Records of Glasgow Discharged Prisoners Aid Society, Glasgow, Scotland

• Minute books 1856-1864, 1891-1975
• Minutes of Executive Committee 1922-1955
• Minutes of Finance Committee 1892-1921
• Photographs, interior and exterior of the building 1975

At a meeting on 15th December 1856  chaired by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Andrew Orr, a proposal was made for the establishment of a society in aid of destitute discharged prisoners. The general committee was chaired initially by Baillie Thomson. An acting committee was also formed with Mr.James Playfair in the chair and this appointed as agent for the Society, Mr McNaughton in 1857. Initial premises were obtained in the Royal Bank building in St.Andrew's Square. The first two inmates were admitted in June 1857. In 1896 new premises were built in Cathedral Square and these opened in March 1897. These were described as very commodious, built expressly in accordance with the requirements of the society. They were also 100 yards from the exit gate of Duke Street prison. The total cost was £3,320 and the society was able to provide funds for all but about £500 of that amount. On the opening of the new premises the Secretary reported that over 55,000 discharged prisoners had passed through the hands of the society in the previous 8 years. The Society was wound up on 28th May 1974  and the funds were transferred to the Scottish Association for the care and resettlement of offenders. The premises today are used as a hotel and restaurant.

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Open

Gift: Glasgow Discharged Prisoners Aid Society: c1974

Item level list available via the resources section of Heatherbank Museum of Social Work Web pages http://www.lib.gcal.ac.uk/heatherbank/resources.html . Printed item level list also available.

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Held by Glasgow Discharged Prisoners Aid Society until c1974

None expected

Finding aids for the Subject-based Ephemera Collection and a Resources Library, which holds supporting material and published literature, may both contain associated information and can be consulted via Heatherbank Museum of Social Work Web pages http://www.lib.gcal.ac.uk/heatherbank/resources.html. A subject-based Newspaper Cuttings Collection is also available for consultation.

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Fonds level description compiled by Compiled by Andrew Thomson, Hub Project Archivist, 21 June 2004. Administrative History compiled by Alastair Ramage, Museum Curator, Heatherbank Museum of Social Work.