Genealogy Chat

My father told me he lived in York castle as a boy- apparently his father was posted there in the Army and his family went with him. I believe he lived where the Museum is now. I have recently visited York and found out that there was a military prisonat the time, but the records office, castle museum and regimental museum could not help me with more information. I wonder if anyone on the site has any ideas on how I could find out, or perhaps someone may know more about the military in the area at the time.
Thank you
Alice

The castle's bailey continued to be in use. In 1701 the County Jail replaced the old prison, with much of the south wall and south gateway being demolished to accommodate it. It was a spacious jail and in 1774 John Howard, a prison reformer, praised it. In 1739 the highwayman Dick Turpin was imprisoned and executed at York. Between 1773 - 1777 the Assize Courts were built, with the matching Female Prison block built in 1780. In 1777 the castle courtyard was levelled and grassed over and, as the election of Members of Parliament for Yorkshire took place here, became known as the 'Eye of the Ridings'. After the Great Reform Act of 1832 cut down bribery and vote-rigging as well as removing rotten and pocket boroughs it became known as the Eye of York. The area was also used for public executions between 1802 - 1868, after which they took place behind the female prison.

As the population of York increased the amount of prison space needed also increased, when in 1825 the whole castle site was transformed into a prison. A new tower was built east of the motte with prison wings radiating from it, and a new 35ft high wall was built on the north side of the castle, complete with a new dark grey prison gatehouse. The prison was in use as the county jail until 1900, and as a military prison until 1929. In 1935 many of the prison buildings were demolished, leaving the castle in the state it is now.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350199

Roy

Thank you Roy,
I wish I had asked a few more questions! I guess my Grandad may have been employed at the prison in some way although i am surprised Dad never told me this. He was in the West kent regiment and it seems a bit odd that he was there and with his family too.
Alice