They offer a glimpse inside the infamous prison
These eerie images offer a glimpse into life in Manchester's Strangeways decades ago.
Still known by its former name 'Strangeways,' HMP Manchester is one of the country's largest high security, category A men's prisons.
The jail, to the north of Manchester city centre, has capacity for over 1,200 inmates and was rebuilt following the infamous Strangeways riot of April 1990 – the biggest disturbance in prison service history.
Read More: An open-air mass at Heaton Park and the Popemobile on Manchester's streets in 1982 photos
But these unearthed images, taken by Bert Hardy, capture life at Strangeways in the late 1940s.
They offer a rare insight into the routine of life behind bars in that moment in time, including 'slopping out', ie emptying chamber pots of human waste, a practice which went on well until 1990s and was one of the triggers for the infamous riot.
Here are 27 fascinating images which offer a glimpse into Strangeways over 70 years ago.
For beautiful, historic images from the past have a look at memorylane.co.uk/ and see what you can discover
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A prison officer supervises prisoners untying knots in Post Office string at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)1 of 27
A prison officer teaching a new prisoner how to sew mailbags at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)2 of 27
A prison officer frisking a prisoner at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)3 of 27
Prison officers playing a game of cards at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)4 of 27
Prisoners waiting for their cells to be unlocked at the end of their day at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)5 of 27
A prison officer fingerprinting a new arrival at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)6 of 27
A prison officer watching prisoners sewing mailbags at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)7 of 27
A prisoner is searched in his cell at Strangeways Prison, Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)8 of 27
Prison officers watching over prisoners sewing mailbags at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)9 of 27
Prisoners line up outside their cells at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)10 of 27
A prison officer watches over prisoners who are busy sewing mailbags in Strangeways Prison, Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)11 of 27
Prison officers watching prisoners return from their daily outdoor exercise at Strangeways Prison in Manchester.November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)12 of 27
A prison officer supervising prisoners as they take out their night-slops (human waste) at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)13 of 27
Prison officers line up before being dismissed for the day at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)14 of 27
Prison officers watching over prisoners as they take their daily one hour's outdoor exercise at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)15 of 27
A prison officer frisking prisoners during the 'rub-down' in the prison centre at Strangeways in Manchester. November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)16 of 27
Prison officers line up before being dismissed for the day, at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. November 20 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)17 of 27
Prison officer Davidson talks to a group of visitors at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)18 of 27
A prison officer frisking prisoners during the 'rub-down' at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)19 of 27
Prison officer Davidson interviewing a group of new prisoners in the reception room at Strangeways Prison, Manchester, November 1948. The prisoners have come straight from court, escorted by two police officers (right)
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)20 of 27
Prison officer Davidson watching a prisoner having his hair cut at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)21 of 27
Prison officer Davidson watching prisoners return from their daily outdoor exercise at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)22 of 27
Prison officer Davidson interviewing a group of new prisoners in the reception room at Strangeways Prison, Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)23 of 27
Prison officer Davidson watching prisoners working at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)24 of 27
Prison officers watching over prisoners as they take their daily hour of outdoor exercise at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)25 of 27
Prison officer Davidson watches as a prisoner talks to a visitor at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, November 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)26 of 27
Prison officers watch over prisoners at Strangeways Prison in Manchester November 20, 1948
(Image: Photo by Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)27 of 27
