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Female convict in cell, Millbank Prison
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Female convict in cell, Millbank Prison
A female convict in a cell at Millbank Prison, London. She is wearing a canvas dress and is being punished for tearing her normal clothes. Date: 1862
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Media ID 7188061
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10512965
Cell Convict Millbank Normal Pauper Prison Punished Tearing Workhouse
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this haunting image from 1862, a female convict is seen sitting despondently in her cell at Millbank Prison in London. The convict, dressed in a coarse canvas dress, appears to be in a state of punishment, her normal clothes lying in tatters on the floor of her cell. Millbank Prison, which opened in 1816, was one of the largest and most notorious prisons in England during the Victorian era. It was known for its harsh conditions and punitive regime, which aimed to reform prisoners through physical and mental suffering. The convict in this photograph was likely a pauper, meaning she had been unable to support herself and had been taken in by the workhouse or poor law system. It is unclear what offense she had committed to be sent to Millbank Prison, but it is evident that she has been punished for tearing her normal clothes. The canvas dress she is wearing was a common form of punishment clothing for female prisoners in Victorian prisons. These dresses were made of rough, coarse material and were intended to be uncomfortable and humiliating. They were often worn as a form of punishment for minor infractions, such as disobedience or rule-breaking. Despite the harsh conditions and punitive regime, Millbank Prison was also a place of reform and rehabilitation. Prisoners were expected to work, attend religious services, and receive education and training in various trades. However, the punitive measures, such as the wearing of canvas dresses, were intended to instill discipline and obedience. This photograph offers a glimpse into the harsh realities of life in a Victorian prison and the punitive measures used to reform and discipline female convicts. It serves as a reminder of the challenging conditions faced by prisoners during this period and the importance of reforming the criminal justice system to prioritize rehabilitation over punishment.
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