Portsmouth Prison

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1852

Date closed   1894

Location   Cumberland Street/ Gloucester Road   Portsmouth

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Hampshire

Critical Remarks

Opened 1852 as a male convict public works prison. With the closure of Pentonville Prison (1001) in 1885, selected to receive some prisoners for their probationary stage (separate confinement). Closed November 1894 and handed over to the Admiralty.

Prison Info

Prison Type   Convict Prison

Date opened   1852

Date closed   1894

Location   Cumberland Street/ Gloucester Road   Portsmouth

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   50.80241  Long.   -1.103096

County   Hampshire

Critical Remarks

Opened 1852 as a male convict public works prison. With the closure of Pentonville Prison (1001) in 1885, selected to receive some prisoners for their probationary stage (separate confinement). Closed November 1894 and handed over to the Admiralty.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   1245

Daily Census   -   924

 

Year 1858

Annual Confined   -   1960

Daily Census   -   1050

 

Year 1863

Annual Confined   -   1733

Daily Census   -   1011

 

Year 1868

Annual Confined   -   1326

Daily Census   -   948

 

Year 1873

Annual Confined   -   1671

Daily Census   -   1268

 

Year 1878

Annual Confined   -   1624

Daily Census   -   1305

 

Year 1883

Annual Confined   -   1662

Daily Census   -   1206

 

Year 1888

Annual Confined   -   1141

Daily Census   -   803

 

Year 1893

Annual Confined   -   598

Daily Census   -   139

Principal Primary Sources

  • 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.207; 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.255; 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.195; 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.179; 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.149; 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.185; 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.143; 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.153; 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.163; 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.159; 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.139; 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.121; 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.149; 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.117; 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.146; 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.144; 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.155; 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.197; 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.188; 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.186; 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.166; 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.389; 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.429; 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.453; 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.421; 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.418; 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.667; 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.402; 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.413; 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.361; 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.156; 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.145; 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.155; 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.63; 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.57; 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.51; Directors of Convict Prisons. Reports, 1889-90 (Parl. Papers, 1890, XXXVII.515, 565), p.46; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1890-91 (Parl. Papers, 1890-91, XLIII.449, 497), p.52; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1891-92 (Parl. Papers, 1892, XLII.467, 539), p.56; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1892-93 (Parl. Papers, 1893-94, XLVII.427, 473), p.53; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1893-94 (Parl. Papers, 1894, XLIV.491, 541), p.48; Directors of Convict Prisons, Reports, 1894-95 (Parl. Papers, 1895, LVI.1177, 1227), p.54

Management

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 7/222

Collection: Prison Commission

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

Dates: 1852-1853


Staff

Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 5M62/2 page 409

Collection: Winchester Probate District regsiters

Description: Registered copy will of William Streeter of Landport, Assistant Warder of the Convict Prison, Portsmouth, and a Naval Pensioner

Dates: 1872


Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 5M62/26 page 265

Collection: Winchester Probate District regsiters

Description: Registered copy of will of Alfred Irish, of 9 York Street, Landport (and formerly of 9 Lower Church Path, Landport), Portsea, Pensioned Warder, HM Convict Prison

Dates: 1892


Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 5M62/6 page 118

Collection: Winchester Probate District regsiters

Description: Registered copy will of Henry Taylor of 32 Nile Street, Landport, Portsea, late of 35 Ruby Street, Warder at Convict Prison, Portsea

Dates: 1863


Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 5M62/24 page 173

Collection: Winchester Probate District regsiters

Description: Registered copy will of John Astridge of Portsmouth, late of 4 Park Villas, Cosham, Governor of Gaol

Dates: 1888


Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 5M62/5 page 371

Collection: Winchester Probate District regsiters

Description: Registered copy will of Alexander John Beattie of 44 Hanover Street, Portsea. Formerly a Private Schoolmaster, now Scripture Reader of Portsmouth Convict Prison.

Dates: 1862


Prisoners

Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/105-114

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portsmouth Prison, Hampshire, registers of prisoners

Dates: 1847-1874


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/126-127

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portsmouth Prison, Hampshire, registers of correspondence

Dates: 1867-1875


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/128-130

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portsmouth Prison, Hampshire, registers of prisoners

Dates: 1874-1885


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: HO 8/112–206

Collection: Home Office

Description: Quarterly returns of prisoners in Hulks and Convict Prisons, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Dates: 1852-1875


Archive name: The National Archives

Catalogue ref: PCOM 2/115-125

Collection: Prison Commission

Description: Portsmouth Prison, Hampshire, index to working parties of prisoners

Dates: undated