Separation and Silence: Wandsworth Prison

This exhibition marks the 160th anniversary of Wandsworth Prison, with particular emphasis on some of the harsh corrective measures employed during the twentieth century – including the 'separate system' of solitary confinement adopted in the 1940s and the 'silent system' of hard labour used in the 1960s. Insights into the lives of inmates over the decades – including famous prisoners such as Oscar Wilde and Ronnie Biggs – can be gained from paintings created by prisoners, examples from the Inside Eye photography project from the 1990s and a quilt made for the exhibition by Fine Cell Work and Wandsworth prisoners. Other notable exhibits include a letter from Wilde's wife, Constance, written in 1895, an execution box and a noose used during the 1920s.