Juvenile Imprisonment at Parkhurst
Although it it would not have been apparent to him at the time, the next phase of James Chard’s life provided a stroke of good fortune when he found himself aboard a cutter bound for the Isle of Wight; and Parkhurst Prison. The alternative mainland penitentiaries of Dartmoor and Pentonville were reputedly horrid whilst the ‘hulks’ of Plymouth were hardly fit for human habitation. |
| PARKHURST PRISON | ||
| History In 1778 a military hospital and children's asylum called Parkhurst was built [1] on the Isle of Wight. Situated centrally on the island and visible for several miles, it was a building of imposing appearance.
In 1843, at a cost of about £30,000, extensive additions were completed that included a new prison ward, a chapel, and a probationary ward school [2]. Much of the construction had been undertaken by the juvenile inmates as part of their training in stonework, carpentry and iron-working. A Model Reformatory From 1838 to 1863 Parkhurst, labelled by the Government of the day as "the Reformatory or Juvenile Prison”, housed only boys. During this time 4088 juveniles passed through its gates, and a quarter of these subsequently found themselves part of the transportation process. In his 1984 publication [3] about the Parkhurst boys who were transported to Australia and New Zealand, Paul Buddee writes; “Parkhurst was originally conceived as a place to hold, school and train boys (as trade apprentices) until they were old enough to be transported (to the colonies). “If the training of the boys had not been a prominent feature in the original concept, it soon proved to be a valued idea as it gave the boys a higher rating than those from other prisons such as Millbank and Pentonville. “For a while Parkhurst was able to be more selective, gradually accumulating a considerable group of reliable boys who deserved consideration above the incorrigibles sent to other prisons for direct transportation.” The Illustrated London Newspaper published an article [5] in 1847. The following excerpts, with associated sketches, describe what James Chard would have been confronted with upon his arrival in early 1843. Of the prisoner's admission and initiation ...  "The Officers of the Prison wear military dress (consisting of) blue frock-coats, cloth caps, and leather belt and strap (for) holding keys. "Each prisoner wears a leather cap, made in the shoemaker's shop, and bearing on its front the boy's inmate number in brass figures. "(His) trousers and jacket are of grey cloth (and) on the left breast of the latter are sewn ‘P.P.’ and the inmate number (as well as) ‘P.P.’ on the left thigh. "On the right breast is worn a brass medal with (the) inmate’s number. "The penal class is denoted by yellow collars and cuffs, and letters of the same colour." "The rest of the clothing (consists of) a striped shirt, leather stock, waistcoat for winter wear, worsted stockings and boots, all of which are made in the prison." |
Of the prisoner's education and accommodation ... “Education and training took place in the Probationary Ward (as depicted in this sketch), the course of instruction (being) two and a half hours, on alternate days. "By good conduct, the boys are admitted to the senior division of the school, and instructed at open desks, of which the school room is provided with 8. "It is also fitted with 50 compartments, each holding one prisoner, and is so planned, that the schoolmaster can inspect and instruct without the possibility of the boys communicating with or seeing each other.  "When a school class is occupied, the boys are visited in their cells several times a day by the schoolmaster and by the chaplain for the purpose of religious and moral instruction. "Each boy's cell [2] was 11 feet by 7 feet, and 8 feet 6 inches high, brick arched, and contained a hammock of coconut fibre which was stretched by straps from wall to wall. The interior was furnished with a small table, a stool, and a writing-desk containing a Bible, a prayer-book and a hymn-book for Chapel. School books, a writing slate and pencils were also provided. On the wall of his cell the morning and evening hymn cards, with the day’s prayers, were prominently displayed. "To afford to each prisoner an occasional opportunity of quiet consideration of his condition and prospects, as well as reflection on the admonition and instructions which he has received, there are several school classes scheduled one day a week for manual occupation and the opportunity of light employment." |
| The strict regimentation of Parkhurst would have come as a shock to a thirteen year old farm boy but his incarceration offered considerable advantages and opportunities - the obvious being that for the first time in his short life he was warmly clothed and regularly fed. Also with Parkhurst placing a huge emphasis on schooling, albeit with a strong religious bias, becoming literate and learning a craft were considered essential. Parkhurst was considered extremely progressive for its time. So much so that in June 1845 the facility received a visit [2] from Queen Victoria. The boys were proudly presented to Her Majesty and she “was graciously pleased to pardon, in person, two of the prisoners, one from each Division of the Establishment.” Sadly, James Atkins Chard was not one of those chosen. His next life changing event occurred two months later when Captain John Bruton [4] commanding the barque HMS Stratheden[6] dropped anchor at the Isle of Wight. Supplementing the 154 adult male prisoners already loaded in London, 72 Parkhurst boys completed the ship’s convict manifest. So, sixty seven years after the First Fleet had departed from Plymouth harbour James Atkins Chard was following in his father's footsteps on a voyage to the colonies. |
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| The journey [5] across two oceans took 147 days with stops in Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town. HMS Stratheden arrived at Sullivans Cove, Hobart Town on Christmas Day 1845. Finally at Van Diemen's Land 103 adult convicts, including the Parkhurst boys, disembarked. The remaining 51 felons would be transferred to Port Phillip in January of the New Year. |
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| BRUSHES WITH ROYALTY |
| Queen Victoria’s visit to Parkhurst prison in the summer of 1845 came just six months after she had given birth to her fourth child and second son, Alfred. There is no doubt that James’ close contact with the monarch on that day would be recalled 23 years later when he met [7] Prince Alfred – the newly appointed third Duke of Edinburgh - during his visit to the colonial settlements of Victoria's western district. |
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