Collection CLA/032 - PRISONS AND COMPTERS

Identity area

Reference code

CLA/032

Title

PRISONS AND COMPTERS

Date(s)

  • 1487-1975 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The administration of prisons and compters in London was the responsibility of the two Sheriffs. They in turn reported to the Court of Aldermen who issued orders and decrees relating to prison management.

Archival history

CLA/032 1487-1975 Collection 2 linear metres Corporation of London

The administration of prisons and compters in London was the responsibility of the two Sheriffs. They in turn reported to the Court of Aldermen who issued orders and decrees relating to prison management.

Corporation of London Records Office.

Records relating to the London prison system, 1487-1975. Prisons mentioned include the Houses of Correction at Westminster and Cold Bath Fields, the Debtor's Prison, Newgate, Ludgate, King's Bench, Fleet, Marshalsea, Clerkenwell, Bridewell, Holloway, Whitecross Street, Middlesex and Wandsworth as well as various Compters.

The records include accounts and financial papers; statutes and bills relating to gaols and prisons; Acts of the Court of Common Council and the Court of Aldermen; contracts; indentures; various committee minutes and papers, including reports of the Gaol Committee; petitions; regulations; papers relating to prisoner health; reports of the Commissioners of Prisons; papers relating to Compters, particularly the Committee for the rebuilding of Poultry and Wood Street compters, 1783-89 and papers relating to prison charities. Also a PhD thesis by Wayne Joseph Sheehan entitled The London Prison System 1666-1795, submitted to the University of Maryland in 1975.

In sections according to catalogue.

Available for general access.

Copyright City of London
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For Corporation of London records relating to prisons see: CLA/003: Holloway Prison, CLA/028: Wood Street Compter, CLA/029: Giltspur Street Compter, CLA/030: Poultry Compter, CLA/031: Southwark Compter, CLA/032: Prisons and Compters, CLA/033: Ludgate Prison, CLA/034: Whitecross Street Prison, CLA/035: Newgate Prison, COL/CA/PCA: Court of Aldermen Prisons Committee, COL/CC/FNG: Court of Common Council Gaol Expenses and Finance Committee, COL/CC/MIN: Court of Common Council Committees includes material relating to gaols and compters, COL/CC/NGC: Court of Common Council Newgate Gaol Committee, COL/CC/PCC: Court of Common Council Prisons Committee, COL/CC/SPO: Court of Common Council Special Prisons Committee, COL/PL: Plans, including plans of prisons and compters.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. February 2009 Bridewell Prison Clerkenwell Prison Marshalsea Prison Fleet Prison King's Bench Prison Ludgate Prison Newgate Prison House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields House of Correction, Westminster Prisons Imprisonment Organisation and management Administration Prison administration Construction engineering Building operations Building maintenance Administration of justice Penal sanctions Penal institutions City House of Correction x Holloway Prison Whitecross Street Prison Middlesex Prison Wandsworth Prison Middlesex England UK Western Europe City of Westminster London Westminster Islington City of London Southwark Holloway Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Corporation of London Records Office.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records relating to the London prison system, 1487-1975. Prisons mentioned include the Houses of Correction at Westminster and Cold Bath Fields, the Debtor's Prison, Newgate, Ludgate, King's Bench, Fleet, Marshalsea, Clerkenwell, Bridewell, Holloway, Whitecross Street, Middlesex and Wandsworth as well as various Compters.

The records include accounts and financial papers; statutes and bills relating to gaols and prisons; Acts of the Court of Common Council and the Court of Aldermen; contracts; indentures; various committee minutes and papers, including reports of the Gaol Committee; petitions; regulations; papers relating to prisoner health; reports of the Commissioners of Prisons; papers relating to Compters, particularly the Committee for the rebuilding of Poultry and Wood Street compters, 1783-89 and papers relating to prison charities. Also a PhD thesis by Wayne Joseph Sheehan entitled The London Prison System 1666-1795, submitted to the University of Maryland in 1975.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

In sections according to catalogue.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright City of London

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

For Corporation of London records relating to prisons see: CLA/003: Holloway Prison, CLA/028: Wood Street Compter, CLA/029: Giltspur Street Compter, CLA/030: Poultry Compter, CLA/031: Southwark Compter, CLA/032: Prisons and Compters, CLA/033: Ludgate Prison, CLA/034: Whitecross Street Prison, CLA/035: Newgate Prison, COL/CA/PCA: Court of Aldermen Prisons Committee, COL/CC/FNG: Court of Common Council Gaol Expenses and Finance Committee, COL/CC/MIN: Court of Common Council Committees includes material relating to gaols and compters, COL/CC/NGC: Court of Common Council Newgate Gaol Committee, COL/CC/PCC: Court of Common Council Prisons Committee, COL/CC/SPO: Court of Common Council Special Prisons Committee, COL/PL: Plans, including plans of prisons and compters.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area