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The History of Newgate Prison
A history of the iconic London prison, featuring insights on daily life, the evolution of prison systems, and famous inmates.As the place where prisoners, male and female, awaited trial, execution, or transportation Newgate was Britain’s most feared gaol for over 700 years. It probably best known today from the novels of Charles Dickens including Barnaby Rudge and Great Expectations.But there is much is more to Newgate than nineteenth century notoriety. In the seventeenth century it saw the exploits of legendary escaper and thief Jack Sheppard. Among its most famous inmates were author Daniel Defoe who was imprisoned there for seditious libel, playwright Ben Jonson for murder, and the Captain Kidd for piracy.This book takes you from the gaol’s 12th century beginnings to its final closure in 1904 and looks at daily life, developments in the treatment of prisoners from the use of torture to penal reform as well as major events in its history.Praise for The History of Newgate Prison“An amazing, entertaining and informative book!” —Books Monthly“This is a highly readable and accessible account, not only of the iconic institution, but also of the history of crime and punishment. It is packed full of evocative detail and is essential reading for all those interested in crime history.” —Who Do You Think You Are? magazine
- GenresNonfictionHistoryLondon
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 30, 2017
This was about what you'd expect from a pen and sword history book, popular history without a lot of references and free images sourced from the net, rather than the originals. I did learn a lot about Newgate prison as I knew nothing coming it, but the writing was rather dry, and the structure not necessarily the best. Her bibliography was very small, and nearly all secondary sources so I would suggest reading one of those instead.
June 21, 2017
Exactly what the title suggests – a history of Newgate Prison. Meticulously researched, written in an accessible and readable way, full of historical detail with the occasional anecdote to enliven the narrative, it’s exactly what a good history book should be and it’s both interesting and illuminating about crime and punishment in England over the centuries.
January 25, 2020
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I am a huge lover of historical non fiction and true crime so obviously this book was just made for me! I thought that it was a well researched book that was told informally enough to make it an interesting read and you weren't drowned in footnotes, quotes and historical references. It covered a long period of time and also featured famous people that have spend time within Newgate Prison. Thoroughly enjoyable read.
I am a huge lover of historical non fiction and true crime so obviously this book was just made for me! I thought that it was a well researched book that was told informally enough to make it an interesting read and you weren't drowned in footnotes, quotes and historical references. It covered a long period of time and also featured famous people that have spend time within Newgate Prison. Thoroughly enjoyable read.
March 5, 2017
It's great to see a microhistory tackle such a pertinent issue for our time: what does the history of one of London's oldest and most famous prisons tell us about our changing views of incarceration, crime, and punishment?
I was fascinated to discover that there was a time when imprisonment wasn't in and of itself considered punishment, just a means to ensure people showed up for their trials or, if convicted, their punishments. It was mind-boggling to consider a time when men and women, petty thieves and hardened killers were held in the same cells, when wardens could be fined or even executed for raping or maiming the prisoners under their care, and when prisoners, not taxpayers, were totally responsible for the cost of their upkeep and might bring their families and their furniture with them. And it was interesting to get a sense of when and how those conditions began to shift, as imprisonment went from a matter of days or months of Limbo to a possible lifelong punishment in itself. (One warden's insistence that rats kept the cells clean by eating refuse and cutting down on the lice population is particularly wince-worthy.) Not to mention times of political upheaval when Newgate was alternately crammed with Protestants and Catholics alongside the usual debtors, thieves, and murderers.
However, the book is seriously lacking in organization. While there's a rough chronological progression, Jowett bounces from subject to subject within chapters, sometimes with little or no segue or analysis. I would have liked either more analysis to tie together how crime, incarceration, punishment, and prison reform impacted each other in each era, or I would have liked to get away from the chronological framework and just have separate chapters on the evolution of capital punishment, how wealth affected incarceration, gender differences, prison labor, the history of renovation of Newgate, etc.
Adding to the lack of organization, several chapters end with stories of various criminals to give an idea of who passed through Newgate's doors, but these often fail to mention Newgate at all, leaving me to assume they stayed there during one of their many arrests but uncertain how long they spent there, let alone what their prison experience was like. More famous Newgaters, real and fictional, are listed in an appendix at the end of the book, again, stripped of context and content. I would have liked these stories to be more intertwined with the data in the chapters: "John/Mary X, arrested for thieving/prostitution/debt in 1502, complained about prisoners stealing blankets and wardens charging for maintaining oil lamps in unlit corridors," etc. The lack of quotes and citations throughout both leeches a lot of potential emotion from the history and takes away from its authority.
In the end, I learned a lot from this book, but was left wanting more sense of how it all tied together.
I was fascinated to discover that there was a time when imprisonment wasn't in and of itself considered punishment, just a means to ensure people showed up for their trials or, if convicted, their punishments. It was mind-boggling to consider a time when men and women, petty thieves and hardened killers were held in the same cells, when wardens could be fined or even executed for raping or maiming the prisoners under their care, and when prisoners, not taxpayers, were totally responsible for the cost of their upkeep and might bring their families and their furniture with them. And it was interesting to get a sense of when and how those conditions began to shift, as imprisonment went from a matter of days or months of Limbo to a possible lifelong punishment in itself. (One warden's insistence that rats kept the cells clean by eating refuse and cutting down on the lice population is particularly wince-worthy.) Not to mention times of political upheaval when Newgate was alternately crammed with Protestants and Catholics alongside the usual debtors, thieves, and murderers.
However, the book is seriously lacking in organization. While there's a rough chronological progression, Jowett bounces from subject to subject within chapters, sometimes with little or no segue or analysis. I would have liked either more analysis to tie together how crime, incarceration, punishment, and prison reform impacted each other in each era, or I would have liked to get away from the chronological framework and just have separate chapters on the evolution of capital punishment, how wealth affected incarceration, gender differences, prison labor, the history of renovation of Newgate, etc.
Adding to the lack of organization, several chapters end with stories of various criminals to give an idea of who passed through Newgate's doors, but these often fail to mention Newgate at all, leaving me to assume they stayed there during one of their many arrests but uncertain how long they spent there, let alone what their prison experience was like. More famous Newgaters, real and fictional, are listed in an appendix at the end of the book, again, stripped of context and content. I would have liked these stories to be more intertwined with the data in the chapters: "John/Mary X, arrested for thieving/prostitution/debt in 1502, complained about prisoners stealing blankets and wardens charging for maintaining oil lamps in unlit corridors," etc. The lack of quotes and citations throughout both leeches a lot of potential emotion from the history and takes away from its authority.
In the end, I learned a lot from this book, but was left wanting more sense of how it all tied together.
July 23, 2017
Although this book involves piracy on a peripheral basis, two infamous pirates – William Kidd and John Gow – spent time within the walls of this notorious prison. Divided into seven chapters, The History of Newgate Prison explores its history from its medieval beginning until its demolition in the first decade of the twentieth century. Even though the Central Criminal Court of the Old Bailey now sits where Newgate Prison once stood and the prison has been gone for more than a century, people still remember this “hanging prison.”
Each chapter focuses on a specific period in the prison’s history: its earliest years, crimes and punishments, its existence under the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, effects of the Great Fire, the “republics” that sprang up in the first half of the eighteenth century, its rebirth in the second half, and prison reforms. In addition to being a history of Newgate, this book also traces the development of the English penal system from the days when the Normans occupied the country to its reformation during the Georgian and Victorian eras. Three appendices discuss Newgate’s more famous inmates, such as Robin Hood and Captain Kidd; depictions of the prison in art and literature; and the inmates’ secret language. Jowett also includes an index, a center section of illustrations, and a bibliography.
Even though there are only a few mentions of pirates, readers will find this book to be a fascinating account of what it was like to be a prisoner across the centuries. Entering the fortress prison’s gates didn’t necessarily mean an inmate had committed a crime; for many centuries it played host to debtors like Daniel Defoe and their innocent families. Chapter five dramatically explores a condemned person’s day of execution or what it meant to receive a sentence of transportation.
We think of prisons mostly as public institutions of incarceration, but Newgate was privately run and those imprisoned there had to pay for the “privilege” of entering, leaving, and residing within its walls. Jowett provides vivid descriptions, sometimes in her own words and sometimes in those of people who experienced it. By book’s end it’s easy to understand why this long-gone prison remains an indelible memory of times past. One may also comprehend why some chose to follow the short, but merry, life of a pirate instead of living within. When the back cover closes, readers will be thankful they were never “treated” to the experience of being a Newgate inmate.
Each chapter focuses on a specific period in the prison’s history: its earliest years, crimes and punishments, its existence under the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, effects of the Great Fire, the “republics” that sprang up in the first half of the eighteenth century, its rebirth in the second half, and prison reforms. In addition to being a history of Newgate, this book also traces the development of the English penal system from the days when the Normans occupied the country to its reformation during the Georgian and Victorian eras. Three appendices discuss Newgate’s more famous inmates, such as Robin Hood and Captain Kidd; depictions of the prison in art and literature; and the inmates’ secret language. Jowett also includes an index, a center section of illustrations, and a bibliography.
Even though there are only a few mentions of pirates, readers will find this book to be a fascinating account of what it was like to be a prisoner across the centuries. Entering the fortress prison’s gates didn’t necessarily mean an inmate had committed a crime; for many centuries it played host to debtors like Daniel Defoe and their innocent families. Chapter five dramatically explores a condemned person’s day of execution or what it meant to receive a sentence of transportation.
We think of prisons mostly as public institutions of incarceration, but Newgate was privately run and those imprisoned there had to pay for the “privilege” of entering, leaving, and residing within its walls. Jowett provides vivid descriptions, sometimes in her own words and sometimes in those of people who experienced it. By book’s end it’s easy to understand why this long-gone prison remains an indelible memory of times past. One may also comprehend why some chose to follow the short, but merry, life of a pirate instead of living within. When the back cover closes, readers will be thankful they were never “treated” to the experience of being a Newgate inmate.
May 1, 2021
What's there is fine, it's just a very brief overview. Some interesting accounts and anecdotes, not much analysis.
March 5, 2017
This is a very enlightening and well researched book. It starts in medieval times and ends with it being pulled down. There are articles about famous people, as well as events that developed as time went on. The sometimes horrific punishments and sometimes for sins that you would never realise was a crime. I was shocked that debt was an imprisonable crime?
This is a fantastic book and would recommend to anyone who either loves history and true crime.
This is a fantastic book and would recommend to anyone who either loves history and true crime.
February 23, 2017
"The History of Newgate" covers the history of Newgate from its initial building to its closure. The author broke the history down into chunks of time: 1188-1499, 1500-1699, 1700-1769, 1770-1779, and 1800-1902.
She described how Newgate was run (administrative structure, fees for provisions and such, etc.), what life was like for the inmates, what crimes would result in a stay at Newgate, the punishments for those crimes, and how all of these things changed over the years. She described the attempted and accepted reforms to the system (including some changes to the legal system) as well as some famous or typical cases from each period.
I found the book to be a very interesting and informative without getting dry or academic in tone. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in learning more about the goal/prison system in England during this time period.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
She described how Newgate was run (administrative structure, fees for provisions and such, etc.), what life was like for the inmates, what crimes would result in a stay at Newgate, the punishments for those crimes, and how all of these things changed over the years. She described the attempted and accepted reforms to the system (including some changes to the legal system) as well as some famous or typical cases from each period.
I found the book to be a very interesting and informative without getting dry or academic in tone. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in learning more about the goal/prison system in England during this time period.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
January 6, 2018
London’s Newgate Prison, a place made famous through the ages as a setting for writers like Defoe and Dickens and housing notorious criminals like Jack Sheppard and Captain Kidd. It’s also famous for a lengthy history almost as old as London herself. From medieval times to the dawn of the twentieth century, the filth and fury of Newgate was to prisons what Bedlam was to asylums. The same vile conditions, harsh treatment, and the poster child for widespread reform. With all the years Newgate was active, one might think a massive tome would hold the history. Caroline Jowett’s 2017 book, The History of Newgate Prison isn’t a massive tome. It’s a rather short read, and one I didn’t enjoy...
To read the rest of this review go to https://drewmartinwrites.wordpress.co...
To read the rest of this review go to https://drewmartinwrites.wordpress.co...
April 1, 2017
"The History of Newgate Prison" shares insight into the people who spent time in Newgate as well as the prison's horrific conditions. The conditions varied between the Common and Masters side. The injustices of poor throughout time is evident. The poor would struggle to get released because of lacks of funds to pay fees to be released. The poor in debtor's prison never had a chance. Authors of the time, such as Dickens, were referenced throughout the book. Numerous titles have characters in Newgate which was fun to see the connection with classics I have read. This book also shares the history of the penal system referencing other prisons in England through time. It is obvious the system has come a long way but there is still room for improvement. The book bounces around in time but was easy to follow. It's an easy read and also enlightening.
May 2, 2017
Book received from NetGalley.
This is a book on Newgate, from when they first decided to build a new prison in London to when they decommissioned it and tore it down. They go through the changes made it the prison from the poorest prisoners having to beg to get money for food and sleeping on floors with rats crawling on them. To the later eras when prisoners had to be treated well, get at least one meal with mostly clean areas to sleep and medical care. It also discusses the famous prisoners held in the prison and which of those were released, transported or hung. I enjoyed reading it, I had known about Newgate from the various history books I've read. However, I had never know more than the basics of it and the prisoners confined in it. I think this is a good book for a starting point on wanting to know more about criminal history in London.
This is a book on Newgate, from when they first decided to build a new prison in London to when they decommissioned it and tore it down. They go through the changes made it the prison from the poorest prisoners having to beg to get money for food and sleeping on floors with rats crawling on them. To the later eras when prisoners had to be treated well, get at least one meal with mostly clean areas to sleep and medical care. It also discusses the famous prisoners held in the prison and which of those were released, transported or hung. I enjoyed reading it, I had known about Newgate from the various history books I've read. However, I had never know more than the basics of it and the prisoners confined in it. I think this is a good book for a starting point on wanting to know more about criminal history in London.
April 29, 2017
What a book! For a history lover, it is a great read. For a lover of British History, it is an even better read. I read this in two days, and could not put it down. The research and the time that Caroline Jowett
put into this book is evident. I was enthralled from the first sentence. The hundreds of years of lives in that prison, along with the filth, disease, lice (yuc!...especially reading about a prisoner who bit them in half and threw their bloody little bodies against the wall...ugh)....is shocking and disgusting..but nevertheless, intriguing.
So many well known authors spent time in Newgate prison..and then there's "The Beggar's Opera"!, set in Newgate which was said to "Make the Rich very Gay and the Gay very rich".
I'm sure their interpretation of Gay is not what ours is today!
Thank you to Pen and Sword Publishing for the PDF Galley.
I feel like I just spent time in a wonderful history class, which gave me the opportunity of learning a great deal of Historic information.
put into this book is evident. I was enthralled from the first sentence. The hundreds of years of lives in that prison, along with the filth, disease, lice (yuc!...especially reading about a prisoner who bit them in half and threw their bloody little bodies against the wall...ugh)....is shocking and disgusting..but nevertheless, intriguing.
So many well known authors spent time in Newgate prison..and then there's "The Beggar's Opera"!, set in Newgate which was said to "Make the Rich very Gay and the Gay very rich".
I'm sure their interpretation of Gay is not what ours is today!
Thank you to Pen and Sword Publishing for the PDF Galley.
I feel like I just spent time in a wonderful history class, which gave me the opportunity of learning a great deal of Historic information.
May 14, 2017
“The History of Newgate Prison” is a quick read. Wham bam, slam and dunk and it’s over.
good luck
**ARC/publisher/NetGalley
good luck
**ARC/publisher/NetGalley
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews