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NEWCASTLE CATHEDRAL
NEWCASTLE CATHEDRAL
A BEACON OF LIGHT
Women Behind Bars: Life in Newcastle Prison, 1828–1925 (Exhibition)
5th March - 27th April
FREEWhat was it like to be a woman behind bars in 19th and early-20th-century Newcastle?
Join us for a powerful exhibition, coinciding with International Women’s Day (8 March), which uncovers the hidden histories of women in Newcastle Prison.
Drawing on Newcastle Prison: A History 1828–1925 (Tyne Bridge Publishing, 2025), the exhibition brings to light the stories of young girls, women affected by poverty and addiction, and suffragettes who challenged the boundaries of their time. Together, these voices reveal the realities of crime, punishment and resilience in a society shaped by inequality.
The exhibition incorporates the ‘Story Chair’, developed for Newcastle Cathedral in 2023 through a unique collaboration involving women with lived experience of the criminal justice system. The Story Chair has since toured several other venues, carrying profound meaning for the women who contributed to its creation and ensuring authentic representation.
The exhibition is open free of charge during the Cathedral’s standard opening hours – no booking required.
The Story Chair was a collaborative project involving Changing Lives, Northumbria University, and the National Trust, with additional support from the North East Probation Service and the British Academy.
Watch the video below to learn about the development of the Story Chair, created by North East furniture maker Nick James, who worked closely with the women involved in the project.
