Norwich Castle Prison exhibition

By Mike Stevens - Posted on 26 August 2010

Title: Emma Taylor of Norwich Museums service takes Mike Stevens round the new prison exhibit at Norwich castle.
Length: 17:09 minutes (23.56 MB)
Format: Mono 44kHz 192Kbps (CBR)

This is a recent addition to the Norwich castle Museum and it displays, in graphic detail the day to day life of its previous role as a prison up to 1887. Prisoners were kept in very harsh conditions, often for very minor offences. For some it was a stage towards deportation to Australia, for others a shorter trip to the hangmans noose. This is a splendid exhibition which lets you experience what feels like to be in a cell. Children can try on prison clothes. You can explore the histories of some notorious murderers and see the tokens and broadsheeets that were sold as souvenirs at the time of their public execution. The museum has a collection of death masks.

I was taken round the exhibition by Emma Taylor, Norwich museum's Development Officer. She is anxious to hear any family history stories where ancestors were held in the castle. Already a number have come to light including families of deportees to Australia.

This is a permanent exhibition which is included in the normal admission price. Some of the videos concerning individual histories of prisoners will be changed from time to time.

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My great x 6 grandmother

Submitted by Samuel (not verified) on Sun, 18/09/2011 - 16:03.

My great x 6 grandmother Elizabeth Pulley was held at Norwich before being sent to Australia on the First Fleet..here is a little bit of info regarding how she ended up there.. "On 14 March 1783, she was tried at Thetford Assize, Norfolk for burgling the home/shop of Elizabeth Mimms at midnight on 24 December 1782 and stealing diverse foodstuffs and 2 rolls of worsted. She was found guilty and sentenced to be hung. In November 1783 her sentence was commuted to transportation for 7 years. Elizabeth was held at Norwich Castle from her arrest until 21 October 1786. Fellow inmates included young Henry Cable and Susannah Holmes--among the first couple to be married at Sydney Cove.