| Description | The entrance gate of Millbank Prison, Grosvenor Road, is seen here in 1897 shortly before its demolition. The penitentiary was vast and intimidating and the site was partly chosen for its isolation. Jeremy Bentham's experimental scheme, aimed at reform, ran into trouble from the outset. The first prisoners arrived in 1816 but in 1823 the prison had to evacuated because of the outbreak of disease. By 1843 it was clear that the reformatory experiment had failed and Millbank became a centre for those awaiting transportation. It ended its days as a women's prison, closing in 1890. Part of the site is now occupied by the Tate Gallery. |