1941: On this day, 814 20-year-old city girls responded to their call-up papers - although some forgot their registration card! Many of the girls had come with their mothers, while others had their boyfriends for company. Some are described as arriving 'with an army escort on either side'. Quite a few perambulators are also recorded as being parked outside the building. (Gray, David, Peterborough at War 1939-1945, David Gray, 2011)
Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.
HMP Peterborough was opened in March 2005 on the former site of the Baker Perkins engineering works. It is a local category B prison and is the country's only dual purpose-built prison for men and women. The prison also has a 12 place Mother and Baby Unit.
The prison is operated by Sodexo Justice Services.
Reference:
https://www.prisonphone.co.uk/prison-finder/peterborough-prison/
A call was made by the Justices of the Peace for Peterborough for plans and specifications to build a new gaol for Peterborough in 1839. The Cambridge Independent Press claimed that the plans of Mr Douthorn of Hanover Street, Hanover Square, London, were chosen and the site was proposed to be 'at the Upper end of Westgate (known as Gravel Close)', but this was not to be the case. 1
A alternate site was suggested on Thorpe Road, but a complicated legal battle ensued over the cost of proposed new land, with the Dean and Chapter fighting the Magistrates of the Liberty of Peterborough to claim fair remuneration for the land they needed to sell them for the gaol. 2
Although the first stone was laid for the gaol in 1840, the first group of prisoners didn't move in until 1844. The first petty sessions held in the new gaol were on Saturday 23rd February 1844, but it was unpopular with the judges who complained at having to walk such a distance to the court rooms! 3
1,Cambridge Independent Press, Saturday 14th December 1839, p3,
2, Lincolnshire Chronicle Friday 17th April 1840 p4,
3, Cambridge Independent Press, Saturday 2nd March 1844, p 3,
Benjamin Ayres and John Wyles were both convicted of stealing malt from Edward Hall of Wansford on 21st April at the Peterborough sessions. John Wyles was given three months imprisonment, but Benjamin Ayres, having previously been employed by Mr Hall, received three months imprisonment and was to be publicly whipped once.
An account from 90-year-old Thomas White Holdich in the Peterborough Advertiser in March 1899 recounted his memories of, amongst other things, whipping or flogging in the market place. Mr Holdich claimed that the prisoner would have has hands and feet tied behind him, whilst he was pulled behind a cart, forcing him to kneel. The gaol keeper would climb onto the cart with a cat-o'-nine tails and would whip the prisoner at around 30 second intervals as they travelled around the market place.
Peterborough gaol, or jail, was based near the cathedral gateway. It was cold, damp and very dark and was described by some as being like a dungeon. It is no surprise that people tried to escape from it then.
In April 1716 William Doyson had been locked in the gaol, but he managed to escape! An advert was placed in the Stamford Mercury describing him and asking for his return. He was described as 'a middlesized man and middle-aged'. He also had 'black hair [and wore] a white frock with black horn buttons and black button holes, if not changed.' There were very specific descriptions of his scars, making note of the 'large scar on the left-hand side of his upper lip' as well as 'two scars on his left hand, like his being burnt in the hand.'
The plucky prisoner managed to escape by 'filing off his irons' suggesting he was kept in shackles. Gaoler Edward Smyth was offering a guinea and 'reasonable charges' for the return of William Doyson, which was a considerable sum equal to several days pay for a skilled tradesman and a lot more to a poor man. We can imagine that he fled pretty fast and pretty far though!
Amazingly, this wasn't the only gaolbreak at the time. William Baker, apparator to the Bishop of Lincoln, had been gaoled in Stamford by gaoler John Westwood, but had escaped on 28th March. The same reward was offered for his return.
Reference: Stamford Mercury, 5 April 1716, p. 12.
Image by StarGladVictory from Pixabay
In 1841 an almost farcical tale started to unfold in the magistrates court regarding Richard Spring junior. His father was keeper of the house of correction, the jail near to the cathedral, and Richard junior was a carpenter.
A wooden partition measuring 20 feet (6 metres) had been installed to separate the prisoners, but was taken down by Richard Jun. and turned into band boxes, which he sold and profited from. The removal of the partition had been watched by one of the prisoners and he wasn't impressed!
He asked Richard Spring Snr if he could speak to the city magistrates to report a robbery, and was granted permission. At the magistrates session, he revealed what Richard Jun had done to the partition, whilst resulted in Richard Senior's instant dismissal.
At the Easter sessions Richard Jun. was sentenced to three months in the same prison he had once stolen from! He appeared in the 1841 census as a prisoner with four other men. Let us hope that one of those men wasn't the one who tipped off the magistrates, for they would both wish for the partition was reinstalled then!
References:
1841 Census, District Peterborough Gaol, Minster Close Precincts, Northamptonshire, p. 2.
Singular Committal, Cambridge Independent Press, 6 March 1841, p. 3.
Peterborough Easter Sessions, Cambridge Independent Press, 10 April 1841, p. 3.
HMP Peterborough was opened in March 2005 on the former site of the Bake…
In 1841 an almost farcical tale started to unfold in the magistrates cou…