What was the ‘General Prison’ and where can I find information about it?

The term ‘General Prison’ was first used in 1839 to refer to the new prison being built at Perth, whose primary purpose was to house the increasing numbers of prisoners being sentenced by courts all over Scotland to longer terms of imprisonment. It was built as a result of the Prison (Scotland) Act 1839, which placed the superintendence of all Scottish prisons in the hands of the General Board of Directors of Prisons in Scotland. County Boards were established to manage all 178 Scottish prisons, except the General Prison, which was administered directly by the General Board of Directors until the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1860.  This entrusted the running of the General Prison to four managers – the Sheriff of Perth, the Inspector of Prisons in Scotland, the Crown Agent and a stipendiary manager. The General Prison at Perth housed convicts serving sentences exceeding 9 months and prisoners suffering mental ill-health. It was on the site of the former Prisoner of War depot, which had housed French soldiers captured in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1882, Barlinnie Prison, near Glasgow, opened and served partly as a General Prison. By 1904 most long sentences were served in Peterhead Prison (for men) and Duke Street Prison, Glasgow (for women).

For further details see:

Sievwright, William, Historical Sketch of the Old Depot or Prison for French Prisoners of War at Perth (Wright, 1894)

Sievwright, William, Historical Sketch of the General Prison for Scotland at Perth: with notes on Crime & Criminals (Wright, 1894