It’s not always easy getting into the minds and psyche of historic prisoners. Prison records, whilst informative around the convictions, descriptions and treatment of prisoners, seldom dwell on their wellbeing, their personalities or personal experiences. Whilst there are a handful of extant accounts, these are often coloured by the fact that they are written by…
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A Convict’s Fate in Victorian Britain
Being arrested and then sentenced to penal servitude in Victorian Britain almost certainly guaranteed a miserable existence, in a miserable prison, surrounded by equally miserable people. During the Victorian era there were several paradigm shifts in the way saw the people and world around them, from the advent and celebration of science and technology, as…
Hydrotherapy & The Water Cure
The origins of hydrotherapy can be traced as far back as the ancient Greeks and early eastern cultures in China and Japan, where minerals were added to baths. The most common medical practice was to bathe sufferers in water, both hot and cold water, sometimes interchangeably in order to sooth pain, cure diseases or relieve symptoms.
A Year In Institutional History…
Almost a year to the day, Gem and a rather haggard Daniel sat outside a café in Woking and made a decision which would change the course of our lives. That decision was to set up The Institutional History Society.
The Prison Cookbook by Peter Higginbotham
From the forest courts of William the Conqueror, to the unwritten laws of ‘chummage’ in debtor’s prisons, Peter unflinchingly takes you on a dark journey, delving into prison conditions and malpractice, ably illustrated and guided by primary sources. Indeed, for the bibliography alone this book was worth the £8.99 we paid.
Of Bones and Betrayal – Our trip to Oxford Castle and Prison.
In central Oxford, hemmed in by 60s Bauhaus installations and chain restaurants, sits almost a thousand years of history, beautifully preserved and, at times, wonderfully disturbing. Oxford Castle (and latterly prison) is still an incredible building, despite part of it having been revamped into a hotel. Apparently the attraction of staying in a prison, didn’t die out with the Victorian poor.
Valentine’s Special – Vinegar, Vitriol, and Vehemence – The violent vanity of Victorian Valentines
Join Gemma and Daniel as they talk Valentines crime.
The Battered Body Beneath the Flagstones, and Other Victorian Scandals
The Battered Body beneath the floor is a wonderfully engaging listen. Michelle’s writing is captivating and thrilling without unnecessary gore. Whilst dealing with gruesome topics, she handles the darkest and most desultory crimes of the Victorian era with a tact and grace that is not often seen in modern novels, where the aim seems to be often to shock and jar the audience.
Mad, Bad, & Bizarre – Episode 4
Join Gemma & Daniel as they discuss a attempted burglary and a double homicide
The murder of no man – The Hilary Rougier Mystery
In August 1926 a gentleman died in Woking of, what was at first supposed to be, a cerebral haemorrhage and senility. Little was known of his life and no one (or at most 2 people depending on the source) attended his burial.