One of the cells at Kirkham Prison in 2001One of the cells at Kirkham Prison in 2001
One of the cells at Kirkham Prison in 2001

HMP Kirkham: 28 scenes which offer a glimpse of life behind the walls of Kirkham Prison through 60 years service

Kirkham Prison is 60 this month and these photos offer a rare insight into life inside.

The prison is the Fylde Coast’s only jail and opened in 1962. The actual site started out life as an RAF base and continued until 1945 where it remained closed until the facility was taken over by the Home Office and susequently opened as a prison. There had been a public inquiry into the Prison Commissioner’s plans to turn the site into a prison, with residents concerned about escapes, and the temptations of having a seaside resort nearby. These pictures show the site throughout the years - from an empty building in 1960, to the more recent past and offer a glimpse inside the cells at varying stages throughout the past six decades as well as key moments in its history.

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