Old Time Punishments

by William Andrews

The Tabard Press Limited/Bonanza, 1992.

Genres: History, True Crime, Nonfiction, Research

251 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1890

About the author

William Andrews (1848-1908) was a notable Victorian librarian, author and journalist, deeply influenced by the burgeoning interest in folklore and local history during his time. His work draws upon his extensive travels across England and familiarity with various dialects and traditions, reflecting his passion for documenting and preserving the nuances of British cultural heritage.
He is buried in Yorkshire, England.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A facsimile of the 1891 edition of the book by the same name, it reads fast, but some sections of it do require either knowledge of late 19th century slang/grammar, or the ability to know how to look up what exactly you're not understanding.

It runs thru several different means of torture and punishment used in England from time immemorial to the 1850s. Definitely worth a read to people who are interested in how indifference to our fellow man has changed over the years.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Sheila Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be full of interesting facts about forms of punishment used before the 1900s in Great Britain. It also provides a good look at the types of crime that were punished and the inequality of the sentencing - the poor were more likely to be punished than the rich. This Kindle book does not contain any of the drawings mentioned within the text. I think anyone who formats these public domain works for Kindle should include those and do a better job at formatting the books.

[Lindsay Deacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great for nerds like me who are interested in the macabre history of England. Considering that the book was published in the 1800s, it still felt like a modern-enough text. The illustrations were occasionally quirky, and even the narration sometimes described some of the most torturous devices as "curious" or "intriguing." Lots of fun.

[Bruce · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a reprint of an 1890 book which was (is) a compilation of reports on the use of various punishment devices. Many of the crimes were religious in nature and the punishment meted out by the church or at religious figure's requests.

[Phil Syphe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've previously read a couple of books similar to this, and like those, this is the type of account one reads with a morbid fascination.

This tome focuses mainly on punishments that occurred in England's history, from the bizarre to the brutal.

[Guera25 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neat little reference volume for the bookshelf, but not for the committed scholar. While some forms of punishment were explained in detail, some, such as the penitence-stool, were described only in the vaguest terms. I'm still unsure just how it punished the unhappy sitter.

[Dennis Blewitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fair review of some historical forms of punishment. It is a good good read to students of Criminal "Justice"

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book showing some of the unusual punishment devices used in earlier centuries. recommended