Shorncliffe Military Garrison/Convict Camp

[bemmygirl]

I've found myGreat-Great Grandfather ISAAC WATKINS on the 1851 Census as a Prisoner in Shorncliffe Military Garrison in Cheriton.
I can't find out an awful lot about it at that time and wonder if anyone can help?
Isaac was from Bristol, and i'm wondering if you had to be in the Military to be a prisoner or if Civilians were imprisoned there as well?
does anyone have any information about the camp in the 1850's?
many thanks

sue

[Bill749]

Hi Sue

My guess would be that he would have been a soldier on a charge for some misdemeanor.  I don't think civilians would have been imprisoned in the Barracks - they would have been in the local gaol.

Shorncliffe Camp is still in use - currently occupied by the Gurkha regiment.

[Valda]

Normally that would be my first thought, but as Isaac was a 52 year old widower and a farmer's labourer born Bridlington Somerset and the prisoners around him were shoemakers, clerks, capenters, fishmongers etc. born all over the country, that obviously can't be the case.

The acting governor on the 1851 census was described as superviser of Millbank prison, which means in someway this camp was attached to Millbank prison in London.

Kent record Office would be able to give you further details.

With the connection with Millbank prison there is a possibility that this 'convict camp' was the equivalent to a convict hulk with prisoners serving their time or waiting to be transported (though by then only really to Western Australia).

Do you know what happened to Isaac Watkins after the 1851 census?

Regards

Valda

[bemmygirl]

thanks for your replies!
yes, i do know how things developed, in as much as Isaac married Ann, in Bristol in 1853, they went on to have3 children. Ann was a widow, and on the 1861 census, her 3 children from her 1st marriage lived with them as well. She had her last child at age 46...poor soul! He was Jacob and was my Great-grandfather. Isaac died about 1880. I have the 'blue' Marriage certifiicate of Jacob and Ellen when they married in Bristol in 1879. Isaac was still working as a labourer then.
It was interesting to read about the Prison tie in. I'll try and explore it further.

sue

[Reidragon]

Hi
I do know that at one time prisoners from London were transferred to Shorncliffe.
They were taken out of London due to an outbreak of Cholera or something similar.
I do know that some graves exist for some of the prisoners in a local Church.

If I can find out more I will.

Andy

[bemmygirl]

thanks very much Andy, i'd be very grateful. I tried the Kent Records Office, but they said they held no records for Shorncliffe, and said they were held by National Archives. I haven't found my way around and through that web-site yet!!

Regards

Sue

[casalguidi]

Hi Sue

There are some quarterly returns of prisoners at Shorncliffe in HO 8 (series code) from March 1850 - Sep 1851 ................ search for Shorncliffe with code HO 8 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp

see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=253

Casalguidi

[Valda]

PCOM 2 138 are the prison registers for Shorncliffe 1849-1851.
The HO8 series 102-109 I think run from December 1849-September 1851 (according to David Hawkings book 'Criminal Ancestors').

The short period of record survival is either because that is all that has survived or that is the only major period Shorncliffe was used as an overspill prison from Millbank for whatever reason - probably disease within the prison knowing Millbank's history.
The prison registers should give the most detail on the prisoners including a physical description, when and where the prisoner was convicted and for what, the sentence served and possibly any previous convictions.

Regards

Valda

Regards

Valda

[bemmygirl]

 thanks very much for all your help everyone!!
i found the appropriate link in the National Archives, following your advice, and got the digitalised copy of the muster roll.
Isaac Watkins was transferred from Millbank Prison.....he was doing a life sentence for 'Burglary with personal violence'...what we call GBH now i suppose. He was sentenced in 1843. I know he married in Bristol in 1853, so he served about 10 years. It did say in the 'behaviour' column that his behaviour was 'very good', so perhaps he got time off for good behaviour. Just shows life didn't always mean life then either.

sue