London Metropolitan Archives

Collections Catalogue

1000 Years of London's History in Documents, Photos, Maps and Films

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London Metropolitan Archives - Item Details

HM PRISON HOLLOWAY

Date of Creation:

1869 - 2009

Reference Code:

CLA/003

Scope and Content:
  • Records relating to Holloway Prison, 1869-2009, including administrative, medical, staff records, records of the chaplain, records relating to prisoners' employment. Prisoners' records include registers of prisoners and some files on individual prisoners (Edith Thompson and Styllou Christofi, both executed at Holloway, Helen Kroger, Cynthia Payne and Caroline Richardson). Related documentation includes photographs of the prison and staff, registers relating to predecessor prisons and printed material.
Extent: 7 linear metres
Classification: NATIONAL RECORDS
Site Location: London Metropolitan Archives
Level of Description:
    Collection

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Administrative History:
  • Holloway Prison was built by the Corporation of London as the City House of Correction for men and women. It was opened in 1852. The prison was taken over by the government in 1877. It become female only in 1903 and was well known for the imprisonment of suffragettes and for internments during the Second World War.

    The prison finally closed in 2016.
Copyright: Depositor
Source of Acquisition:
  • Corporation of London Records Office
  • B16/024
  • B16/060
  • B16/129
Access Restrictions: These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 2018
Arrangement: In sections as follows:
CLA/003/AD - Administration
CLA/003/CP - Chaplain's records
CLA/003/HB - Holloway Borstal
CLA/003/IN - Prisoners' employment
CLA/003/ME - Medical records
CLA/003/PR - Prisoners' records
CLA/003/RD - Related documentation
CLA/003/ST - Staff records
Related Material: For Corporation of London records relating to prisons see: 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/PL: Plans, including plans of prisons and compters.

The National Archives holds papers relating to the management and administration of Holloway Prison (see PCOM: Prison Commission and Home Office Prison Department) and papers on the use of Holloway Prison as a prisoner of war camp during the Second World War (see HO: Home Office, Ministry of Home Security, and related bodies).