General Chat

Hello, Can anyone tell me about the female penitentiary at Diana St. Westgate, Newcastle on Tyne - ie when was it in operation [besides 1861]; were the occupants sent out to work; are admission records/ crimes committed available? Thank you from lorisg in Queensland.

Hi Loris, I tried google but not much luck, prison records may have what you are looking for and can be searched on Ancestry.

Let us know who you are looking for and we may be able to help.

Meanwhile, I found this site, very gruesome, and surprising, as I did not expect to find that death included burning, I thought it was only hanging.

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/fem1735.html

Gail

Hi

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CPsVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA634&lpg=PA634&dq=Female+Prison%2BNewcastle+Upon+Tyne&source=bl&ots=ZQFdKtVCQ9&sig=sjM9vvIizqm3bJHyDmmWqHpSlTw&hl=en&ei=0cC4StDdJYSsjAeFoYDtBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2#v=onepage&q=&f=false


try google books. I think if you omit the word Penitentiary and add prison or gaol you may get more results.

Hi again



I wonder if the word penitentiary meant something other than 'prison' in those days....I found this


1832

January.—This month, a female penitentiary was established at Sunderland, and two individuals had taken shelter under its roof, and several more applications had been made.

It seems that the one in Diana Street, Newcastle was built in 1837.....the penitentiaries, from all accounts, were large houses for penitent women which were reliant on charity to run them.

http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/entry_page.jsp;jsessionid=DBA2B6548E5BECAF4BF8CCBFD376A97D?text_id=982210&word=NULL



Wansbeck Home in Elswick Road, Newcastle, was a female penitentiary founded in 1831, maintained by voluntary contributions and work done by the inmates. This is a description of a Penitentiary;

The Penitentiary offers refuge, without recommendation to a class of unhappy females, who, desiring of quitting unhallowed and vicious habits, seek admission within its walls. The inmates are fed, clothed, religiously instructed and trained to industrious occupation. None are dismissed, after good conduct, without a situation being provided for them if competent.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=dc0502fe7b4a94938e71b278ca628718&topic=364513.0

Wansbeck Home was not a prison. In this case a Penitentiary means a refuge for ‘fallen women’, a home for reformed prostitutes, unmarried mothers, etc.

From Daily News 25 Sept. 1891 The change of title..from the ‘London Female Penitentiary Society’ to the ‘London Female Guardian Society’ has been universally approved of... When the society was founded eighty-four years ago the term ‘Penitentiary’ was well understood to mean a voluntary asylum for the reception of those resolving on amendment of life.


Further reading......Some penitentiaries were run buy nuns ie Magdalen sisters and were financed by laundry work. To get a better idea...just google 'female penitentiary system+Northumberland. There are many articles on the subject.