It was one of the most costly and devastating riots in the history of British prisons. Forty years ago this week, a passive demo inside HMP Hull turned into a full-blown riot. Now, Jim Mitchell – who saw the sights, sounds and smells from outside as an eight-year-old child – investigates.
September 1st is often credited as the first day of the riot but it actually started the evening before on August 31 when a passive demonstration inside the jail turned into a full-blown riot. On September 1, shocked residents witnessed prison rooftop demonstrations by sinister-looking, balaklava-donned inmates displaying provocative banners about life inside the prison. They also saw the wrecking of the same roofs to provide ammunition for prisoners to rain down on to prison staff trying to re-take the jail.
The four-day riot that followed put the prison out of proper service for a year and caused waves and turmoil throughout the prison service, courts and at Westminster.
Hull Prison was one of a few across the country classed as a “Dispersal Prison”, housing some of the country’s worst offenders. These inmates, some of whom were serving life sentences, were alongside others who were also serving time for lesser crimes. This seemingly small difference played a key role in the reason why the riots occurred, as the mindset of someone expecting to spend a large proportion of their life in a prison differs vastly to those expecting to be released after a few years inside. The report from an Inquiry by Gordon Fowler, the Chief Inspector of the Prison Service and a former tank commander, gives a remarkable insight into the actions and events during the riot. Published in 1977, it gave a breakdown of timed events, causes, failures and some recommendations.
Read more: Flashback pictures take you inside Hull Prison1
Hull East MP John Prescott was one who voiced concerns and compiled his own report into the riot, after prisoners said they felt that the evidence they had given to the official inquiry would not be treated objectively. Prison officers were also members of his constituency and their morale suffered for some considerable time after the riot. The jail housed 314 prisoners at the time of the riot, the largest group being those serving sentences for burglary and robbery (153 inmates), followed by those serving life sentences for murder (42) and wounding (31). Only five prisoners were serving sentences between 18 months up to four years, the rest being jailed for four years or more.
The prison was mainly constructed in the Victorian era but of its four wings, A and B were rebuilt after being damaged during the Second World War. In addition there were workshops, a central control are between the wings, a hospital and a segregation unit for prisoners under punishment or requiring removal from other inmates.
A Wing held 32 prisoners, B Wing 89, C Wing 101 and D Wing held 70. Five were in the hospital and 13 were in the Segregation Unit. If prisoners numbers had risen by just four, the prison would have been classed as overcrowded. While 43 members of staff were on duty on August 31, only 20 uniformed officers were controlling 300 prisoners.
So what were the reasons behind the riot? The report recognised several causes…
A recent regime change at the prison which saw a much tougher interpretation of rules governing the inmates, including a significant increase in inmates being subjected to a ‘Rule 43’ solitary confinement.
Some recreational facilities used by the inmates were also stopped, some due to budget cuts which had been described as creating a “powder keg” situation.
Inexperienced staff.
Rumours of an assault on a prisoner in the segregation unit. This was supposedly disproved in the report, but brutality and violence were concerns raised long after the riot.
Anger caused by the contents of prisoners’ medical files. Inmates managed to access these during the riot and an increase in violence and severity of damage followed.
The Hull Prison Riot timeline
Tuesday, August 31, 1976
17.45 An officer on D Wing is informed by a prisoner that there was going to be trouble that evening. This was acted on and reported, clear signs or unrest recognised.
18.00 Duty Governor begins round, is informed at 18.15 of unrest.
18.30 Duty Governor is at the Centre (a control area central to the prison Wings) when large numbers of prisoners begin assemble, demanding to see a prisoner on the segregation unit they alleged has been assaulted. He states there has been no assault but the numbers keep growing.
Read more: Officers attacked, searches missed and ‘Spice’ hurled over walls: Hull Prison ‘a recipe for disaster’3
18.45 – An officer from A Wing calls the Centre, large numbers of prisoners are gathering on his Wing.
19.00 A call to check on whether a grilled gateway controlling prisoners from A and C Wings accessing the Centre to visit a canteen (to make purchases from money earned in the workshops) should be shut. He was told not to. A prisoner on B Wing (seen arguing earlier with another prisoner) asks to go back to his cell saying ‘He wanted nothing to do with it’. An officer in D Wing counts 68 prisoners congregating on the Centre.
19.15 – Two prisoners begin shouting abuse at the Duty Governor. A call is made to the Deputy Governor (off duty) but he can’t be reached.
The Governor is informed.
19.20 Staff on upper Wing landings are informed to come down to A2 landing.
19.28 The Duty Governor then instructs the Emergency Control Room (ECR) to press the staff alarm bell, sending an alarm to 10 adjacent staff quarters and any responding incoming staff are to be retained at the gate.
19.30 An officer on B Wing notices 12 prisoners entering the dining hall with flasks and blankets. All prisoners on B Wing were accounted for on their Wing. The Governor enters the prison and goes to the Emergency Control Room (normal practise)
Read more: 70 things you’ll remember if you lived in Hull in the 1970s4
19.45 ECR asks all Wings to report when they were secure. Hospital Officer relieved to go on rounds and examine the prisoner in the Segregation unit to check for alleged injuries.
19.50 Police informed of trouble at the prison, a passive sit-in was ongoing but were told a perimeter was not required. Prisoners block a Prison Officer from locking a door.
19.58 Prisoners rush a gate near A Wing. A General Staff Alarm is sent out to call all off duty staff to the prison. Prisoners on A Wing man the landings, a fire bucket is thrown from above and ‘He has got two black eyes and a broken nose’ (presumably referring to alleged assault victim in Segregation) is shouted out. Staff are withdrawn from A Wing and the gate locked. Simultaneously staff order prisoners to leave the B Wing dining hall, they refuse and begin barricading themselves in.
A Wing prisoners begin to smash furniture and fittings.
20.04 Police informed passive demonstration was now hostile, an agreed plan for police to secure the perimeter is activated.
20.08 Off duty staff arrive at the gate, some are turned away in confusion to a lack of communication between the ECR and the main gate.
20.10 to 20.22 Prisoners now on A Wing roof, segregation unit abandoned by staff, three prisoners seen on D Wing roof, CCTV in A Wing is smashed; A Wing deemed now as being lost. Regional Contingency Plan for Prison Service put into operation, calling in support from other prisons
20.23 to 20.45 A rope ladder is observed on D Wing roof, a fire reported on A Wing roof, prisoners on the segregation unit roof. Prisoners trying to throw burning rags and mattresses onto nearby fuel tanks. Missiles being thrown from roof of Admin Block, landing in main gate area.
20.56 12 staff ordered to don protective clothing but this store is now in prisoner’s hands. Protective clothing sent from the Main gate instead.
21.01 The 12 staff and the Deputy Governor enter the Admin block and come under attack, the aim being to reach staff still in the prison. Majority of C Wing prisoners were reported locked up, staff sent to lock up last 15. Once done the staff on C Wing withdrew to the canteen and then withdrew from the Wing.
21.36 The Centre was now classed as extremely hazardous, a withdrawal by staff to the Admin Block was completed. Governor requests they hold the Admin Block from subsequent attacks.
21.38 Arriving staff ordered to form up in B Wing and await orders.
22.00 ‘Pandemonium’ reigns within the prison. A, C and D Wings are dominated from the heights.
A Wing and the Segregation Unit are under the control of prisoners. C and D Wings have been evacuated by staff, B Wing prisoners are still barricaded in their dining hall. Fire Brigade directed to the Admin Block to fight a fire on the gymnasium roof (gym is above the Admin Block).
22.26 28 Prison Officers arrive from Leeds Prison and Everthorpe Borstal, requested to wait in the muster area. Staff in Admin Block under attack from D Wing prisoners.
22.38 22 Officers arrive from Wakefield Prison, Hull staff still arriving.
22.54 C Wing prisoners begin to smash up furniture and fittings, fires being lit. Governor orders 80 officers onto B Wing (prisoners still secured in cells) to support the officers and help their evacuation along with hospital prisoners.
23.13 80 officers arrive on B Wing, officers also requested to hold the education corridor. Dialogue is engaged with prisoners barricaded in the B Wing dining hall. They are persuaded to remove the barricade and return to normal location.
23.30 – B Wing now locked up. Deputy Governor and a Senior Officer leave the Admin Block and, under attack, make a reconnaissance of the prison. B Wing party move along the education corridor and are now on the floor below the Centre (known as under Centre).
They decide to mount an attack by going onto D Wing via D1 landing, up the stairs to the Centre which they aim to retake along with D Wing.
23.33 onwards The 80 officers enter the wing and are met with a hail of missiles from the roofs. They reach the Centre and staff split into smaller groups, some going onto D3 and D4 landings. Reported to the ECR at 23.37 that the Centre had been retaken and now attempts being made to clear the Wing. D2 and D3 landings reported taken but a 20 minute running battle with constant missiles from the roof, some staff had to retire back to the under Centre, some staff were sheltering in cells. Their position was perilous. Wednesday, September 1, 1976
Two thirds of the prison is now held by prisoners including A, C and D Wings, along with the Segregation Unit. Prisoners also on dominant roof positions of these buildings.
The under Centre is held, preventing a further spread.
30-40 staff still held the Admin Block, access to which was under a gauntlet of missiles, there are fears of an invasion on the Admin Block for both sides of the D Wing gate. Officers are trapped in D Wing after the abortive re-take attempt, sheltering in cells, the library and canteen which have been wrecked and looted. Inner security fence still held firm, no attempts to breach it have been made. Dog patrols and reinforce fixed positon were providing good security. Chaotic scenes in the muster area receiving staff from other prisons, lack of briefings creating rumours. Staff on D Wing are slowly extricated, some having traumatic experiences. Miraculously none seriously injured or killed.
01.36 Last of the officers trapped in D Wing make their way into the Admin Block.
01.48 First prisoners placard was seen on the Segregation Unit roof ‘STOP SCREWS BRUTALITY’
02.26 An attempt at a parley is made with a megaphone from the under Centre to D Wing prisoners, is met with a shouts of abuse.
Fowler then adds prisoners now roam A, C and D Wings in the early hours. Personal files are believed to have been obtained from A Wing offices and, after later getting evidence from prisoners , this have been a significant trigger to the damage caused. The prisoner in the Segregation Unit was the first fuse. Cell doors were being broken down to release prisoners, some released from cells were frightened, bewildered and only wanted to safeguard their own property in the cell. In the free reign, old scores were undoubtedly settled but none with serious injury.
03.54 30 to 40 officers in a mixture of uniform, riot gear and own clothing still hold the Admin Block.
18 officers, including D Wing staff are relieved under the missile gauntlet.
04.43 to 05.18 Three prisoners give themselves up, one injured whilst jumping from the Segregation Unit roof. He’s given medical attention, all taken to B Wing.
07.42 Considerable activity seen on the Segregation Unit roof, next to A Wing. A banner reads ‘4 WARDERS BEAT UP ONE PRISONER. WE DEMAND A FULL PUBLIC INQUIRY’
08.35 Humberside Chief Constable enters the ECR and confers with the Governor.
09.00 09.37 – Although some semblance of order was now operating at the muster area and main gate, officers from other prisons were standing on Southcoates Lane and Hedon Road. They are engaged in throwing verbal threats and abuse at prisoners on the roof.
This was met with a hail of missiles in reply. Police had to request that officers be dispersed.
10.33 – A placard was displayed on Newtown Flats facing the south wall proclaiming ‘PROP SUPPORTS YOU’. Placard removed by police at 10.37 (PROP was a prisoners rights organisation)
12.10 A bizarre incident. An internal telephone call is made from a telephone in the prisoner held area of the prison. A Hull native, he asked for a message to be sent to his girlfriend to say he was alright. It was duly relayed. He went on to give other information about what was happening in the prison but rang off for his own safety.
12.33 Concerted smashing up of cells started by about half of B Wing by locked prisoners, encouragement was being shouted from prisoners on C Wing roof.
14.00 The Regional Director for Prisons and his staff arrived and met with key figures to go over operational procedures and plan. Amongst the points discussed was the equipment needed to save life; a request for plastic riot shields (eventually obtained from the Army) was discussed. Fire hoses would only be used to save lives but the Chief Fire Officer agreed to use hoses to keep rioters away from the parapet of the Admin Block from where they had been throwing missiles at officers.
If staff were to go in then a ratio of three officers to one rioter was required. A Saracen armoured vehicle would have been a useful vehicle to ferry staff quickly under areas of missiles and for extrication of staff from the Admin Block if needed (one was granted after Ministerial permission but it was not to be used for assault purposes). The guiding principle would be to contain the rioters but to let them make the first move.
15.00 Coaches arrive to transport prisoners from B Wing to other prisons, namely Leeds and Durham. The operation goes smoothly with vehicles exiting from a temporary gate made in the wall near to Southcoates Lane (the main gate is within missile attack range). What was recognised as an error was made after this was accomplished. Thought had been given to as to what to do with the personal property of prisoners on B Wing but specific instructions were not made. The cells had to be clear to accept rioting prisoners when the incident was over and they were all stripped of personal belongings.
Fowler mentions that this was carried out with an ‘excess of zeal’ and insufficient care was taken during this operation.
17.39 Reports made from the Admin Block that prisoners were trying to break through into the Governor’s office from the gymnasium above. Order given at 17.42 to cut electrical power to A, C and D Wings. This order was countermanded due to safety grounds and power was restored at 18.04.
18.45 Arrival of first batch of forty shields provided by police.
20.05 Twelve prisoners make their way past the D Wing / under Centre barricade and give themselves up. They reported that those left behind had the intention of setting fire to the Wings.
Midnight A total of thirty eight prisoners have handed themselves in, they have been locked up in B Wing which has over 80 staff manning it. Thursday, September 2, 1976
The Saracen armoured vehicle supplied by the army with a crew had now arrived in Hull. It had been painted black before leaving its depot. It would remain out of sight of prisoners until called upon.
The day ended much as it began with the inmates controlling two thirds of the prison, no serious injuries, all staff accounted for, no escape attempts made.
02.17 Fire hoses are played onto the roof of the Admin Block to keep missile throwing prisoners at bay so staff could reinforce it. Prisoners were overheard to say they would make a break in attempt, the 47 officers in there make themselves ready. Prisoners and officers on differing sides of the Admin door onto D Wing begin building their own barricades to shield themselves.
04.08 Reports made that prisoners in the gymnasium have made a three inch hole in the floor into the Admin Block below. Also reported that prisoners insert a gas pipe into the hole. Prison works staff turn off the gas. Prisoners then attempt to pour paraffin into Admin Block through the hole and try to ignite it. Fires also reported on Wing roofs.
07.07 ECR report that 15 of the 30 rioters in C Wing ‘want out’ but no movement is made.
08.15 to 09.10 Police report that prisoners on the segregation unit are shouting that they want Mr. Pooley, founder of PROP to negotiate for them to come down. Police keep Mr.
Pooley away.
9.30 Assessments made that 180 inmates are still loose within A, C and D Wings which are now badly wrecked.
10.38 Deputy Governor informed that the Saracen vehicle was now ready for use. This vehicle was not deployed on safety grounds of staff entering / exiting the vehicle.
Read more: The forgotten photographs of Hull in the 1970s5
10.46 Police report that prisoners on D Wing roof want to talk to a Home Office official. A meeting between Prison officials and prisoners is held by shouting across roof tops. This is fruitless due to noise from a BBC helicopter so a ground level meeting is held.
11.46 13.13 Three meetings follow in quick succession. Inmates complain bitterly about remarks and assessments on them as seen in their individual reports raided from Wing offices. A possible surrender might be made, staff are reminded that no force is to be used.
Terms for the surrender included:
- The Deputy Regional Director of Prisons and Chairman of the Board of Visitors and his Deputy would be present at the surrender (was agreed)
- Irish prisoners would not be singled out for special treatment, they would all be treated the same as other prisoners (was agreed)
- Prisoners wanted to be received by their own officers from Hull (was agreed)
Prisoners would surrender to the under Centre where they would be searched, medically examined and allocated to inhabitable cells in B Wing. The time agreed for surrender was 09.00 on September 3rd. As a sign of good faith prisoners would refrain from throwing missiles from roofs and three prisoners injured in debris scrambling would be handed over.
Two prisoners heard to shout ‘It’s over, we’ve finished’ to crowds outside. Staff ordered to keep a ‘low key’ profile, little movement and no riot control equipment. Saracen vehicle is sent away, unused. Staff clear an area of the prison of rubble to allow a fire tender marooned earlier on within the prison site to be extracted. Sounds of smashing up heard from D Wing, prisoners on A Wing lock up a prisoner who has ‘blown his top’. Fire engines are sent away, police cordon still in place.
18.00 Observations of roof activity report that Molotov cocktails have been made and lots of movement by prisoners on the roofs. Fire engines brought back. Prisoners seen on Amin Block roof and twenty seen with missiles on the edge of the Segregation Unit.
C Wing still being smashed up at this time. Governor orders staff deployment 25 to remain on B Wing, 20 to station the under Centre areas. Fires reported on C Wing south side, fire seen coming from the roof of the gymnasium at 23.35 and smoke coming from the hospital. Hospital staff ordered to evacuate afresh to B Wing, taking all drugs with them. Staff in Admin Block now removing all documents. These blazes reinforce comments from prisoners that the rioters wanted to set fire to Wings before surrendering, staff puzzled as to why a big delay until 9am Friday to surrender. Police cordon reinforced, possibly a break out attempt?
Friday, September 3, 1976
Early hours Prisoners seen removing barricade on D Wing, considerable numbers moving there from C Wing. Staff believe a possible break out from the under Centre might take place. Gymnasium fire now out. Prisoners still on A, C and D Wing roofs but missile throwing has stopped. Staff now moving freely in the open.
Staff sent home for rest ordered to return for 7am on Friday for the surrender. They are paraded in the Works yard where the Governor gave instructions of how the prisoners would be handled and processed, he also stressed no violence was to be used. As agreed, the Regional Director of Prisons and Deputy, Chairman and Deputy of the Board of Visitors, the medical officer form up at the surrender point.
09.05 Prisoners begin to surrender at the under Centre, staff control a gradual flow into the afternoon. On surrender, each was sent to an assistant governor’s office next to B Wing where personal items were bagged , labelled with name and time. Prisoners were then located onto B Wing. By task completion, the office was full to the ceiling of bags and another office had to be used.
Some prisoners remain on the roof shouting to Newtown Court residents, they are the last to surrender.
Read more: Ten relics of Hull history you walk past and never notice6
12.30 Transfer of prisoners to other establishments begins.
Approx 16.00 Last prisoner surrenders. Three prisoners locked in cells rumoured to have been killed were released by staff, alive.
16.30 All prisoners accounted for.
17.00 Detached prison staff (totalling 385 officers over the riot) stood down and returned to respective prisons.
What happened next?
Between 1st to 5th September, 235 prisoners are transferred to other prisons across the country, ranging from Dartmoor to Durham , leaving only 75 original Hull prisoners on the site. These are accommodated in B Wing, the only habitable Wing in the prison. The Prison Service came under criticism from the report but was commended for some of the actions during the riot. The report compelled reviews of the whole prison dispersal system, staffing and standby resources, Prison HQ and Regional involvement, investment in staff training and effective orders during operational emergencies.
But the incident didn’t simply end with the surrender of the last prisoner, a shadow was now cast over the Prison Service amidst ever increasing cutbacks, a growing inmate population and low morale. This morale was yet to plummet even further. In July, 1978, Humberside CID on behalf of the Director of Public prosecutions summonsed 13 prison officers in relation to violence displayed towards prisoners on September 4th, 1976, the day after the riot ended. It was alleged that they conspired amongst themselves and with others to assault and beat prisoners detained in the prison. It was believed to have taken place at breakfast time on the day after the riot.
Read more: Hull’s own Ripper Street7
An Assistant Governor was also committed for trial at York Crown Court for wilful neglecting his duty over this same period. In May, 1979, after a 12 week trial at York, the assistant governor was found not guilty and 4 officers were acquitted. Eight were found guilty, all by majority verdicts. Of the prisoners who took part in the riot, 185 inmates were charged with a total of 523 breaches of prison rules committed during the riot. These were dealt with in hearings by a Board of Prison Visitors who visited the 185 in 6 prisons across the UK. They had to the power to ‘award’ a maximum of 180 days loss of remission (the equivalent of a six month sentence) on each offence.
One case had consecutive awards made, totalling 720 days which equalled a court sentence of three years less one year for remission. Some of these hearings ended up being heard in the High Court in the Queen’s Bench Divisional Court after being referred to them by the Court of Appeal. It was claimed that the Board of Visitors couldn’t effectively handle so many cases; they once dealt with eight prisoners in three hours, of which two prisoners had eight charges each. On average they would have spent no more than 20 minutes on each case. All eight had been refused the chance to call witnesses.
The Hull Prison riot was the most costly and devastating prison riot until the Manchester Strangeways Prison riot in 1990 which lasted 25 days, up to 1,000 inmates caused 90million worth of damage.
Read more: Hull Prison attack victim ‘stabbed 20 times in face and neck’8
References
- ^ Flashback pictures take you inside Hull Prison (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Open PDF (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Officers attacked, searches missed and ‘Spice’ hurled over walls: Hull Prison ‘a recipe for disaster’ (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ 70 things you’ll remember if you lived in Hull in the 1970s (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ The forgotten photographs of Hull in the 1970s (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Ten relics of Hull history you walk past and never notice (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Hull’s own Ripper Street (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Hull Prison attack victim ‘stabbed 20 times in face and neck’ (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)