The National Archives has made available early photos of Oxford Castle's inmates, many of whom were children. And even children were sentenced to hard labour...
Oxford Castle mugshots show 'victims of their time'
BBC News
15 January 2017
The National Archives has made available early photos of Oxford Castle's inmates, many of whom were children.
In the 19th Century, children were often imprisoned for what now would be considered minor offences. Seven-year-old Julie-Ann Crumpling (pictured) was jailed at Oxford Castle for allegedly stealing a pram. Her mugshot - and those of other inmates at the jail - have now been made available by the National Archives.
"You’d think she was just playing with the pram," says Becky Attrill, duty manager at the castle. "They say she tried to deny her crime but she was probably terrified. She was sentenced to seven days' hard labour in 1870 and is our youngest prisoner [on record]. She probably worked in the prison's laundry, and when she was released the judge said her father had to start sending her to school, so it was probably the best thing that ever happened to her." Julie-Ann is pictured here with 12-year-old Sarah Church who was jailed for stealing a sable muff.
"It was very common to have children imprisoned," Ms Attrill continues. "They were treated the same as everyone else. Prisoners were there to work."
The children were typically separated from their family when they were imprisoned. But some parents sent to prison would take their children along with them and they would stay there together.
"The prison was eerily silent because they weren’t allowed to speak. It was very much about keeping the prisoners isolated - breaking their bodies and their spirits," adds Ms Attrill.
The prisoners were often photographed posing on a chair in the manner of a formal family photograph. "There wasn’t an official prison photographer because they were hard to come by," said Ms Attrill. "That style was the way the photographer was used to. It means it doesn’t look like they’re in prison, except their expressions aren't very happy."
Children were typically imprisoned alongside adult criminals.
"A lot of our mugshots are of petty criminals who were victims of their time," says Ms Attrill. "They were all very poor and caught stealing things like bread, and then chucked into prison."
The prison was overcrowded and not very clean and the mortality and disease rates were high.
Prisoners were given deliberately pointless jobs. "The men were pumping water up to the top of St George's Tower, then the women would go with two buckets up the spiral staircase, collect the water, and bring it back down again," says Ms Attrill.
These days much of the 1,000-year-old castle is a tourist destination, where the mugshots are on display at a permanent exhibition.
Oxford Castle was built by Norman baron Robert D'Oyly between 1071 and 1073 and housed a prison - HMP Oxford - between 1785 and 1996
Oxford Castle mugshots show 'victims of their time' - BBC News
Oxford Castle mugshots show 'victims of their time'
BBC News
15 January 2017
The National Archives has made available early photos of Oxford Castle's inmates, many of whom were children.
In the 19th Century, children were often imprisoned for what now would be considered minor offences. Seven-year-old Julie-Ann Crumpling (pictured) was jailed at Oxford Castle for allegedly stealing a pram. Her mugshot - and those of other inmates at the jail - have now been made available by the National Archives.
"You’d think she was just playing with the pram," says Becky Attrill, duty manager at the castle. "They say she tried to deny her crime but she was probably terrified. She was sentenced to seven days' hard labour in 1870 and is our youngest prisoner [on record]. She probably worked in the prison's laundry, and when she was released the judge said her father had to start sending her to school, so it was probably the best thing that ever happened to her." Julie-Ann is pictured here with 12-year-old Sarah Church who was jailed for stealing a sable muff.
"It was very common to have children imprisoned," Ms Attrill continues. "They were treated the same as everyone else. Prisoners were there to work."
The children were typically separated from their family when they were imprisoned. But some parents sent to prison would take their children along with them and they would stay there together.
"The prison was eerily silent because they weren’t allowed to speak. It was very much about keeping the prisoners isolated - breaking their bodies and their spirits," adds Ms Attrill.
The prisoners were often photographed posing on a chair in the manner of a formal family photograph. "There wasn’t an official prison photographer because they were hard to come by," said Ms Attrill. "That style was the way the photographer was used to. It means it doesn’t look like they’re in prison, except their expressions aren't very happy."
Children were typically imprisoned alongside adult criminals.
"A lot of our mugshots are of petty criminals who were victims of their time," says Ms Attrill. "They were all very poor and caught stealing things like bread, and then chucked into prison."
The prison was overcrowded and not very clean and the mortality and disease rates were high.
Prisoners were given deliberately pointless jobs. "The men were pumping water up to the top of St George's Tower, then the women would go with two buckets up the spiral staircase, collect the water, and bring it back down again," says Ms Attrill.
These days much of the 1,000-year-old castle is a tourist destination, where the mugshots are on display at a permanent exhibition.
Oxford Castle was built by Norman baron Robert D'Oyly between 1071 and 1073 and housed a prison - HMP Oxford - between 1785 and 1996
Oxford Castle mugshots show 'victims of their time' - BBC News