Reformation, Terror and Scandal: The 1853 Royal Commission into Abuses at Birmingham Prison.

On the 27 April 1853, in the Birmingham borough prison, a fifteen-year-old prisoner, Edward Andrews, killed himself. His death led to a Royal Commission which explored the operation of the prison since its opening in 1849. Over thirteen days magistrates, the prison's officers, guards and former and serving prisoners gave evidence in public. The commission's 531-page report provided a remarkable and unique insight into life in the prison. This paper provides a detailed account of events in Birmingham and the political context that enabled such a thorough investigation. It highlights the contributions of the radical Birmingham Councillor, Joseph Allday, and Home Secretary, Viscount Palmerston, to explain why an investigation took place. Whilst previous accounts have blamed the abuses on the regime of 'terror' of the prison's second governor, William Austin, this article argues that their origins can be traced back to the reformative regime of the first governor, Alexander Maconochie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]