Lincoln Gaol Case Study Flashcards
Major problems with prisons in 18th century
Very unhygienic (damp, dirty and poor sanitation so many people dies from diseases)
Overcrowded
Prisons mixed- prisoners negatively influenced by worse criminals
Prisoners rarely reformed
Prisoners had to pay to be in prison (including for food and to be released) so that prison wardens could make a profit
2 Prison alternatives in 18th century
Bloody code
Transportation
3 key prison reformers
John Howard
Elizabeth Fry
Sir George O Paul
Which prison is older out of the Victorian prison and Georgian prison
Georgian = older
Victorian = newer
John Howard was a prison reformer who criticised Lincoln prison therefore construction to improve the prison (by building the Georgian building) began in…
1787
(This was when there was only a castle, not yet the Georgian or Victorian prison)
Following criticisms from what prison reformer did constructions begin in 1787 to improve Lincoln prison (to build the Georgian building)
John Howard
(As originally there is only a castle gaol not the Georgian or Victorian prison)
What was the original castle gaol used for in the 1600s
Holding debtors
(Convenient to hold prisoners in as provided high security due to nature of being a castle)
Following Howard raising concerns about the original castle gaol, in 1787 the Georgian prison was built which addressed his concerns
What 3 key features did the Georgian prison have
Washrooms built
Debtors and criminals kept separate
More secure exercise yards built
Following what act was the Victorian prison built
1839 prisons act
(Encouraged prisons to be based off separate system)
Following the 1839 Prisons Act what new part of Lincoln prison was built
Victorian prison in 1847
The Victorian prison built in 1847 following the 1839 Prisons Act was based off the…system
Separate
However later on it also used the silent system
Was the Victorian prison built 1847 based off the separate or silent system
Separate
(Towards the late 1800s it also introduced the silent system but neither systems were never fully implemented)
4 Key features of Victorian Prison built 1847 following 1839 Prisons Act
Separate system (but later on also used silent system)
Male, female and child prisoners kept separate
Individual cells used with some more modern features e.g central heating
However some problems were encountered e.g sewer blockages and disease outbreaks
How many people could executions gather
As many as 15,000
Usually there were large audiences
The first person to be executed at Cobb Hall was….
Elizabeth Whiting
What things did John Howard criticise when he visited Lincoln prison in 1775
Prisoners of different genders mixing e.g men and women
Debtors mixing with criminals despite committing different offences
Unsanitary conditions (high levels of illness and death)
Lots of corruption from those in charge of the prisons
General lack of security
He wanted prison to have medical treatment available, better food, better sanitation and religious teachers to have access to the prisons
How many convicts are sent to Lincoln from Australia when the second lot of transportation begins in 1778
1,200 mainly for theft
When the Georgian prison was built (it started being constructed in 1787) what was different about how criminals were treated to how debtors were treated
Debtors were treated much more leniently
What rooms did debtors have in the Georgian prison
Rooms at the front of the building looking down onto the castle grounds
How were criminals kept in the Georgian prison
Housed in a very simple building called the Felon’s wing at the back of the exercise yards
Name for very simple building criminals were kept in in the Georgian prison
Felon’s Wing
What shaped design were the arrangement of cells in the Victorian prison
Panopticon
Influenced by Jeremy Bentham
Who influenced the cells in the Victorian prison being arranged in a panopticon design
Jeremy Bentham
In which prison were cells based off a panopticon design influence by Jeremy Bentham
Victorian prison
Which prison had a chapel and who likely influenced it
Victorian prison
Elizabeth Fry
Describe how executions were originally carried out
Prisoners taken to Burton Road just outside the castle walls
Prisoner brought to gallows standing on the back of a cart, have a noose placed around their neck and then the horse would be whipped to pull the cart away so that the criminal is left to hang until they’re dead
Members of the criminals family were allowed to pull on the hanging person’s legs so that they died quicker however to do this they had to give a fee to the hangman
Pub opposite execution site was given name Struggler’s Arms and is still called that today
Originally executions were carried out just outside the castle walls on…Road
Burton
Originally, prisoners were brought to the execution site on Burton Road, just outside the castle walls by standing on…
The back of a cart
What is placed around the prisoner’s neck once they reach the gallows where they will be executed
Noose
What happens once the noose is placed around the prisoner’s neck just before they’re executed
Horse is whipped and is pulled away leaving victim hanging and is left there to die
When the victim is left to hang at the gallows, what can members if their family pay a fee to the hangman to do to make them die quicker
Pull on the victim’s legs
First change to how executions were carried out (originally they are carried out outside of castle walls on Burton Road)
1799 Roof placed in Cobb Hall (a tower in the castle) and had gallows set up inside it
Meant execution could be seen by more of the public and it was more secure (there would be audiences of up to 15,000 people watching the executions with hotel rooms selling out around the area- some hotel rooms even had a direct view of the execution)
What year was the roof placed on Cobb Hall (one of the castle towers)
1799
(Had gallows set up to make it more secure and meant the execution could be seen by more of the public including attracting audiences if up to 15,000 and some hotel rooms in ven having a view of it)
What is Cobb Hall
One of the towers in the castle
2 key reasons why Cobb Hall has a roof out on it in 1799
To make it more secure
So the executions can be seen by more of the public (gallows were set up there)
2nd method of execution used
Long drop
Length of rope used is determined by criminal’s height and weight so that their neck could be broken quickly and the death was a quicker process
3 groups of people originally kept in the Castle Gaol which Howard sees when he visits in 1775
Debtors
Convicted criminals
Those awaiting trial
True or false, after visiting Lincoln prison in 1775, his suggestions for Orión reform were acted on quickly
True
By 1787 a new prison (the Georgian prison) is constructed
Under which act did the government pay for prison inspections
1835
3 key acts that affect Lincoln prison
Act passed 1835- prisons to be inspected and theses visits were paid for by the government (ensured Howard’s ideas of reform were in place like prisoners being kept separate, sanitary conditions and etc)
1839 prisons Act- Victorian prison built based off separate system however it was never fully implemented which was the same as the silent system which was later introduced but not fully implemented
1868- abolition of public executions led to all executions taking place inside Cobb Hall with only journalists present and then all executions fully ending when the Bloody code was abolished
The 1865 Prisons Act stated that prisons should be hard…, hard… and hard..
Labour
Fare
Board
(As the separate and silent system weren’t working in trying to reform prisons through allowing them to reflect on their mistakes, instead there were high suicide rates and levels of insanity)
Incarceration meaning
State of being confined in a prison
In the original castle gaol, what could prisoners pay gaolers for
Better food and bedding to improve their experience in the prison, especially debtors
(However gaolers we’re corrupt and used it as a way to make a profit which was something Howard criticised when he visited the prison)
True or false, in the castle gaol, gaolers were corrupt
True
(Charged prisoners, especially debtors, extra money for better bedding/ food to make a profit)
Who designed the Georgian prison
William Lumby
William Lumby designed which part of the prison
Georgian prison
True or false, in the Georgian prison, gaolers were still corrupt so exploited their position by charging prisoners for bedding/ food
True
(It was the only way they could make money as they weren’t paid for their job)
When the Victorian prison is built who is kept there
Everyone except debtors e.g convicts/ those awaiting trial
(Debtors are still kept in the Georgian prison)
Describe all features of Victorian prison
Built 1847 following 1839 prisons act and is based off separate system
Convicts and those awaiting trial held here but not debtors
Criminals of different ages and genders kept separate
Separate exercise yards for criminals to exercise alone
Panopticon deign if cells so guards can easily keep an eye on prisoners
Each prisoner has own cell which is well ventilated with own toilet and sink
Prisoners sleep on hammock
Cells gas lit
Some teething problems like blocked sewer leading to typhoid outbreak
Chapel
Describe features of Georgian prison when only debtors are kept there (everyone else has been moved to Victorian prison when it’s constructed in 1847)
Guards have big rooms with large bay windows to see prisoners in the exercise yard
Female debtors have a fireplace and cupboard in their cell
Make debtors have grill over hole for fire
