Alex Geddes has never been somebody to shirk a challenge. And that’s just as well given the scale of the project which he accepted more than a decade ago. After working with Grampian Police for many years, he left the force the day before the creation of Police Scotland and wondered what next might be on his radar.
However, just a few weeks later, he received a phone call from Score Group, the company which had originally purchased the former Peterhead Prison – which closed in December 2013 – to ask if he was interested in converting it into a museum.
And, though there were many issues to resolve while transforming the former Hate Factory – a place which kept many of Scotland’s worst criminals behind bars for decades – into a venue which tourists might love to visit, Alex knuckled down to the task. In the role of operations manager, he dealt with different agencies, sought help and advice from local and national bodies and the consequences were extraordinary when the venue opened its doors in the summer of 2016.
As he said: “The task of taking it from an empty shell to a five-star visitor attraction within three years had me facing various challenges, along with many ups and downs. Yet the day that the grading officer from VisitScotland announced we had secured our five-star rating saw the tears flow as my dream from day one was finally achieved.”
Incredible stories
Alex and his colleagues have worked with everybody from Robert Gordon University to Westhill Men’s Shed and the producers of the Channel 4 drama series Screw, and have been involved in a diverse range of exhibitions, forays into what’s described as “dark tourism” and educational initiatives with schools in the region.
He said: “One visitor I met on week one of our opening summed it up when I asked him if he had enjoyed his visit. He stopped and gazed at the main halls and said: ‘I’ve always wanted to see in it, but never wanted to be in it’. The one thing which has given me most satisfaction is speaking to former officers that worked here and hearing their stories converted onto our award-winning audio tour. Too often in the past, their incredible stories were never heard, but I hope we have given them all a voice for future generations to enjoy and learn from.”
It’s now time for Alex to hand over the day-to-day running of the popular museum to a new business manager while he moves into a public relations role. But there’s no question of this redoubtable fellow stepping away entirely from his cherished site.
He said: “As you may imagine, for a small charity with huge overheads, funding is always a challenge as we try to keep the former prison intact. Given that the prison was originally built in 1888 and only closed in 2013, we have to do a lot just to keep the place wind and watertight alone. So, I do hope I can now focus mainly on ensuring our good name is maintained while securing funding to keep the museum alive and moving forward.”
For further information on Peterhead Prison Museum visit: www.peterheadprisonmuseum.com
Text by Neil Drysdale.
Did you know?
-Peterhead Prison opened in 1888 and closed as a working prison in 2013.
-HM Convict Prison Peterhead was the only convict prison in Scotland.
-Britain’s first state owned passenger carrying railway transported the convicts between the prison and granite quarry, for Peterhead Red Granite, for their daily work between 1888-1958.
-The prisoners also helped in building Peterhead harbour’s breakwater.
-The early cells of 1888 were just 5 ft x 7 ft x 7 ft high, and hung with a hammock-style bed.
-Over the years Peterhead has housed some of the hardest and most violent criminals in Scotland including serial killers, thieves and gangsters.
-A five-day prisoner riot broke out in October 1987 which resulted in the inmates taking over part of the building and holding guard’s hostage.
-Peterhead Prison Museum is open year-round in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.