Dundee Prison Records 1901

[boop]

Can anyone help me, I have a 1901 census for a Robert Moore and he is an inmate in Dundee prison. I have been in touch with the National Archives of Scotland and Dundee Prison seems to be one of the few prisons where there are no records. Does anyone know where else I can try to find out what Robert Moore was in prison for and how long he was there. He died in Dunfermline in 1946.

[ricky1]

Hi Boop
 I suppose you could try the local paper at that time to see if there was a mention of him being taken to court. I know its a long shot. Might be worth a try. Or see if there are any court records around that time.


ricky

[boop]

Thanks Ricky for your reply
When he died in 1946 he had four surnames on his death certificate so I think that may be a clue to why he was in prison.

[ricky1]

Hi Boop
 Four surnames, never heard of that before, must make life hard trying to track him down

Wish you all the best in that case then, think your going to need it

ricky

[Sherlock]

With apologies to Elizabeth1 for pinching this extract from one of her posts:

Could I suggest that you contact Dundee City Archives.
They may well help you with your search.  Many of them are volunteers and love doing things for people who are searching there family history.

The e-mail address Fax and phone number below, best of luck.

For further information about the Friends and their activities please contact:


The Archive & Record Centre
Tel: 01382 434494
Fax 01382 434666
Email:archives[at]dundeecity.gov.uk

 Moderator Comment: e-mail edited, to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please replace [-- at --] with @

[boop]

Thank you Sherlock I will give it a go. What dawned on me after I posted my message was that even though there are no prison records to search I could still look for court records so I will also look into that. Thanks again.

[Betty Boo]

Hi boop,

Hope you don't mind me saying but as far as I know Dundee has never had a prison.

We do have a Courthouse and prisoners are held in cells in the Dundee police station until case is held at the courthouse, if found guilty they are then sent to prisons in Perth, Peterhead or Edinburgh depending on their crime.

Could your relative not just have been listed as a prisoner in Dundee on the 1901  census but was just awaiting a trial?  He would still have been classed as a prisoner at the time.  What does it actually say on the census, does it actually say prisoner in Dundee? or in Dundee prison?


Elizabeth

[snowolf]

Hi Elizabeth ,
apparently there was a prison in Dundee,connected to police station ,but it was demolished (remember the guy from princes street that was roumoured to be Jack the ripper ?) was he not the last guy to be hung there ?
     seems there was a break out in the prison sometime in the 1800's....but anyway if you pass the bell street station at the back  now ...there is a bit where you see a small part of the old stone wall  I wonder if that was sometime part of the old prison?...it has very small windows.
 you can see it if you pass on the bus that way ,but have to be quick .

                           

[Betty Boo]

Hi Snowolf,

I alway thought that was the holding cell area, for taking people into court, so they didn't have to go outside at all in case any of then tied to escaped.

I remember my hubby work on the buses many years later and if you also remember the bus depot was at the back of the Bell Street police station running up Lochee Road area.
Anyway some guy was brought to court and they had him in the van bringing him into court from another local Police Station, he manged to get out the van somehow and was sittting in the bus depot drinking tea with all the bus drivers when the police came out to get him for his court case.

So funny when you think about if now!!!

Sorry I don't remember the story of the guy from Princes Street or anyone being hung there!!

Elizabeth