HM Prison Manchester is a British prison, also known (now unofficially, since it was renamed in the 1990s) as Strangeways Prison.

History

Construction of the Grade II listed prison was completed in 1869 to replace the New Bailey Prison in Salford, which closed in 1868. The prison was designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1862, cost £170,000, and had a capacity of 1,000 inmates. Its 234 ft high tower has become a local landmark. The prison buildings consist of two radial blocks with a total of nine wings (A, B, C, D, E, F in one block, and G, H, I, K in the second). It was built on the grounds of Strangeways Park and Gardens, which gave the prison its original name, and was officially opened on 25 June 1868.

The prison was open to both male and female prisoners until 1963, and in 1980 it began to accept remand prisoners.

As of 2005 the prison held just over 1,200 inmates.

As a place of execution

Originally, the prison contained an execution shed in B wing, however after World War I a special execution room and cell for the condemned criminal was constructed. Strangeways was also one of the few prisons to have permanent gallows. The first execution was of twenty year old murderer Michael Johnson, hanged by William Calcraft on 29 March 1869.

Twenty-nine hangings took place in the next twenty years, with a further 71 taking place in the 20th century, bringing the total number of hangings at the prison to 100 people. However, during the second half of the century, the number of executions decreased, with no hangings taking place between 1954 and 1962. John Robson Walby (alias Gwynne Owen Evans), one of the last two people to be hanged in England, was executed at Strangeways on 13 August 1964. Out of the 100 total hangings, there were four double hangings, the rest were done individually. The famous 'quickest hanging' of James Inglis in 7 seconds, carried out by Albert Pierrepoint, took place at Strangeways.

Other executions

Mary Ann Britland (38) was executed on 9 August 1886 for the murder of two family members and her neighbour. She was the first woman to be executed at Strangeways. John Jackson was executed on 7 August, 1879. Lieutenant Frederick Rothwell Holt was hanged on 13 April 1920 for the murder of twenty-six year old Kathleen Breaks. Louie Calvert was hanged on 24 June 1926.

Doctor Buck Ruxton was executed on 12 May 1936 for the double murder of his wife and his housemaid. The public was so sure of his innocence that a petition for clemency was signed by 10,000 people. Margaret Allen was hanged on 12 January 1949 by Albert Pierrepoint for the murder of an elderly widower. Her execution was the first of a woman in Britain for twelve years. and the third execution of a woman at Strangeways.

After the infamous seven second hanging, Albert Pierrepoint executed Louisa May Merrifield (46), the fourth and last woman to be executed at the prison.

Strangeways riots

Between 1 April and the 25 April 1990, 147 staff and 47 prisoners were injured in a series of riots by prison inmates. There was one fatality among the prisoners, and one prison officer also died (from heart failure). Much of the original prison was damaged or destroyed during the riots. Several inmates were charged with various offences, and as a result, among others, Steven and Paul Leach, Paul Taylor and Alan Lord faced a five month trial as the ringleaders. The riots resulted in the Woolfe Inquiry, and the prison was rebuilt and renamed Her Majesty's Prison, Manchester. Over $3,000,000 was used to repair the prison and heal the injured after the riot.

The running of the prison has been put out to tender on two occasions, in 1994 and 2001[1].

Notable inmates

• Harold Shipman - held there on remand whilst awaiting trial.
• James Inglis - the world's fastest hanging
• Ian Brown - Rock Singer jailed for "air rage", released December 1999
• David Dickinson - TV "celeb" specialising in antiques - imprisoned for fraud in pre-celeb days
• Gordon Park - in 2005 convicted for the murder of his first wife, Carol Park, in 1976.

Cultural references

• Strangeways, a track on the 1987 rock album The House of Blue Light by Deep Purple
• Strangeways, Here We Come, 1987 rock album by The Smiths.
• 'Mad' Frankie Fraser (1982) Held on 'A' Wing and excused boots for supposed fallen arches.
• Eric Allison (1970) Went on to be 'The Guardian' Prison Reporter and author of 'A Serious Disturbance' a book giving an account of Strangeways Riot.
• In the song There Goes a Tenner from the album The Dreaming, Kate Bush sings of being "a star in Strangeways". The song is about a botched bank robbery.

References

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