Key Dates on the timeline of Barlinnie

The Building

from Bob Jeffrey's book “History of Barlinnie”

Barlinnie was designed by Major General T.B. Collinson, architect and engineer to the Scottish Prison Department, and it was built in the then rural area of Riddrie adjacent to the Monkland Canal now the route of the M8 motorway 

1879: Land bought from Barlinnie Farm Estate for £9,750. 

1880: Building work begins. 

1882: A Hall commissioned on July 25. First three prisoners arrive on August 15. 

1883: B Hall commissioned

1887: C Hall commissioned

1892: D Hall commissioned

1896: E Hall complete, bringing total 1887 capacity to around 900. in more recent times up to double the inmates have been crammed inside its walls.

1955: Female block built due to closure of Duke Street female prison. 

1958: Peter Manuel becomes one of the last men to be hanged at Barlinnie. Buried on site. 

1972: Special Unit set up in female block. It gains worldwide fame for its experimental treatment of dangerous prisoners, including Jimmy Boyle. 

1983: Segregation Unit complete. 

1987: Barlinnie became notorious worldwide as the site of Scotland's longest prison siege. Even those who had seen it coming were taken aback by the scale of the riot.

1993: Special unit closed when it was deemed too expensive to run.

1997: £5m refurbishment of D Hall complete. Other halls refurbished later. 

2000: Prisoner lodged compensation claim with the High Court for being unlawfully detained in appalling remand conditions in C Hall. 

2001: Bill McKinlay becomes Barlinnie's 20th governor. 

2001: Remand prisoner Robert Napier successfully claims slopping-out was inhumane and degrading, and was later awarded £2450. 

2002: Slopping-out ends after 122 years. 

2002: Convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi arrived at Barlinnie by helicopter after first appeal against his 20-year sentence failed. Nelson Mandela later visited him.

2005: Al-Megrahi moved to lower-security Greenock prison. 

2006: First Night Centre set up in E Hall. 

We've been busy here, http://www.theatrenemo.org/

It has been a while since we've blogged, but if you know of this site,  we'd love you to share it!
It's hard trying to get a hold on peoples' busy lives, so if we can do this in little bite-size pieces that would be great!

Step by step and break down the barriers!
                                   Sharing makes the load lighter!

                                                   Any more? Any stories?

Here's an article from the Herald from November last year, when the project was still in its planning stages.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/theatre-project-to-get-behind-barlinnies-bars.19463214

It's great to have publicity like this, so thank you Stephen Naismith.

If you have a platform in which to share our reach in gathering more interest and information, we would greatly appreciate it.
Drop us a comment in the box below or email barlinniehistory@theatrenemo.org 

Many Thanks

After 8 years of successful projects at Barlinnie, we've decided to do one about the history of Barlinnie in conjunction with the local Riddrie community.
What is the origin of Barlinnie the largest prison in Scotland?
We are interested in researching the human and social history of this infamous institution.
To go back in time to find out how does the Barlinnie of
today compare with the Barlinnie 130 years ago?
What were the social issues, and what kind of crimes were people locked up for over the years?
What were the conditions in society and in prisons, and what support was available for families of prisoners?
What can we learn, what have we learned from the past to make prisons work better in the future?
Some of the young men in prison have fathers and grandfathers in prison at the same time. therefore, most importantly do we as a society have some lessons to learn?
There are many stories written about the notorious criminals but  this story is about the ordinary citizens. 

If this brick could talk, it would have some stories to tell....



The brick itself is of historical importance within Barlinnie's history. It's from the sombre days of hanging. There were only three bricks remaining after the execution room in D Hall was demolished. HRH Princess Anne has one, Barlinnie itself, and the last one was awarded to Theatre Nemo for its contributions and continued support. It was accepted with great pride and keeps the bond with Barlinnie strong. 
 
This is a year long project culminating in a performance and a documentary or short film. The working process will include visual art, story development using valuable and interesting information from the research gathered, leading to the dramatisation of a final story.

We envisage this project being a successful, memorable and historic time- piece full of fascinating previously unknown accounts of Barlinnie life then and now that can be accessable and shared with the public.

We need your help in gathering information, photographs, news-paper clippings, experience or stories whether from 10 years ago, 50 years ago or even 130 ears ago, we'd love to hear them!

Please contact us on this email we've specifically set up for this project:
barlinniehistory@theatrenemo.org
                                                            Thank you for your help on this!