Southampton Town Gaol and House of Correction

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Southampton Felon's Gaol, Southampton Gaol

Prison Type   Local Prison -  Common Gaol

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1775

Date closed   1855

Location   God's House Gateway (South East Gate), old tower, bottom end of town   Southampton

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Hampshire

Critical Remarks

From 1835, incorporated the Town Bridewell (ID 173). However, the two prisons still appeared as separate institutions in the 1838 Digest.

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Southampton Felon's Gaol, Southampton Gaol

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   Municipality

Date opened   1775

Date closed   1855

Location   God's House Gateway (South East Gate), old tower, bottom end of town   Southampton

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   50.8964615  Long.   -1.4038955

County   Hampshire

Critical Remarks

From 1835, incorporated the Town Bridewell (ID 173). However, the two prisons still appeared as separate institutions in the 1838 Digest.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1818

Annual Committed   -   16

Daily Greatest number   -   10

 

Year 1828

Annual Committed   -   19

Daily Census   -   19

 

Year 1832

Annual Committed   -   47

Daily Greatest number   -   11

 

Year 1838

Annual Confined   -   73

Daily Census   -   9

 

Year 1843

Annual Confined   -   231

Daily Census   -   39

 

Year 1848

Annual Confined   -   342

Daily Daily average   -   45

 

Year 1853

Annual Confined   -   495

Daily Daily average   -   54

Principal Primary Sources

  • James Neild, The State of the Prisons of England, Scotland and Wales (London, 1812), p.531
  • Account of Gaols, Houses of Correction or Penitentiaries in the United Kingdom, 1818 (Parl. Papers, 1819, XVII.371), p.20
  • 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.34; 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.53; 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.16
  • Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXXIV.187), p.302; Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (Parl. Papers, 1847-48, LII.465), p.310
  • Reports and Schedules Pursuant to Gaol Acts (1829, XIX.401), p.54
  • Return of Places of Confinement Outside Gaol Acts in England and Wales (Parl. Papers, 1833, XXVIII.425), p.103
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Municipal Corporations of England and Wales, First Report, Appendices: Part 2 (Parl. Papers, 1835, XXIII.133), p.885
  • Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District. First Report (Parl. Papers, 1836, XXXV.269), p.22; 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, Fourth Report (Parl. Papers, 1839, XXII.217), p.76; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Sixth Report (Parl. Papers, 1841 Session 2, V.177), p.89; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Ninth Report (Parl. Papers, 1844, XXIX.391), p.229; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Eleventh Report (Parl. Papers, 1846, XXI.565), p.204; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain III. Southern and Western District, Twelfth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXV.1), p.212; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Fourteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1850, XXVIII.1), p.79; Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain I. Home District, Fifteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1851, XXVII.1), p.40

Additional Primary Sources

  • William White, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (Sheffield, 1859), p. 140.

Secondary Sources

  • http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol3/pp490-524

Management

Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/2/1, 10

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Returns of 'establishment'

Dates: 1824-1827


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/21/1

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Letter from S. M. Phillips regarding prison returns

Dates: 1836


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/21/2

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Prison returns

Dates: 1837


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/21/4

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Amended prison returns - letter enclosing printed

Dates: 1838


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/3/4

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Letter from Home Office about improvements to prison

Dates: 1837


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/7/12

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Draft returns for the Town Gaol

Dates: 1836


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/7/14

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Draft returns for the prisons (Michaelmas 1837)

Dates: 1837


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC/TCBox/11/1

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Gaol Committee (1847, 1853-1856 etc). Box 11.

Dates: 1847-1856


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC2/3/4

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Committee minutes. Nuisance at the Gaol (25th October-4th November 1839). 

Dates: 1839


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC2/3/7

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Committee minutes. Gaol and Bridewell (29th April 1846 - 2nd July 1851)

Dates: 1846-1851


Archive name: Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Catalogue ref: 92M95/F2/1/19

Collection: Baring (Northbook) family

Description: Printed report of the Visiting Justices upon the state of the Gaol and Bridewell for the County of Southampton, presented to the Epiphany Sessions

Dates: 1819


Finance

Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/801

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill of Peter Blythe for repairs down to the windows in the Debtors' Gaol, Guildhall, Bridewell and Felons' Gaol 

Dates: 1807


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/806

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill of J. J. Truss for pens, ink and paper, brooms, charcoal and other necessities for the Town Hall and the Prison

Dates: 1808


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/809

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill of Peter Blythe for work done on the windows in the Debtors' Gaol, Guildhall, Felons' Gaol and Bridewell

Dates: 1808


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/813

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill of William Sheldon for Blacksmith's work at the Town Hall and prisons

Dates: 1808


Staff

Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: 21M65/E6/13/939

Collection: Winchester Diocese

Description: Copy curate's licence - Foster Rogers, Prison and House of Correction in Southampton, Chaplain

Dates: 1854


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: 21M65/E6/13/970

Collection: Winchester Diocese

Description: Copy curate's licence - George Bradshaw, Borough Gaol of Southampton (Chaplain) 

Dates: 1854


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/799

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill of W. Dymott as Keeper of the common Gaol

Dates: 1807


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/820

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill of W. Dymott for his salary as the Keeper of the Prison and other expenses

Dates: 1808


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/2/9/6

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Return of prison officers

Dates: 1827


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: SC9/4/793

Collection: Southampton Corporation

Description: Receipted bill for for visits of Reverend Mears to prisons

Dates: 1807


Prisoners

Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/2/6

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Bundle of papers about prisoners (warrants, pardons, court orders etc)

Dates: 1804–1826


Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/2/3, 5, 8

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Returns of prisoners

Dates: 1824-1825


Land & Buildings

Archive name: Southampton Archives Office

Catalogue ref: D/PM/5/3/3/2

Collection: Page and Moody Collection (Southampton Quarter Sessions)

Description: Letter from Home Office asking for plans of any new prison

Dates: 1836