Established in medieval times as a place to hold prisoners of the King's Bench court, primarily debtors. It was originally sited in Angel Place, off Borough High Street, just north of what is now John Harvard Library. In 1754-8 this was demolished and replaced with a new building erected to the south-west on what was then St George's Fields and is now Scovell housing estate. In 1842 it became the Queen's Prison and took debtors from the Marshalsea and Fleet Prisons. It became the Southwark Convict Prison and then closed.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
King's Bench Prison
Commemorated ati
King of Corsica
The weather-worn stone above this plaque is, we guess, the original graveston...
Other Subjects
Parish Lock-up - Hampstead
Parish Lock-up About 1730, this lock-up was built into the garden wall of Cannon Hall, where local magistrates held court. Prisoners were kept in this dark single cell until more lasting arrangeme...
1 memorial
Sir Edwin Chadwick
Born Lancashire but brought up in London. A friend of Jeremy Bentham, Bentham dying in his arms. Chadwick's major achievement was the 1842 publication of the Poor Law Commissioners' "Report on the ...
1 memorial
St Mary Rotherhithe watch-house
The building, situated close to the church of St Mary the Virgin, was used by a watchman or constable whose job was to to look out for wrongdoers; particularly grave-robbers or 'Resurrection Men' a...
1 memorial
Sir Alexander Russell Downer, KBE
High Commissioner for Australia 1964-72. Known as Alick and not to be confused with his son, Alexander John Gosse Downer (b.1951) who was also High Commissioner from 2014 to 2018. Our Picture Sou...
Person, Armed Forces, Law, Politics & Administration, Australia
1 memorial
Hackney parish watch house
A watch house was an early form of police station and prison. Criminals were held here temporarily.
1 memorial
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