Usk Borstal / Prescoed Camp, Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales
The Usk Borstal Institution opened in 1939 in the former Monmouthshire County Gaol premises on Mayport Street, Usk, which had closed in 1922.
![New arrivals from Wormwood Scrubs prison enter Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI1.jpg)
New arrivals from Wormwood Scrubs prison enter Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
![New inmates change into their uniforms at Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI2.jpg)
New inmates change into their uniforms at Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
![A new inmate being shown his cell at Usk Borstal, c.1945](UskBI3.jpg)
A new inmate being shown his cell at Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
![New inmates' roll-call with house-master at Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI4.jpg)
New inmates' roll-call with house-master at Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
![Cleaning work by inmates at Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI5.jpg)
Cleaning work by inmates at Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
Well-behaved inmates were transferred to the more relaxed regime at Prescoed Camp, several miles to the south-west of Usk. There was much to-and-fro on bicycles, boys from the camp cycling out to local farms to work or back into Usk for classes, and boys from the town site cycling out to work at the camp.
![Prescoed Camp, Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI6.jpg)
Prescoed Camp, Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
![Boys doing farm work at Prescoed Camp, Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI8.jpg)
Boys doing farm work at Prescoed Camp, Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
At Prescoed, the inmates constructed a swimming pool for the camp.
![Prescoed Camp swimming pool, Usk Borstal, c.1945.](UskBI7.jpg)
Prescoed Camp swimming pool, Usk Borstal, c.1945. © Peter Higginbotham
In 1964, the Borstal was converted to a Detention Centre. It became a Youth Custody Centre in 1983, a Young Offenders Institution in1988, and an adult prison in 1990.
Records
Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.
- None identfied at present — any information welcome.
Bibliography
- Fox, Lionel W The English Prison and Borstal Systems (1952, Routledge & Kegan Paul)
- Behan, Brendan Borstal Boy (1958, Hutchinson)
- Hutton, John Portland Borstal Institutution Miscellany Volume 2 (2018)
- Lodge, Jeremy Lowdham Grange. Borstal! (2014)
Links
- None identified at present.
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.