The Manchester Collection

Prison Registers

This index contains 247,765 records for the period 1847-1881.

Belle Vue Prison, Hyde Road, West Gorton (City/Borough Gaol)

Belle Vue Prison was opened in 1849 by the Borough of Manchester. It was a short term jail but it proved inadequate and some prisoners were still sent to the New Bailey. It became a government establishment in 1877 and was demolished in 1892. The majority of prisoners would have been tried at the Assize Court or the Manchester Quarter Sessions.

The prison registers cover admissions for April 1850-November 1879. There are, however, some gaps for May 1853-March 1859, June 1867-May 1868, June 1871-April 1872, October 1874-July 1875 and September 1877-June 1878. Some pages in the registers have been water damaged.

The registers usually give:

Register number
Prisoners names
When and by whom crimes were committed
How committed
On what charge
Summary conviction
Sentence
Age last birthday
Personal description: height, complexion, hair, eyes, marks upon person and remarks
Professional trade or occupation
Place of birth
Last or usual residence (and address of friends, if to be advised of prisoner's discharge)
Religion
Education
Married or single (and number of children)
Parents living
Number of previous committals
References
Register in last and next cases
Record book
Letter book
How disposed of at trial
Letters received and out
Date of discharge

The original records are held by Manchester Archives and Local Studies (ref: GB127. GB127.M600/1).

New Bailey Prison, Salford

This prison opened in 1787 and closed sometime in the second half of 1868. As the Borough of Manchester had no gaol in 1839, agreement was made with the county magistrates of Lancashire that persons sentenced for up to six months should be housed in New Bailey Prison, Salford, while longer-term prisoners went to the County Gaol at Lancaster.

The prison registers consist of four types:

General Registers (Male) March 1859-May 1869 - usually gives:

Register number and number of commitment and reference to discharge book
Prisoners' names
When and by whom crimes were committed
Offence and where committed
Sentence
Age
Personal description: height, complexion, hair, eyes, marks upon person and remarks
Professional trade or occupation
Place of birth
Last or usual residence (and address of friends, if to be advised of prisoner's discharge)
Religion
Education
Married (and number of children) or single
Parents living
Number of previous committals
Date of discharge

Nominal Register (Small Debts - Male and Female) September 1863-19 November 1864, 28 August-29 October 1868. This record provides:

Register number
Monthly number of commitment
Prisoners' names
When and by whom crimes committed
Offence and where committed
Sentence
Age
Last usual residence
Discharged

Female Register 26 August 1862-20 July 1867 gives:

Register number and number of commitment and reference to discharge book
Prisoners' names
When and by whom crimes were committed
Offence and where committed
Sentence
Age
Personal description: height, complexion, hair, eyes, marks upon person and remarks
Professional trade or occupation
Place of birth
Last or usual residence (and address of friends, if to be advised of prisoner's discharge)
Religion
Education
Married or single (and number of children)
Parents living
Number of previous committals
Date of discharge

If aged 16 and under: parents living; if in any other prison since last committed here; number of previous convictions; references: register in last case, register in following case, record book; remarks by surgeon; when discharged.

Female Description Books 24 January 1859-18 December 1867 gives:

Register number
When received
Name
When and by whom crimes were committed
Offence and where committed
Age
Personal description: height, complexion, hair, eyes, marks upon person and remarks
Religion
Trade or profession
Place and date of birth
Last or usual residence
Register in last and following cases
Number of previous commitments
Date of discharge

The original records are held by Manchester Archives and Local Studies (ref: GB127. GB127.M600/2).

Strangeways Prison, Southall Street (H.M. Prison Manchester)

Strangeways Prison opened in June 1868. It was built to replace New Bailey Prison in Salford. It acted as the County Gaol for the Hundred of Salford (south-west Lancashire). It was renamed Her Majesty's Prison, Manchester in the 1990s and is sometimes known as Cheetham Prison.

The prison registers consist of four types:

Female Registers 1868-1875
Female Description Books 1867-1879
Male Registers 1869-1879 (with gaps May 1871-April 1873)
Felony Register - Bolton and Salford Sessions (Male) & Manchester Assizes (probably New Bailey Prison and Strangeways Prison) January 1863-October 1876

The registers generally comprise:

Register number
When received
Name
When and by whom crimes were committed
Offence and where committed
Age
Personal description: height, complexion, hair, eyes, marks upon person and remarks
Religion
Trade or profession
Place and date of birth
Last or usual residence
Register in last and following cases
Number of previous commitments
Date of discharge

The original records are held by Manchester Archives and Local Studies (ref: GB127. GB127.M600/3).

For extra information, follow these links to Gerard Lodge's website:

Belle Vue Prison

New Bailey Gaol

Strangeways

Strangeways prison reports

Manchester Felony Register

Gerard Lodge's research on the Manchester Martyrs of 1867

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