Jail in Hamilton Lanarkshire 1871

Scozzie · Post by **Scozzie** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 1:55 pm

I've found one of mine at Her Majesty's Pleasure (actually the father of two brothers who married two sisters, who are great-grand aunts of mine). I wondered why I couldn't find him on the census with his wife and children. The writing is a bit of a scribble, but it looks like Beckford or Beckfoss? This was on the 1871 census for Hamilton. It made me laugh to see the prisoner listed two below mine was a boltmaker - useful friend to have in jail. Does anyone have any ideas what the name of the jail is?

Clydesdale · Post by **Clydesdale** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:44 pm

Hi Scozzie,

I didn't have any luck finding the name, but the old and newer prisons that were in Hamilton are mentioned in http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/36.html which might give you a bit more background.

Cheers
Clydesdale.

TD

JimM · Post by **JimM** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:27 am

Hi Scozzie
Don't limit your search to Hamilton

k
I have one from the 1870's who done his crime in Glasgow... was tried at Edinburgh and got seven years.
He was sent to Perth prison and after two years was transferred to Pentonville in England.

Jim

Scozzie · Post by **Scozzie** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 2:05 am

Thanks Jim & Clyde. I emailed a "cousin" in Scotland, asked if she might know. Her husband went to school in Hamilton - in Beckford Road, where the jail is/was! Now I'm wondering what he did to get there.

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:09 pm

Scozzie,
I'll have trawl through the online maps and see what comes up.

An 1864 map [ http://www.old-maps.co.uk ] of Hamilton showed a Prison near the Hamilton Palace and Collegiate Church [ ?],to the North and East but the ink is a bit blurry around there

I think it must be where the present day racecourse and Hamilton College [ Christian School] are.

http://www.nls.uk/digitallibrary/map/to ... ilton.html gave a much clearer image " old prison 1642" so I guess it wasn't that one

k

To the north west of the town there was an Infantry Barracks and low and behold there was a prison alongside on BECKFORD street

Visit http://www.nls.uk/digitallibrary/map/to ... ilton.html click section XVII.4.2 the red buildings are the Courts and Barracks and prison.

Almada Street, Beckford Street and Barrack Street are all still there just to the east of West Hamilton Station.

use http://www.multimap.com and put in any of the above streets to find the present location.

Think we've found it ?

ninatoo · Post by **ninatoo** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 2:05 pm

Wow, at least you have a prison name! I have a James McCormick that reputely spent three stints in the lock-up between 1861 and 1901, and not a hint of where that might have been!

Good luck to you!

Nina

scotmum · Post by **scotmum** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:34 pm

Nina

If you go to

these records here

you may find your James is one of those mentioned.

Scozzie · Post by **Scozzie** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:41 am

Hi Wilma, first of all, my apologies for my late reply, I've had a very busy weekend, and haven't been able to log on to TS. Thankyou so much for your hard work in finding those sites, unfortunately my 'puter must be sulking, as I can't access any of them, keep getting "this page cannot be displayed".

grrrrrrr! I'll have a look later.

It's quite funny that the prison might be near the site of the old Hamilton Palace, as the father of my relative who was in prison, was a steward to the Duke of Hamilton.

Scozzie · Post by **Scozzie** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:14 am

I found this site:

http://www.smcallister.co.uk/hamwalk.htm

Interesting - I must print off the map provided and go for a cyber walk.

TD

maggie · Post by **maggie** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:10 pm

hello
for what life was like in jail if you go to
www.inveraryjail.co.uk you will be able to see what life was like for prisoners.The best bit is you can search for names of prisoners

Nina
there's a James McCormick don't know if the info will ring any bells for you ?

admission time

i found one that belongs to me

kind regards maggie

TD