Lewes Invalid Prison

[Clazy2000]

Hi,

I am looking for any info on above. I have an ancestor Nehemiah Gray who died whilst in St.John's Invalid Convict Establishment, Lewes(death cert. dated 5th September1859). There was an inquest held 2nd Sept.1859 by Francis Harding Gill, coroner for Sussex.

All I have been able to find is that in 1860 it apparently moved to a new prison at Woking and prior to that convicted felons were sent to Lewes when they were considered unfit for hard labour and returned usually(but not in this case!) to Dartmoor when fit and healthy enough to resume hard labour again!

I obtained above info.from a report in the Times on the annual report of the Directors of Convict prisons 1860 but have been unable to find any other references to the establishment itself.It would be interesting to find where he was buried and if there are any other records.


Can anyone throw any light on any of this?
With thanks
Clazy2000

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Clazy2000

Well, this is a new one on me - I thought I was pretty well genned up on Lewes.

Have looked through my database of Lewes burials (St John Sub Castro, All Saints, South Malling, Southover, etc) without success I am afraid - so if anywhere he must be in Lewes Cemetery, opened early 1850's

I have also checked the A2A website for the East Sussex Record Office because, according to their yearly report, they have 85% of their records on line - but again to no avail.

Not very helpful am I, but I bet there are other sussex researchers who can give you a bit more information

Chris in 1066

[Clazy2000]

Hi Chris

Thanks for the reply.
I have tried a2a and all the obvious on-line stuff. It's one of those queries where you know the 'truth is out there somewhere'. It is just finding it. I think perhaps a visit to Kew in the Spring might be necessary!

I have also looked for where the coroners report might be held. I think ESRO might have that.

Thanks again
Gill (Clazy 2000)

[Roy G]

Like others, I had never heard of the Lewes Invalid Prison so I Googled it.
I found there were several entries including the following that referred to a Parliamentry paper from 1856.

HOME OFFICE Reports of the Directors of Convict Prisons. . . including the Invalid Prison at Lewes, for Year 1858.

London, HMSO. 1859. 400pp. Folio.
Paper wrappers. British Parliamentary Paper. 
Comprehensive report on the discipline and management of the prison establishments covering sanitary conditions, diet, employment of the convicts, their moral and religious condition and extracts of letters from discharged prisoners.

If you can find a copy of this paper from elsewhere rather than purchasing it, it may give you some of the answers you are seeking

Roy G

[Clazy2000]

Thanks Roy

The Times article I found was a report on a later Report of the Directors of Convict prisons. I think that legally they had to produce these reports as in 1850 the convict service was set up as a replacement for transportation and the use of prison hulks. There were about 5 different convict prisons which were different from the local gaols and prisoners appear to have been moved between them. I don't think St.Johns Invalid convict establishment Lewes was used for long as it was transferred to Woking by 1860, so at the very longest 9 years but probably only for 5 or 6 years which is probably why there isn't too much about it.

My convict ancestor came from Wiltshire and had several convictions he stole 12 chickens, a sheep, and some wheat and seems to have been treated as public enemy number one! Still some lost their lives for similar crimes.

Thanks for your help I will see if  I can access a copy.
Gill

[Roy G]

Don't know where in the world you are, but I recall Sussex University Library has a complete set (over 100 volumes) of British Parliamentry Papers (they were republished in Ireland about 1970).  Hopefully some other university libraries also have sets to facilitate research.

Roy G

[Clazy2000]

Thanks again Roy.

This may not be an impossibility as although I live in Hertfordshire my daughter is a student at Sussex Uni at Falmer and although studying English I am sure when time allows, that she could check for me.

I was born in  Hastings so much of my research has been in Sussex. The convict who went to Lewes was actually on my Dad's side and came from Wiltshire. I am always amazed in Family History how sometimes fate plays a hand in finding out what happened and threads come together in the most improbable ways and places!

I know she has a couple of important pieces of work to complete in the next two weeks but after that I will get her to search for the Parliamentary papers.

Many thanks for all your help. It is a good lead.
Gill

[toni*]

was it actually a prison?

burials of prisoners were different to those of  .... err .... not prisoners.

[Clazy2000]

Hi,

His occupation given on his death cert. was 'convicted felon' so I am guessing he was considered a prisoner and thus would have been buried as one.

Did it mean that even in death he would not have been entitled to the same burial as non-prisoners?

Gill Clazy2000