Record Number: 23154

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Eliza Cooper was first visited in Newgate in the summer of 1849. She was committed for unlawfully deserting her infant ... On passing through the infirmary one day, I found poor Cooper in bed, apparently in a very low and declining state of health. I spoke a few words to her, but she covered her face and seemed unable to reply, and thinking her too ill for conversation, I passed on to the door, but found it unexpectedly locked, the matron having forgotten to leave it open for me. Finding it impossible to make her hear, I turned back to poor Cooper, and offered to read with her if it would not tire her: "Tire me!" she said, "Oh, no!" and she looked up with eyes streaming with tears, and a countenance expressive of the deepest emotion. That half-hour at Newgate glided rapidly away, for the poor prisoner opened all her heart to me, and manifested the deepest concern for her soul. She told me that she should never forget the narrative of the rich man and Lazarus, which had been read and explained to her the previous week. She said, "I felt myself so weak and so miserable that I thought I am just like Lazarus - a poor forgotten diseased creature - Oh! that my soul were like his, so that when I die angels may carry me to heaven."'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1849 and 31 Dec 1849

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
specific address: Newgate Gaol
other location: prison, infirmary

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

anon

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Unknown/NA

Occupation:

lady prison visitor

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

Eliza Cooper, prisoner

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

[n/a]

Title:

Bible

Genre:

Bible

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

23154

Source:

Print

Author:

Matilda Wrench

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Visits to female prisoners at home and abroad

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1852

Vol:

n/a

Page:

22-23

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Matilda Wrench, Visits to female prisoners at home and abroad, (London, 1852), p. 22-23, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=23154, accessed: 21 December 2024

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Additional Comments:

None