Newcastle Prison : A History 1828 - 1925

Written on the 100th anniversary of the closure of Newcastle Prison, this book invites you to explore hidden stories and rare images from the lives of those incarcerated, and the staff, who lived and worked within its walls.

Beneaththe cover of darkness on a cold October night in 1925, the bodies of 12executed men were quietly moved from the yard of the newly-closed NewcastlePrison and reburied in All Saints Cemetery in Jesmond. This haunting eventmarked a poignant chapter in the intriguing tale of Newcastle Prison. Oncecelebrated as a cutting-edge facility designed by acclaimed architect JohnDobson, the prison opened its doors in 1828 to much fanfare. However, itquickly became infamous for its overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. By thetime it closed its doors in 1925, it was deemed a dismal failure, and today, notrace of the once-prominent structure remains.  Writtenon the 100th anniversary of the closure of Newcastle Prison, this book invitesyou to explore hidden stories and rare images from the lives of thoseincarcerated, and the staff, who lived and worked within its walls. During itsyears of operation, the Prison housed thousands of men, women, and children,enduring a harsh environment marked by severe punishment. You will meet theindividuals who navigated life behind bars, find out about heartbreakingnarratives from the women’s wing, uncover the mystery of the missing executedbodies, and learn about audacious escape attempts.  Featuringremarkable stories, alongside specially commissioned and never-before-seen 3Dmodelled images of the prison, the book draws on detailed archival research andthe latest digital techniques to offer a uniqueand revealing insight into the prison's architectural and social development,vividly bringing the past to life.