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The Common Room / Re: Latchmere House Borstal, Kingston Surrey
« on: Monday 28 September 20 17:50 BST (UK) »
Latchmere House was one of two assessment and allocation centers for boys sentenced to Borstal training in 1960 when I was there as a 'resident'.
There were many Borstal institutions around the country which had varying degrees of harsh or liberal conditions. Some were 'closed' with walls and cells and were more like adult prisons while others were 'open' with no fences and dormitories and communal living and little in the way of the strict discipline that was the hallmark of prison life in those days.
I found my way to this site as a result of trying to find some information about a deputy governor at Latchmere who took a personal interest in some of the boys there.
I'm not sure how he chose his 'subjects' but I do remember him interviewing me on a number of occasions about my treatment in prison as a 15 year old for about 5 months while awaiting trial. It was not only the offer of cigarettes - a very scarce commodity - that made me look forward to his visits. He seemed genuinely concerned. I regret that I took advantage of his concern by embellishing my story somewhat to encourage more frequent visits!
But the relationship also provided a further - and a much more valuable - consequence. My allocation was changed form a closed Borstal - Rochester, in Kent - to Hewell Grange, in Worcestershire - an open and relatively relaxed institution and much closer to my Midlands 'home'. That made a significant difference to my life for the next 9-12 months.
I don't recall the deputy governor's name. His most significant characteristic? He was generally accompanied by a dachshund!
I always wondered if his interests ever made their way into a book or report.
If anyone has any information about this gentleman, I would really appreciate hearing.
There were many Borstal institutions around the country which had varying degrees of harsh or liberal conditions. Some were 'closed' with walls and cells and were more like adult prisons while others were 'open' with no fences and dormitories and communal living and little in the way of the strict discipline that was the hallmark of prison life in those days.
I found my way to this site as a result of trying to find some information about a deputy governor at Latchmere who took a personal interest in some of the boys there.
I'm not sure how he chose his 'subjects' but I do remember him interviewing me on a number of occasions about my treatment in prison as a 15 year old for about 5 months while awaiting trial. It was not only the offer of cigarettes - a very scarce commodity - that made me look forward to his visits. He seemed genuinely concerned. I regret that I took advantage of his concern by embellishing my story somewhat to encourage more frequent visits!
But the relationship also provided a further - and a much more valuable - consequence. My allocation was changed form a closed Borstal - Rochester, in Kent - to Hewell Grange, in Worcestershire - an open and relatively relaxed institution and much closer to my Midlands 'home'. That made a significant difference to my life for the next 9-12 months.
I don't recall the deputy governor's name. His most significant characteristic? He was generally accompanied by a dachshund!
I always wondered if his interests ever made their way into a book or report.
If anyone has any information about this gentleman, I would really appreciate hearing.