Catalogue description York Castle prison records

1. File with general items of interest, including newspaper articles, prison broadsheets, magazine articles, pages from prison register etc

2. Bail notice for Jas. Osflick, 1828

3. Instructions to prison officers, 1878

4. York Castle washing inventory, 1865

5. Diary of William Pashley, porter at York Castle, c1837

6. Crown calendar for 1845

7. Rules and regulations of the House of Correction in Wakefield, 1834

8. Receipt for travel, 1842, J Noble; travel pass, 1839, Thos Pashley; money order for £100, 1804, from Wm Middlesborough to Wm Pashley

9. Invoice from undertakers, 1809; miscellaneous record of more serious offenders at York Castle

10. Letter from senior authorities at Whitehall, directing prison governors on matters of policy regarding debtors at York Castle, 1820

11. Abstract of expenditure, visiting magistrates, York Castle, 1840/41

12. Pass for travel, 1839, Wm and Thos Pashley (prison officers)

13. Notebook with notes on various prisoners in York Castle, extracted from 1803-1868

14. Reward notice 'Sacrilege and robbery' regarding theft of stained glass windows from All Saints Church, North Street, York

15. Newspaper account trial of Richard Houseman, 1759

16. Document consisting of a list of those present at Gaol sessions, 1824

17. Broadsheet containing particulars of that notorious spy and informer OLIVER c1820

18. Unidentified letter from a prison official requesting an increase in salary

19. Notice of discharge of bankruptcy to John Fewster, 1831

20. Printed notice and envelope from Goe. Howard of Davygate, regarding fee from 'furnishings' in Debtors Prison

21. Open letter in reply to 'visiting magistrates report on York Castle 1819' by Jos. John Gurney

22. Poetry, 'Charade', 'Enigme', 'Conundrum' written by a prisoner/warden

23. Record of city officials taking oath of allegiance before the recorder York, Christmas sessions, 1867

24. Notice of penance for committing adultery, Dec 1730, John Wood, Bishop Wilton

25. Calendar for Summer Quarter Sessions 1879 Leeds

26. Calendar of Felons 1695 York Castle, modern copy and original

27. Engraving "The New Gallows etc" (at the Old Bailey)

28. Reward notice from the City of York Association for the prosecution of Felons, December 9th 1819

29. Press cutting, May 24th 1918, NER Police Women, 4 photos of York police women c1917

30. Census on York Castle staff and prisoners, 1851

31. City of York Police Service and Character Book for George Alp 1884-97

32. Appointment of Gaoler from Sir Joseph William Copely, Bart, to Mr John Noble, 1843

33. Extracts from standing orders, local prisons, 1888-98 - modern copy

34. Abstract of expenditure, York Castle, 1839-40, 1849-1850

35. Postcard: The Keighley Guardians 1876

36. Gaoler's Journal (modern transcript) York Castle 1824-1847

37. Order for the hearing with intent to discharge a bankrupt. Debtors' Prison, 1831, John Stables

38. Summons (1810) and transcript, Thomas Hunter George Bradley etc

39. Extracts from Yorkshire Herald, Dec. 3rd 1909; including letter from Tempest Anderson opposing demolition of York Castle walls, line drawings of the same

40. Advertisement for book: "Criminal Chronology of York Castle" (Hand written note unconnected on reverse dated 1869)

41. Booklet: "Information and Observations respecting the proposed improvements at York Castle", 1823

42. Broadsheet relating to an account of murder of Jane Grey

43. Custodial order of gaoler at York Castle, 1817 for one Robert Bean

44. Appointment of gaoler (indenture) from Timothy Hutton, High Sheriff of Yorkshire to John Noble, 1843

45. 2 letters written from York Castle by Feargus O'Connor, 1840

46. Calendar of Felons 1791

47. Book on York City Gaol, Visiting Magistrates (1824-37) and transcript

48. Article of agreement between John Knowles of Selby and Thos. Greenwood (and transcript)

49. Appointment of gaoler, York Castle, and Richard Bukok to Sir John Dawney

50. Declaration of Sergeants at Mace 1670 (and transcript)

51. Yorkshire Winter Gaol delivery, 1863

52. York Castle dietaries, 1864

53. Letter to Wm Horsefall from his brother Luke, a debtor, 1835 (modern transcript)

54. Assignment of Gaol, 1825

55. Document of Gaol assignment, 1824

56. Walter Fawkes (late Sheriff) to Sir John Van den Bemp de Johnstone, Bart (present Sheriff)

57. Broadsheet: The Murder of Harriet Lane (Ripper Murder)

58. "A short account of York Castle and Clifford's Tower", c1910

59. Broadsheet: Trial and sentences of Alice Holt & Patrick Hirley for the murder of Anthony Golding, c1830/40

60. Broadsheet: Trial of Archibald Bolam for the wilful murder of Joseph Millie

61. Penny dreadful: Miles Wetherill. Police news edition of the Todmorden Murder

62. Notes on "Pattern Cell" - modern transcript

63. "Rules of the Clifford Club" (Debtor's Prison original and photocopy)

64. York Castle Gaoler's Journal, 1843-1847 - modern transcript

65. Special Commission of Gaol Delivery, County of York, 1849

66. 5 Pounds Reward Notice re. "some evil disposed Person (who) wilfully and maliciously broke a pane of glass at the Vicarage" at Kirby Moorside. Reward three pounds by clergyman Edmund Gray and two pounds by the Kirby Moorside Association for the Prosecution of Felons, 1842

67. Sentences of the Prisoners in York Castle from the Yorkshire Spring Assizes, 1847

68. The General Gaol Delivery of Saturday 12th July 1824, listing prisoners and sentences including reprieves etc

York Castle

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The York Castle archives cover 400 years of history in its exhibitions and displays. The archives relate to the time when the buildings which house the displays were originally prisons. Criminals, from debtors to murderers, were jailed here. Some were hanged here.

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