Life Inside Manchester’s Notorious Strangeways Prison in the 1940s

Photographer Bert Hardy captured these images of prisoners doing their daily outdoor exercise, being searched for contraband items during a “rubdown” and serving evening meals in November 1948. Other intriguing images show prisoners untangling knots in post office string and sewing mailbags.

In 1868, Strangeways was opened alongside the now-demolished Manchester Assize Courts alongside Alfred Waterhouse. The prison was known for its prominent ventilation tower and imposing design, based on the principles of the separate system.

#1 A prison officer frisking prisoners during the “rub-down” at Strangeways Prison

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#2 A prison officer supervising prisoners as they take out their night-slops at Strangeways Prison.

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#3 Prison officers watching over prisoners as they take their daily hour of outdoor exercise at Strangeways Prison.

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#4 Prison officers watching prisoners return from their daily outdoor exercise at Strangeways Prison.

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#5 Prison officer Davidson interviewing a group of new prisoners in the reception room at Strangeways Prison.

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#6 A prison officer watches over prisoners who are busy sewing mailbags in Strangeways Prison.

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#7 A prison officer supervising prisoners who are untying knots in Post Office string at Strangeways Prison.

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#8 Prison officers watch over prisoners at Strangeways Prison.

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#9 A prison officer surveys his dominion at 6.30 in the morning shortly before the wake-up bell at Strangeways Prison.

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#10 Prison officer Davidson watches as a prisoner talks to a visitor at Strangeways Prison.

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#11 Prison officer Davidson talks to a group of visitors at Strangeways Prison.

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#12 Prison officer Davidson serving a prisoner a meal at Strangeways Prison.

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