Holloway prison was originally built as the New City of London Prison in 1852. At that time it was a local prison holding both male and female prisoners and run by the local authorities; it was not until 1877 that the Prisons Act transferred the administration of all local prisons to central government. In 1902 Holloway was re-designated and became the first female-only local prison in England.
Link to London Metropolitan Archives information page: History and Sources
A History of Holloway: The first four decades
A History of Holloway: ‘A cell was one of the best forms of air raid shelter’