Wormwood Scrubs (HM Prison)

Infobox HM Prison
name = HMP Wormwood Scrubs


size = 200px
caption = Entrance to Wormwood Scrubs Prison
opened = 1880s
type = Adult Male/Category B
figures = 1256 (December 2007)
location = Wormwood Scrubs, London
governor = Steve Metcalf
prisonid = 404

Wormwood Scrubs (informally "The scrubs") is a Category B British local prison that receives prisoners on remand or after sentencing. It is on the south of Wormwood Scrubs in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was built in the 1880s, using prison labour. Until 1902, it housed male and female prisoners. It currently has accommodation for 1256 prisoners in five wings.

There have been numerous disturbances and protests. In 1979 there was a rooftop protest over visiting rights staged by IRA prisoners. 60 inmates and several prison officers were injured. In 1982, an inquiry blamed much of the difficulties on failings in prison management. The governor, John McCarthy, had quit before the rioting. He had described Wormwood Scrubs as a "penal dustbin" in a letter to "The Times".

In the 1990s, a police investigation into allegations of staff brutality resulted in the suspension of 27 prison officers and the conviction of six for assault (three later won appeals against conviction). The Prison Service paid over £3 million in out-of-court settlements with ex-prisoners who had alleged brutality. David Ramsbotham, Chief Inspector of Prisons, delivered a damning report on the conditions and regime in which he gave the prison 12 months to improve or close. Since then, the Prison Service has poured resources and relocated talented governors to tackle problems. Subsequent inspections have generally been favourable, and the prison is now held to be one of the better local prisons in the UK. The nearest tube station is East Acton.

CBBC's The Slammer features Wormwood Scrubs Prison in the titles.

History

The prison was completely constructed using convict labour. The idea of doing so was originated in 1874 by General Sir Edmund du Cane of the Royal Engineers, and at that time the head of the Prison Department, who had been inspired by the construction of Sing Sing prison in the US. Du Cane was also the architect of the prison.

The initial steps in the winter of 1874 involved the construction of a small prison made of corrugated iron and a temporary shed to serve as a barracks for the warders. Nine specially picked prisoners, all within a year of release, completed the buildings after which 50 more prisoners were brought in who in turn erected a second temporary prison wing. Building then began on the permanent prison, with bricks being manufactured on site. By the summer of 1875 enough bricks had been prepared to build the prison's first block, whose ground floor was finished as winter began. Construction was completed in 1891. [cite book | last = George R. | first = Sims | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Living London | publisher = Cassell & Co. | date = 1902 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ]

During World War II the prison was taken over by the War Department and the prisoners evacuated. It was used as secure office space for the duration of hostilities and housed MI5 and MI8.

In popular culture

In films set in Britain, when someone is shown being released from prison, the front entrance of Wormwood Scrubs is frequently chosen as a filming location, e.g.
*"The Italian Job"
*"Billy Liar"
*"The Spy Who Came in from the Cold"
*"The Horse's Mouth"
*"The Sweeney (TV) - One Of Your Own"
*"Porridge" - In both the TV Serie and Film

It is also mentioned in The Jam's hit song, "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" and Billy Bragg's 'Rotting on Remand' from the Workers Playtime album.

Comedian Spike Milligan recorded "The Wormwood Scrubs Tango" about an elderly car thief in the prison.

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards spent 30 hours at Wormwood Scrubs following a drug conviction in 1967. He was released on appeal and his conviction overturned.

Pete Doherty served time in the prison.

External links

* [http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/prisoninformation/locateaprison/prison.asp?id=404,15,2,15,404,0 Prison service information]
* [http://www.victorianlondon.org/prisons/wormwood.htm Victorian London - prisons and penal system]
* [http://www.libcom.org/history/articles/blake-prison-escape-1966/ George Blake escape]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/380347.stm BBC News - Troubled history of the Scrubs]
* [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR450142001?open&of=ENG-360 Amnesty International - Public statement on Wormwood Scrubs]
* [http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/hmpwormwoodscrubs040323.html The Home Office - HMP Wormwood Scrubs - Significant improvements under pressure]