Galway Gaol, 1830-1866

Plans and drawings, some with slight colour tint, of the two adjacent prisons, with drawings related to a proposed amalgamation in 1866.  The 1830 plan is signed ‘Dublin Castle 20 October 1831, His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant approves...’, and ‘Referred to by Deed of Contract dated the tenth day of February 1832’.  Others which generally relate to proposed alternations are signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, (1858 & 1866) and also annotated ‘Plans referred to in Bond dated 10 November 1858’ and also include additional signatures.

1.         March 1830 -1832
Ground ‘Plan of the principal story of an addition, and other improvements’ to the Town Gaol of Galway, drawn by Frederick Darley, Architect.  Plan shows hospital airing ground, female airing ground, kitchen, convalescent ward, master debtors’ yard, pauper debtors’ yard, Matron’s room, corridor leading out to male criminal prison and Governors House, and also the general layout of the main body of the prison.  A blue line indicates main sewer to the River.

Includes handwritten annotation ‘Dublin Castle 20th October 1831, His Excellency, the Lord Lieutenant approves’ signed Wm [Gosser] and ‘Referred to by deed of contract dated the tenth day of February 1832’ signed Wm Clarke.  Also includes signatures of Denis Clark, James O’Hara and L M Lynch.  Also ‘This plan approved of for self and Brother Jurors’ [J O’Hara] (from the Grand Jury).

Size:W 640mm x 395mm
Scale:100 feet to an inch

2.Colour plan of ground and first floors of County Galway Gao, ‘Showing Alterations proposed to adapt one ward to separate confinement system’.  Note indicates ‘Each cell according to the above arrangement will contain 440 cubic feet’, and also a rough pencil drawing and note ‘I want a ground plan made of [our] half of the ward…. County Gaol and the chapel with yours etc…’.
Size:W 545mm x L 330mm
Scale:8 feet to an inch.
 

3.July 1858 - 1859Linen backed colour ground floor plan of the County Prison, with light tints of blues, and with alternations and additions indicated in red, marked No.1, showing alternations proposed to adapt three wards to separate confinement system, includes ground floor plan of the chapel and the exercise yards.  Note indicates that ‘By the Above arrangement the smallest cell will contain 440 cubic feet’.  Also includes transverse section plan of chapel.  Includes various annotations such as ‘Plans referred to in Bond dated 10^th Nov 1859’, and ‘Approved by Grand Jury’ and various signatures. Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, July 1858.

Scale:8 feet to one inch ground floor plan, and
                         4 feet to one inch the chapel section
Size:815 mm x 560mm

 

4.1858Linen backed colour drawing, with light tints of blues and with alternations and additions in red, marked No.3.  ‘Longitudinal section through wards No. 2,3, & 4, showing alterations proposed to adapt three wards to separate confinement systems’ of County Galway Prison. Includes section through chapel, showing doors from upper and lower corridors, altar, and chapel window.  Includes various annotations including ‘Plans referred to in Bond dated 10 November 1859’, also ‘His Excellency approves, Dublin Castle 19 Aug 1895’. Also signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, (1858).

Scale: 8 feet to one inch for the longitudal section through the wards,                          and 4 feet to one inch the chapel section
Size:W 820mm x 560mm
 

5.November 1863Plan on tracing paper of County Galway Prison plan of first floor, with ‘proposed work’ coloured red, with annotations ‘Plan referred to in annexed Report, bearing date 28^th Nov 1863’.  Handwritten note on reverse side states ‘Ordered with the exception of door on corridors. Signed Wm Joyce, Clerk.

Scale:8 feet to one inch
Size:680 mm x 455mm

6.May 1866Linen backed colour ‘General Plan’ of ‘County and County of Town of Galway Prisons’, with light tints of blues, marked No.1, indicates adjacent prisons, one marked ‘County of the Town Prison’ and the other ‘County Prison’.  The former includes turf house, treadmill, yards, hospital yards, female yard, tried felons yards.  The County Prison includes, in semi-circle shape, separate cells for males, chapel, cells for females, debtors ward, office, work shed, female yard, hospital, inspection yard, and Governor’s House, and entrance gate.  Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, May 1866.

Scale:20 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm
(See:  GS11/2/16)

7 .May 1866‘County and County of Town of Galway Gaols Amalgamation’ with light tints of blues and reds, marked No.3. Shows ground floor plan of paupers debtors’ apartments, Master Debtors apartments, punishment cells, turnkeys room, individual cells, coal store, general kitchen exercise apartments, and the Governor’s house, with an attached piece with the basement plan of the Governor’s house, Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, May 1866.

Scale:8 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm

8.May 1866County and County of the Town of Galway Gaols Amalgamation Male prison first floor colour plan, marked No. 4, with light tints of blues and red.  Includes first floor plan of Governor’s residence. Includes note indicating ‘This portion of the prison was altered in 1859 and adapted to the separate system of confinement’.  Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, May 1866.

Scale:8 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm

9.n/dAppears to be half drawn plan of the gaol, showing general layout of cells and exercise yards, with pencil dimensions.

Size:990 mm x 655mm

See also GS11/2/18, for other draft drawings.

10.n/dColour plan of ‘treadmill showing proposed stalls
Size:655 mm x 315mm
Scale:6 feet to one inch

11.1864?Specification issued by the Board of Superintendence, County Prison, for the erection of stalls to the treadmill, detailing work to be carried out and materials to be used, stating for instance that ‘The steps to Treadmill (which will also form seats for the prisoners) to be red pine, the top tread in each stall to be 12 x 1½ and the two lowers treads 9 x 1¼ secured on proper ledges’, and ‘The entire to be completed in a neat substantial and workmanlike manner and fully to the satisfaction of the Co. Surveyor (Roberts)...’ Tenders were to be addressed to the Chairman of the Board.

2pp

12.16 September 1864Letter from John J. Brady, St. Francis Street, Galway to Samuel Roberts, County Surveyor, regarding his contract for the ‘erection of “Stalls” at the Prison...’ and painting of ‘old and new walls three coats...’.

1p

13.18 September 1864Note from S. [ ] (Roberts, Co. Surveyor) with details of costs for contract for stalls and fittings to dispensary and requesting that ‘Mr Brady prepare a Bill and I will certify it’, and that bills should be forward to him by post.

Additions to collection, passed from Local Studies to Archives in 2018-19, and processed in 2019

14.May 1866County and County of the Town of Galway Gaols Amalgamation Female Prison ground colour plan, marked No. 5, with light tints of blues and red, includes Mistress Debtors Apartments, Female Turnkey, Heating Apartments, and the cells.  Also includes entrance to female prison, reception ward, laundry and exercise yard for Mistress Debtors. Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, May 1866.

Scale:8 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm

15. May 1866County and County of the Town of Galway Gaols Amalgamation Female prison first floor colour plan, marked No. 6, with light tints of blues and red, includes Mistress Debtors Apartments, Matron’s Room, Clothes Store and the cells.  Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, May 1866.

Scale:8 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm

16.May 1866‘General Plan’ of ‘County and County of Town of Galway Gaol

Amalgamation, ‘Showing Proposed Arrangements’ with light

tints of blues, marked No.2, indicating Entrance Gate, Governors Resident, Exercise Yard and Male Prison (as semi-circulator shape) on the left-hand side, with separate units for the Board Room and Office and Hospital for Male Prisoners.  On the right-hand side the Female Prison (indicating ‘For details see Plans No. 5 & 6’) (a V shaped structed) with separate blocks for the Machinery and Treadmill, Turf Sheds, Hospital for Female Prisoners, also shows the enclosed exercise yard for Male Prisoners, and another separate one for the Female prisoners adjacent to the Chapel, Store and laundry, and the various entrance between the two sections of the Gaol, and access points to the various blocks and outbuildings.

Signed by the County Surveyor, Samuel Roberts, May 1866.

Scale:20 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm

Condition:A little tatty at edges, some minor tears, and cellotape on reverse

17. n/d [1830s)Galway Prison Ground Plan, with slight colour tints for, with

key indicating what various coloured dotted lines signify,

relating to water and sewer pipes. The drawing shows the layout of the prison, indicating the Governor’s Resident, and general layout of the prison and each section’s adjoining exercise yards, with one identified as being ‘No. 6 Ward - for mat making’, another ‘For untried prisoners’, and another ‘superficial yard of flagging’
 

Scale:8 feet to one inch
Size:990 mm x 655mm

18.n/d [1866]Four draft / half drawn plans of the gaol, some with pencil annotations, relating to the proposed amalgamation.

Size:4 items

See also GS11/2/9 - for other draft drawings/ plans.