogue ref: NEV 10/69, 591 x 2

Collection: Neville family of Sloley, Henderson correspondence, official

Description: Official correspondence, including to George from Yeamans re his inspection of Prison and public works at Portland with his colleague DuCane

Dates: 1863-1866


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 21/11

Collection: Home Office

Description: Prisons entry books, series I, Portland

Dates: 1847-1849


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/223

Collection: Prison Commission

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

Dates: 1853


Archive name: Dorset History Centre

Catalogue ref: NG/PR2

Collection: Portland Prison

Description: HM Prison, Portland, Visiting Justices' minutes

Dates: 1866-1878


Daily Business

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/354-366

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portland, Governor's journals

Dates: 1848-1878


Staff

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/368

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portland Prison, Dorset, register of prison staff

Dates: 1853-1880


Archive name: Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

Catalogue ref: 594/1

Collection: None

Description: David Alner of Portland Prison, Dorset. Letter of appointment to Portland Prison (1857), and admission as Out-Pensioner of Chelsea Hospital (1869).

Dates: 1857, 1869


Prisoners

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/383-391

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portland Prison, Dorset, Prison registers

Dates: 1848-1865


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 8/98-207

Collection: Home Office

Description: Quarterly returns of prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons, Portland, Dorset

Dates: 1848-1876


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/369-382

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portland Prison, Dorset, general record of prisoners

Dates: 1859-1865


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Dorset History Centre

Catalogue ref: NG/PR/2

Collection: Portland Prison

Description: Deeds re Prison site and buildings

Dates: 1856-1936


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/3

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Accommodation, cells, construction of, replacement of sleeping berths (corrugated iron cells) by larger cells at Dartmoor and Portland

Dates: 1894


Images

Archive name: Dorset History Centre

Catalogue ref: D-1267/3/1

Collection: None

Description: Photograph of the interior of Portland Prison showing the new hall

Dates: c.1900


Archive name: Dorset History Centre

Catalogue ref: D-DPA/1/PTD/41-2

Collection: None

Description: Portland Prison entrance and view across a field to Portland Prison. Photographs.

Dates: 1898