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Ancestry UK

County Bridewell, Stafford, Staffordshire

In 1621, a Bridewell, or House of Correction, was established in Stafford's North Gate, which was situated where the Falklands Memorial Gardens now lie, at the southern end of Foregate Street.

The keeper of the prison was a woman, as John Howard noted after a visit in 1782:

At the North-gate. Three rooms for men and two for women. A room below (called the dungeon) with four apertures about 3 inches square. No employment. Prisoners always shut up, and in irons; the small court not secure. Keeper's salary, £25. Fees, 3s. 6d. no table. Allowance for bread and cheese the same as at the gaol: and now two hundred weight of coals a week from Michaelmas to May-day. The keeper a woman, who is the county baker. She appoints a man, who, for living rent free, looks after the prisoners.

1775, Nov. 15,Prisoners 4.
1779, May 15,"  9.
1782, Nov. 24,"  6.

In 1788, Howard reported that the was prison clean, and none of the then 18 prisoners was in irons. No courtyard was now provided and the only bedding provided was straw, which was sent in every fortnight.

The prison was closed in 1793 and its role absorbed into the new county gaol on Gaol Road.

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

  • No individual records identified for this establishment — any information welcome.
  • The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Has a wide variety of crime and prison records going back to the 1770s, including calendars of prisoners, prison registers and criminal registers.
  • Find My Past has digitized many of the National Archives' prison records, including prisoner-of-war records, plus a variety of local records including Manchester, York and Plymouth. More information.
  • Prison-related records on Ancestry UK include Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951, and local records from London, Swansea, Gloucesterhire and West Yorkshire. More information.
  • The Genealogist also has a number of National Archives' prison records. More information.

Bibliography

  • Prison Oracle - resources those involved in present-day UK prisons.
  • GOV.UK - UK Government's information on sentencing, probation and support for families.

Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.