HM Prison Holloway

Her Majesty's Prison Holloway ( HMP Holloway ) is a Women's Prison in Parkhurst Road Holloway in the district of the north London district of Islington.

The castle-like building of the original prison was built to a design by architect James Bunstone Bunning (1802-1863); the six wings were arranged according to the panopticon principle. The prison was opened in 1852 as men's, women's and youth prison in the city of London ( City Prison ), but was converted to a pure woman in prison for the growing demand for prison places for female prisoners in 1902.

Among the prisoners were also among suffragettes as Constance Markeivicz, Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, and Ethel Smyth. During World War II the fascist Oswald Mosley party chairman and his wife Diana spent some time as interns in a house on the grounds of the prison. In the 20th century found in Holloway instead of five executions, including that of Edith Thompson ( 1923) and Ruth Ellis ( 1955).

From 1971 to 1985, the prison was completely rebuilt; it is used in this form until today and can accommodate up to 495 prisoners.

The British band Bush released the song about the prison staff Holloway on her album Razorblade Suitcase, the band Marillion Holloway Girl song on the album Seasons End. The British band The Kinks describes in her song Holloway Jail on her album Muswell Hillbillies the life of a young woman incarcerated in Holloway. A character of the film Cube is named after the prison.