Which prison ?

[janeeliza999]

My mother in law's parents were sent to prison for 1 months hard labour each in 1920. This was in Warrington Lancashire. Which prison would they have been sent to ? They were originally from Darlington and we know they went back there.

[Viktoria]

Not sure but Strangeways in Manchester and Lancaster Jail.
However prisoners were very often sent far from their home town,an extra sort of punishment perhaps.
Try looking at Census returns for the Jails for them,starting with their home town and I think you might see just how far from home many prisoners served their sentences.
Viktoria.

[Sandblown]

You state Mother In Law's Parents. Therefore it's likely two Prison's, one for Male Inmates, and one for Female Inmates.

Addendum: Apparently Strangeways housed Female Prisoners up to 1963.

[Maiden Stone]

Possibly Walton, Liverpool.
By the way, the last executions in the U.K were of 2 men convicted of a murder and hanged on the same day in 1964, one at Walton and his accomplice at Strangeways.

[janeeliza999]

Thank you for your replies. Would the 3 jail's mentioned had the facilities for hard labour?

[Sandblown]

https://victorian-supersleuth.com/behind-bars/

The Link to the above Article is an interesting read. It might be worthwhile contacting the Author, Who might be able to better answer, some of Your questions on the Prison's and Punishments.

[Maiden Stone]

My mother in law's parents were sent to prison for 1 months hard labour each in 1920.

Would the 3 jail's mentioned had the facilities for hard labour?

I think "hard labour" or labour of some sort would have been done at all major prisons.

Prison Act 1877 centralised the running of British prisons.
Prison Act 1898 made changes to prison labour. It was supposed to be productive and communal where possible instead of non-productive (e.g. treadmill) & solitary. There were 3 classifications of prison sentence, the most severe with hard labour. In practice courts were likely to hand down the most severe sentence. 
"Looking at History - Prison regime 1880-1914"
https://richardjohnbr.blogspot.com/2011/04/prison-reform-1880-1914.html
Regime in prisons became significantly less harsh after 1922.
Sentences with hard labour were abolished in 1948.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/prisoners-or-prison-staff/
"Crime and Punishment in England 1850-1922" by Martin J. Weiner
"The State of the Prisons in Britain 1775-1905" W.J. Forsyth
"English Local Prisons 1860-1900" S. McConville
"English Society and the Prison: Time, Culture and Politics in the Development of the Modern Prison, 1850-1920" by Alyson Brown

[Maiden Stone]

Preston Prison is another possibility.