HM Prison Brixton

HM Prison Brixton stands in Brixton, a district of the London Borough of Lambeth. Built in 1820 as the Surrey House of Correction, it was designed to hold 175 prisoners but soon held over 200. Early conditions were harsh, with small cells and the introduction of penal treadmills in 1821. Female inmates faced four months of solitary confinement and were only gradually allowed limited privileges. By the mid-19th century, the prison expanded and began housing children under four alongside their mothers. The prison has served many roles over the centuries. It became a women’s correctional facility in 1852 after penal colonies stopped accepting female prisoners. Later, it functioned as a military prison, a trial-and-remand prison, and briefly as a Category C training prison from 2012. Notable escapes include those by Provisional IRA prisoners in 1980 and 1991. In 1999, Prisons Minister Paul Boateng intervened after multiple suicide attempts, leading to reforms and the removal of the governor. Today, Brixton is a Category C training prison with four residential units and a health care unit. Inmates can take courses in IT, English, maths, and art, many leading to recognised qualifications. The prison’s gym offers physical education and accredited programmes. The Family and Visitor’s Centre, run by the charity Pact, supports families. Former inmates include philosopher Bertrand Russell, Irish nationalists like Terence MacSwiney and Dolours Price, and figures such as Mick Jagger and the Kray twins.