'From this time [7pm] till nine o'clock, the prisoners are allowed to read such books as they may have obtained from the library. To show us that the men were generally so occupied, the officer who had attended us throughout the day now led us from cell to cell, and drew aside the small metal screen that hung down before the little peep hole in each door, when, on looking through it, we found almost every prisoner whom we peeped in upon seated close to the gas-light, and busily engaged in persuing either some book or periodical that was spread out before him.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners at Pentonville prison Print: Book, Serial / periodical
Inspection of the cells of the women in separate confinement: 'we found some working, and others reading, but none, strange to say, idling'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners in separate confinement at Brixton Prison Print: Book, Serial / periodical
Inspection of the East Wing between 8:30pm and time of retirement: 'with their little wooden seats [they] placed themselves just within their doors, where they began reading.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners in East Wing at Brixton Prison Print: Book, Serial / periodical
'The first business of the morning being over [rolling up hammocks], the men break into groups or read. Many a one, to our astonishment, took his Bible and began reading it with no little earnestness.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners on board the 'Defence' hulk Print: Book
The infirmary: 'Some of the men were in bed and sitting up reading, and others were lying down, looking very ill.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners in the infirmary at Millbank Print: Unknown
'A few of the men were reading, and never raised their eyes'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners at Coldbath Fields Print: Book
Sundays at Coldbath Fields Prison, only half the prisoners can attend chapel at one time:
'Those who are left behind are not, however, allowed to remain without religious instruction. Three men in each yard have been appointed by the chaplain to read aloud to their fellow prisoners, and each relieves the other every half hour. The book for Sunday's reading is issued by the chaplain. It is of a purely religious character, and is usually "The Penny Sunday Reader", containing short sermons. Tracts are also distributed in the different yards, so that those who prefer reading to themselves, instead of listening to what is being read aloud, may do so.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners at Coldbath Fields Print: Book
Sundays at Coldbath Fields Prison, only half the prisoners can attend chapel at one time:
'Those who are left behind are not, however, allowed to remain without religious instruction. Three men in each yard have been appointed by the chaplain to read aloud to their fellow prisoners, and each relieves the other every half hour. The book for Sunday's reading is issued by the chaplain. It is of a purely religious character, and is usually "The Penny Sunday Reader", containing short sermons. Tracts are also distributed in the different yards, so that those who prefer reading to themselves, instead of listening to what is being read aloud, may do so.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners at Coldbath Fields Print: Book
Adult (male) school at Wandsworth held in the prison chapel, 43 in the class, engaged in a Bible lesson:
'Others he commended in a kind spirit for the manner in which they read their lesson. They generally read in a quiet tone; some with great stumbling and hestitation, and others very fluently.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: male prisoners at Wandsworth Print: Book
Juvenile schoolroom at Holloway Prison:
'Mr Barre, the teacher, [was] busy with a class of boys, who were reading their primers. The lessons consisted of monosyllables, such as "They walk by faith and not by sight"... The teacher was seated in his uniform by a table, with a class of half a dozen boys ranged on a form before him. Some were writing on their slates, while others were reading. Sometimes they read together, and at other times one boy read by himself... After hearing them read for some time, the teacher exercised them in simple questions of mental arithmetic...'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: juvenile male prisoners at Holloway Print: Book
School for female prisoners at Holloway:
'On a subsequent day we visited the class with the matron, which was then engaged with the Bible lesson. Most of the prisoners read very fluently and correctly, and conducted themselves with great propriety of demeanour.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: female prisoners at Holloway Print: Book
Extracts from the journal of Joseph Kingsmill:
Wed 29 October: 'I was interrogated by several prisoners this evening on passages of Scripture, in the reading of which most of the prisoners spend some time before going to bed.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners at Pentonville Print: Book
Extract from the Governor's [Edward Hackett] Journal, 16 March 1845:
'I went through the male prison at 7:30pm, and looked in upon every prisoner through the inspection slides, 97 in number, and found them all reading but 12, ten of whom were walking about, and two warming their hands over the gas light ... have made numerous similar inspections of the prisoners at all hours, and have invariably found about the same number in proportion reading.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners Print: Book
'At 8pm, there is a very good St George's Day concert by D-Block. They read extracts from the works of Shakespeare, Rupert Brooke and Kipling, as well as Noel Coward's "Cavalcade". It is very inspiring; it ends with "God Save The King".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'At 8pm, there is a very good St George's Day concert by D-Block. They read extracts from the works of Shakespeare, Rupert Brooke and Kipling, as well as Noel Coward's "Cavalcade". It is very inspiring; it ends with "God Save The King".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'At 8pm, there is a very good St George's Day concert by D-Block. They read extracts from the works of Shakespeare, Rupert Brooke and Kipling, as well as Noel Coward's "Cavalcade". It is very inspiring; it ends with "God Save The King".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'At 8pm, there is a very good St George's Day concert by D-Block. They read extracts from the works of Shakespeare, Rupert Brooke and Kipling, as well as Noel Coward's "Cavalcade". It is very inspiring; it ends with "God Save The King".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'At 7.15pm, I go to a new series of readings from famous authors on the English countryside - selections from Mary Webb, D.H. Lawrence and Adrian Bell. The commentary, is read by the Bishop of Singapore.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'At 7.15pm, I go to a new series of readings from famous authors on the English countryside - selections from Mary Webb, D.H. Lawrence and Adrian Bell. The commentary, is read by the Bishop of Singapore.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'At 7.15pm, I go to a new series of readings from famous authors on the English countryside - selections from Mary Webb, D.H. Lawrence and Adrian Bell. The commentary, is read by the Bishop of Singapore.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: prisoners of war Print: Book
'We were allowed to see two German papers—the "Kölnische Zeitung" and the "Lokal
Würzburger Anzeiger." These papers arrived after lunch, and anything of interest in
them was translated aloud for the benefit of the club by Reddy, who knew German
thoroughly. The former showed a disposition to break forth into sensational headlines,
and was rabidly and sometimes comically anti-English.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ian Vivian Print: NewspaperManuscript: Sheet
'We were allowed to see two German papers—the "Kölnische Zeitung" and the "Lokal
Würzburger Anzeiger." These papers arrived after lunch, and anything of interest in
them was translated aloud for the benefit of the club by Reddy, who knew German
thoroughly. The former showed a disposition to break forth into sensational headlines,
and was rabidly and sometimes comically anti-English.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ian Vivian Print: NewspaperManuscript: Sheet
'Snow was falling ... and there was no chance of getting out to the terrace, so that the rest of the day had to be devoted to Poker and Bridge, games of which we were all heartily sick. Reading was difficult on account of the ceaseless noise kept up by Gollywog [a French officer prisoner] and his merry men [playing chess].'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ian Vivian Hay Manuscript: Sheet
'Zeppelin. A great rush for the windows ... This evening was marked by the arrival of a parcel of books, Tauchnitz edition, which we had been allowed to order. No doubt the publishers are glad of the chance to unload their stock of British authors, as, after the war is over, there will not be much demand for the Tauchnitz volumes.'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ian Vivian Hay Print: BookManuscript: Sheet
'In one of the thoughtful editorials to which readers of the "Irish Homestead" are accustomed, I find condensed into a single phrase the idea which I have been struggling to express. "Duty to one's race," says A.E., "is not inevitable. It is the result of education, of intellectual atmosphere, or of the social order."'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ian Vivian Hay Print: Serial / periodicalManuscript: Sheet
