Peterhead Prison:

When, in 1877, the New Commissioners for prisons received their Royal Warrants of appointment, one of their number, John Hill Burton, was writing the following to his colleagues within a few weeks:

"It has been noticed that while Scotland contributes her share to the costs of maintaining convicts, England has the benefit of the whole expenditure along with any local service that may accrue in the shape of harbours or other works. It has sometimes been suggested that convict labour might be beneficially applied in fertilising the wastes of the Highlands and Islands or in supplying harbours of refuge or other safeguards for the navigation of the Northern Seas. Both these forms of production are of a kind not likely to excite local trade jealousy."

Having concluded the support of the maritime trade was the arena in which convicts should be deployed and that the building of Scotland's only Harbour of Refuge Breakwater should be the task, a parliamentary sub-committee was appointed in 1882 to settle on the most suitable location. The short-list was narrowed to Montrose or Peterhead. Peterhead's claim for selection pointed out that:

"It is situated mid-way between the Firth of Forth and Cromarty. The coast on either side of it is of an exposed and dangerous character; it is the centre of the great fishing industry on the East coast; it is so formed by nature as to afford all the physical advantages of ample space, depth of water, and an anchorage of the best description; and is in the vicinity of extensive granite quarries from which inexhaustible supplies of material can be obtained for the construction of the works."

In due course the committee reported that:

"The' most likely project for benefiting the shipping and fishing interests of the country at large, and at the same time profitably employing convicts, is the construction of a harbour of refuge at Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire."
The removal of all the Scottish convicts from the English system, 600 to 650 convicts removed from their public works net-work, was not welcomed and obstructions were put forward, but these were over-ruled.

November 18, 1885

The "Peterhead Sentinel and Buchan Journal" ran the following report:

CONVICTS FOR PETERHEAD
Twenty-two male convicts, the result of two months crime, says the N. B. Mail, were removed from Glasgow the other day for Perth, en route for Peterhead. At the former place they will be put under probation and classified before being sent further north. At Peterhead but little has been done of late, the site for the prison not yet having been selected. Two London engineers have been surveying the land adjoining the harbour and taking soundings of the sea in the locality where the great national breakwater is to be built, which, it is calculated, will afford labour for Scottish convicts for the next quarter of a century. It is an open secret that convict labour has become scarce in England and that is one reason for the practical turn matters are now taking in Scotland. The directors of the English Convict Service have enough to do to find work for their own convicts. The Glasgow convicts, 22 in number, were convicted at the last Assize. They left the prison van handcuffed and chained together, thus making escape impossible. It was a pitiable sight to witness them, few or none of them seeming to be over thirty years, and one or two apparently under twenty. Some of them had the usual repulsive look of the class, and one could not but feel they were leaving "the city for the city's good," like the convicts of a century ago, who were shipped for Gibraltar to hew out of the solid rock those galleries which are a wonder of the world, and which make the rock impregnable. The criminal authorities here do not conceal the fact that Glasgow alone furnishes over 100 a year. The retention of convicts in Scotland must necessarily lead to changes in the prison administration. The lash, the ankle irons, the civil guard with rifles ready for use, have hitherto been unknown in Scotland. The matter must now be brought into requisition in dealing with the worst characters of society. During the present political campaign not a few candidates have been heckled as to the propriety of using the lash for garrotters. There seems to be some haziness about the law on the matter. At present in Scotland neither the Sheriff nor the Magistrate can order the lash for any crime, nor can the prison Governor apply it for prison offences. Now that convicts are to be detained in Scotland, there must be a change if discipline is to be successful. Crime is rampant in Glasgow, robberies with violence being common in daylight. The prison is no punishment for these. Thirty or fifty lashes would do more to deter and regenerate them than a years imprisonment, and the question must now be immediately faced of dealing successfully with this, the worst class of criminals. Garrotting has greatly diminished in London since the cat was applied to garrotters. The ankle chains, weighted to the extent of l2lbs, have never been used in Scotland to dangerous convicts. Taking all things into consideration, several important changes will have to be affected in our prison system if the worst criminals are to be brought to a right frame of mind. Edinburgh, Dundee, Ayr, and Aberdeen are swelling the contingent of convicts now at Perth previous to being drafted to Peterhead.

Garrotters were the 'muggers' of those days, the practice being to put an arm around the victim's throat and render them helpless in the face of robbery.

THE CONVICT PRISON AT PETERHEAD
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECTED WORK
1886
The work of the construction of a convict prison adjoining the point known as Salthousehead, near Peterhead, for holding the convicts who are to be employed in the formation of the Harbour of Refuge at Peterhead will shortly be commenced. Contracts for the job were advertised for a short time ago. About 12 to 14 contractors are to make offers that have to be lodged by the 20th curt. It will then remain for the Prison Board to make their selection, and building will them commence. It is stipulated in the conditions of contract that the operations shall be completed, when once commenced, within a period of 13 months, and certainly so gigantic are the proportions of the operations (so much is the construction of these buildings a magnum opus) that whoever may secure the contract has a busy time before him. Meantime we are glad to say we have been fortunate in obtaining an insight to the details of the projected work, and we append a description.

The whole area, containing the prison and other buildings directly connected with it, is enclosed with boundary walls 18 feet high, surmounted by triangular coping of concrete 9 inches by 9. These walls are to be built on a foundation of solid concrete considerable in depth and breadth. Three sides of these walls (the eastern, northern, and western) are to be built by the Prison Board, or rather the contractor who gets the work, and are to be of ordinary rubble work, but the southern wall is to be built by the Board of the Admiralty, as it also forms part of the boundary walls of what are the Admiralty buildings and workshops, and it may be of other construction than rubble work. In the western enclosing wall of the the prison site, that fronting the south turnpike, there is the main entrance gate. This entrance is flanked on either side by two massive circular towers of dressed granite.

The main entrance gate is of huge proportions, being 12 feet wide by 12 feet high, with semicircular head. This ponderous gate, as well as the arch referred to, is formed of English oak, three inches thick, It is in two halves, having 9 panels in each half, and also a wicket gateway for ordinary access, formed in one of the halves. Immediately inside the gateway there is a passage or court, roofed over with concrete and paved with causeway, the sides giving access to the gatekeeper's house, and to a steelyards or weigh-house (fitted up by Messrs Pooley) 12 feet by 7 feet. There is then a massive inner gate of wrought iron. To give an idea of its immense dimensions it is only necessary to say that it will weigh 1 ton 7 cwts. It is surmounted with an iron grille of the same strength of bars, and will have side wickets, The whole gatehouse is to be built with stone with flat concrete roofs, finished on top with pyrimont seyssel asphalte one inch thick.

The prison block is to be built entirely of concrete. It will be an oblong building, upwards of 50 yards in length, standing north and south, of four storeys, and altogether 40 feet high. The roof is of an ordinary arched style, and will be covered with Ballahulish Slates. The door of the prison block in the centre, on its western side, directly fronting the iron gateway just described.

The interior of the plan is simple yet effective for the purpose required. A large corridor, occupying about a third of the space in width, runs from end to end. An immense window, 12 feet wide by 12 feet high, pierces the gable at each end of this corridor, which is lighted also from the roof by one continuous glazed roof-light.

At each side of the corridor are the cells, of which there are altogether 208 in the entire block. There are 13 cells on either side of the entrance passage, thus giving 26 cells on the west of the corridor on the basement floor, and a corresponding number - 26 - on the east side or the rear of the building. Each of the other three storeys are identical. The cells in the upper storeys are got at by one large central staircase, formed of wrought iron stringers, the threads of which are of wood, which is of a very light airy appearance. The landings are formed of large slabs of Caithness pavement laid upon iron brackets built into the wall, and surmounted by balusters. The appearance and construction of all the cells are similar. Their accommodation is certainly limited, each cell being only 7 feet by 5 feet by 7 feet 6 inches high. Each cell is lighted with a small window, 18 inches by 18 inches, which is composed of strong iron framing, and divided into six panes. It is likewise guarded at the outside by iron stanchions built into the walls. On the top of each door is an iron box with flaps for ventilation, and those boxes are connected with four large central or main shafts for ventilation carried out in the shape of chimney heads through the roof. Each cell is lighted at night with gas, a single gas jet being enclosed in an iron box, which is, of course, inaccessible to the occupant of the cell.

The heating of the building is provided for by hot water pipes. It will be seen from the above description that the actual necessities of the convicts are by no means overlooked. The fittings of the cells are on a very limited scale, however. Each apartment has a small hinged flap of iron framing, but covered with wood, its size being 2 feet by 18 inches, and this constitutes the poor convict's table. The sleeping accommodation is an ordinary hammock, slung upon hooks at each end of the cell. This is the whole furniture that the cell contains. From the forgoing descriptions a pretty full conception may be formed of what its massive strength and effectiveness will be as a prison. It will be seen from what follows that all the necessary accessories are equally complete and thorough. It may be here explained that although the prison proper is built of concrete, all the other buildings in connection (which are, of course, also all within the enclosing walls described, are of stone and lime. An indispensable institution in connection with convict prisons is the Hospital or Infirmary. This building, which is of stone and lime, will of course be fitted up with all the necessary appliances. There is nothing especially noteworthy in connection with it. Another very requisite structure is that for the specially refractory or "incorrigibles".

This is called the Separate Cell Block. It is of an extra "strong" get up, and contains about eight cells.

The Governor's house will be a two storey building, fitted up in a substantial manner, with dining room, drawing room, etc., suitable for the Governor and his family. It will also contain the business or reception room. Its walls will be finished with harled cement, with picked and dressed granite four inches in extent round the windows. The roof will have projecting eaves, and there will be a wooden porch at the entrance door. The bachelor officers' quarters and mess is another separate building, likewise built of stone, and containing all requisites. The warders' apartments form a very large structure, next in size indeed to the prison. It will be three storeys high, and will contain no fewer that 18 suites of apartments, all similarly provided with the necessary conveniences. The next building that falls to be noted is the clerks' offices and the stores for provisions, clothing &c. This is a one storey structure containing about 20 roods of building. The wash-houses and baths are constructed in the most modern approved style. There are to be two large boilers, 12 feet long by the 5 feet in diameter, connected with which will be erected two large stalks. Besides that there is a stove for drying clothes, and apparatus for heating the hot water tank. The kitchen is provided with two cooking boilers, and one potato steamer of a large size.

In accordance with normal practice, when the first accommodation block is built, the incoming convicts will be put to work extending the prison accommodation and staff quarters.

September 3rd, 1886
PETERHEAD HARBOUR OF REFUGE. THE NEW CONVICT PRISON
The Prison Commissioners of Scotland are receiving tenders for the erection of a convict prison at Peterhead. The special labour on which the convicts are there to be employed will be the construction of the harbour of refuge, so it would appear that we are now within measurable distance of the practical commencement of this large and important work. Hitherto it has been the custom to send to England all male prisoners sentenced in Scotland to penal servitude, to be employed there on various large public undertakings. They have assisted in the formation of the breakwater at Portland, the enlargement of the Admiralty Docks at Portsmouth and Chatham, and the reclamation of the barren waste of Dartmoor, as they chanced to be allocate to different prisons by the English Convict Directors.

It happened, however, that in 1882 the Government found it necessary to determine upon some further employment for convict labour as the large works referred to were approaching completion and a Departmental Committee was appointed to consider (of which Mr Beatson Bell, was the Scottish member) the point was raised as to the advisability of employing Scottish Convicts on a public work designed more especially for the benefit of Scotland. In fact a phase of the Home Rule problem has to be dealt with. It is easy to see that considerable advantage must accrue to the neighbourhood where these large public works are going on. The greater part of the convicts "keep" must be spent locally in providing the ordinary necessaries of life for the prisoners and those who have charge of them. Besides this, the provision of material in a great public work always affords employment to a considerable number of free labourers. It was hardly fair, therefore, that all these advantages should be continually given to England, provided it were clear that works of national importance suitable for the employment of convicts were required in Scotland. The Government of the day entertained favourably the idea of the Scottish work for Scottish prisoners, and a scientific sub-committee was appointed to investigate the question of where the best place for a harbour of refuge in the East Coast of Scotland could be found. The sub-committee, of which Major Mc Hardy, R.E., was secretary, made a very searching examination of the subject, and their choice in the end fell on the South Bay, Peterhead, the advantages of which had often before been brought to public notice. Peterhead stands on the most prominent easterly point of the coast of Scotland, and is thus well placed for affording shelter not only to the vessels which actually pass it, but also to those engaged in the immense carrying trade between Great Britain and the Baltic. It appears from the sub-committee's report that the tonnage of British vessels sailing on courses in which Peterhead would be an available refuge in case of need is yearly about 12,000,000 tons. To provide a possible shelter for such a fleet is therefore, from a commercial point of view, an advantage of the greatest importance. Nor must we lose sight of the fact that to hundreds of fishing boats a harbour at Peterhead, easy of approach in all weathers, would be an inestimable boon, and save from destruction many a boat's crew of fishermen driven to flee before the storm. The works themselves are to consist of a huge breakwater extending for about three quarters of a mile into the sea, so as to shelter the mouth of the South Bay of Peterhead, Sir John Coode, K.C.M.G., has been selected to take the principal engineering charge, and from his vast experience in breakwater construction, both at home and abroad and his knowledge of the best means of utilising convict labour, it may be confidently anticipated that the work will be carried to a successful issue, although it is impossible to shut one's eyes to the difficulties which present themselves at Peterhead, in erecting in water fifty feet deep a barrier against a sea the violence of which in storms is well known to be tremendous. It will, however, be some years, no doubt before much of the breakwater is built, but the necessary preliminary steps are now being taken by the authorities.

The 1886 Act stated that the whole building and grounds were to be a General Prison for the confinement of male prisoners sentenced to penal servitude, i.e. persons convicted of aggravated crimes for which, prior to 1891, the minimum period of detention was 5 years, thereafter reduced to three years.
___________________________________________

There is a puzzle presented by Newspaper reports for it would seem some prisoners were still going to England in 1887, it being reported in the following terms:

SCOTTISH CONVICTS 1888
The annual report of the Scottish Prison Commissioners, which has just been issued, gives some interesting particulars with regard to Scots convicts.

There were, it seems, 108 male and 126 female Scots convicts (that is people sentenced to penal servitude) in prison at 1st April, 1887, and during the year there were 136 male convicts received at Perth prison and 20 females. During the year, however, 156 males and 45 females were "disposed of" released or sent on to England. At 1st April, 1888, the number in Perth prison was 88 males and 101 females.

The report says:
"The male convicts who, during the year, completed nine months on separate confinement, were sent to England to public works up to '17th March, but since that date they have been detained in Scotland so that they may be available for commencing operations at the new Public Works Prison at Peterhead. In comparison with 1886-87 there has been a very substantial reduction on the number of male convicts sentenced during the year ended 31st March 1888 - from 140 to 110, but as the numbers sentenced to penal servitude in Scotland have varied a good deal from year to year, it is not clear as yet that the reduction this year indicates the beginning of steady fall. The diminution in the numbers of female convicts which began in 1872 continues, and the daily average number in custody was never so low as it is now, being 115, or about one-third of what it was in 1871-2. During the year 45 female convicts were released and 20 received into prison, of whom 10 were licence holders or convicts out on conditional liberty under what used to be known as 'ticket of leave'. Of the 10 who again committed themselves, 3 had been at liberty for only about 3 months. It will be observed that those so returned to prison for committing' offences during their conditional liberation were equal in number to those who received afresh sentence of penal servitude. The Commissioners gave considerable attention to the disposal of released convicts, with a view of placing them, if possible, on conditions favourable for a fresh start in life, but in many cases, where no benevolent guardianship of relations or others can be found, the early return of the convict to prison is almost a certainty."

The plan that the 600 - 650 Scottish convicts in the English penal-servitude system would become available for work at Peterhead never came to pass. The numbers being sentenced to that penalty dropped, but at the planning stage the Treasury was told some 500 would be available for the public works at Peterhead.

The Treasury accepted the proposed plans and in 1885 Andrew Beatson Bell, Chairman of the Scottish Commissioners, and Sir John Goode, Engineer in Chief for the construction of the proposed breakwater visited several sites in the area and recommended that Salthouse Point should be the site for the prison and that the granite should be quarried from Stirling hill, some 2½ miles from the prison site, a railway connecting them.

The estimate for the cost of constructing the prison was £99,519, but the Treasury beat this down to £57,400 by insisting that economies such as corrugated iron rather than stone be used for the construction of the prison chapel (and so it was until the 1980s); that the height of the perimeter wall be reduced; and that the plans for water closets be replaced with ones for dry closets! The land on which the prison was to be built cost £5,000.

According to the practice of the time, sufficient cell accommodation to contain a suitable work force of convicts was built by contract and the remainder by prison labour. The original accommodation was for 208, but during the first years of the 20th century the population fluctuated round an annual average of 350, reaching a peak figure of 455 in 1911.
The first Governor was Major Simon A. Dodd. He had served in the Northamptonshire Regiment, joining the Scottish prison Service in 1883. He was appointed governor of Ayr Prison and in that same year he was promoted to be governor of Barlinnie prison in Glasgow. In preparation for his post as Governor of Scotland's only Convict prison he received training at Portsmouth.

Having taken up post in 1888 Major Dodd gave the first members of the public a chance to see the beginnings of the Breakwater project. Accompanied by the Provost, Magistrates and Town Council he toured the site established by the Admiralty 2 years earlier. The plan for the breakwater was that it should cross the bay from Salthousehead being constructed of composite concrete/granite blocks resting on a base of massive pure granite blocks. It was to be 1400 yards long and 85 ft. deep at the entrance, which was to be 200 yards wide.

The South breakwater was built on a bed of shingle and is subject to movement which requires frequent repair, but the North breakwater is built onto a cement apron and is far more stable. It was estimated work would take 25 to 30 years to complete. The first stage of the project, the South breakwater, was finished by 1914. However, the last composite block wasn't laid in the North arm of the project till 1956. It would be 1963 before a party of prisoners, working under a mason warder, finished the granite work on the roundel of the north breakwater.

At the end of 1888 there were 114 convicts in Peterhead. Of these it was reported that:

13 were serving their first sentence of imprisonment.
63 had undergone previous prison sentences.
38 had already served sentences of penal servitude.

The mark system, common in convict prisons, was applied. Well-behaved and industrious convict might hope to be awarded sufficient marks to allow release after about three-quarters of his sentence had been served. The annual report of the Prison Commissioners in 1889 tells us broadly what the regime for the convicts was:

"They sleep in separate cells, but work in association; they are required to be industrious; and conversation, beyond what is absolutely necessary, is prohibited. They are provided with ample clothing, food, and allowed the use of library books in addition to the religious books with which every cell is furnished."

By 1893 the convict numbers had only risen to 330 and Admiralty engineers were expressing concern at the time being taken to construct the breakwater. Control of the quarry rested with the Admiralty who appointed a civilian quarry master. Some 80 prisoners were employed at the quarry at this time, with another 70 or so employed in the Admiralty yard beside the prison, put to the task of dressing the granite blocks.