HMP Wandsworth: The Story of London's Most Notorious Prison

Video Description

Behind its towering Victorian walls, HMP Wandsworth has witnessed some of the most chilling and fascinating chapters in British criminal history. Once known as the Surrey House of Correction, this vast South London fortress has held everyone from Oscar Wilde to 'Mad' Frankie Fraser — and was home to the country’s last working gallows. In this video, I explore the full story of London’s largest prison: How it began as a 19th-century “House of Correction” The grim realities of life inside, including overcrowding and “slopping out” Its chilling history of executions — including Lord Haw Haw, John George Haigh, and Derek Bentley Famous inmates and escapes — from Oscar Wilde to Ronnie Biggs And the remarkable Wandsworth Prison Museum, curated by former officer Stewart McLaughlin, who kindly showed me around. Along the way, we’ll uncover some rare and sobering relics from Britain’s penal past — and even see how Wandsworth has appeared in films such as A Clockwork Orange. ⚠️ Content warning: This video includes discussion of executions and violent crimes, which some viewers may find distressing. 📍 Wandsworth Prison Museum Visits are by appointment only. For information, contact the museum directly: https://www.capcollections.org.uk/business-directory/wandsworth-prison-museum/ *** Chapters: 00:00 Introduction- London's Largest Prison 02:50 The Surrey House of Correction 03:44 Designing a Victorian Fortress 04:55 The Separate System 06:13 Overcrowding & 'slopping out' 06:57 Child Prisoners at Wandsworth 07:32 Corporal Punishment at Wandsworth 07:53 Wandsworth's Gallows 08:50 The 'Cold Meat Shed' 10:12 Notable hangings.... 10:19 Kate Webster 11:08 George Henry Lamson 11:34 IRA assassins 12:03 The Blackout Ripper 12:47 Lord Haw Haw 13:28 The 'Acid Bath Murderer' 14:07 Derek Bentley 14:59 Albert Pierrepoint 15:33 Britain's Last Hangman 17:01 HMP Wandsworth in literature, music & film 18:13 Notable inmates at HMP Wandsworth 18:28 Oscar Wilde 19:22 London's Criminal Underworld- Ronnie Kray & Mad Frankie Fraser 20:05 James Earl Ray & the Assassination of Martin Luther King 21:46 The Great Train Robbery & Ronnie Biggs' Escape 23:26 Outro *** Thank you so much to all of you who support my channel with your kind words, likes and shares. If you're feeling extra generous, you can also support my work with a tip via either the YouTube 'thanks' button (which appears as a heart icon below the video), or alternatively, via my Ko-fi account: https://ko-fi.com/robslondon Any such financial donations are of course greatly appreciated, and they really do help when it comes to creating content. My other links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/cabmirror Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert_lordan/?hl=en-gb Thanks again for watching, friends. Stay well, and please be sure to stay tuned! *** Credits: Images: Eastern State Penitentiary Main Gate: Billy Willson La Sante Prison: Michael C. Berch (Creative Commons) Gravel Path footage: Luis Figueroa (pexels.com) * Sound Effects: Prison Soundscape Stylised: 7by7 (freesound). Washing Machine Crank: mono832 (freesound) Pistol Shot: TBOY298 Gallows Trap Being Sprung: Craigsmith (freesound) WW2 UK Air Raid Bomb Blasts: ScottishPerson (pixabay.com) Prison door closing: brianbaltar (freesound) * Music Keys to Unravel (The Soundlings) Forest Lullabye (Asher Fulero) Faultlines (Asher Fulero) Dark Hallway by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/?keywords=Hallway&Search=Search Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Lake Jupiter (John Patitucci) Day of Recon (Sting): Max Surla/Media Right Productions Laendler in C Minor Hess 68 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/?keywords=laendler&Search=Search Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Radar (The Grey Room/Density & Time) March of the Mind by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100167 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Intractable by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100194 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ ***