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Author Topic: Understanding court documents from 1890  (Read 226 times)

Offline Beavances

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Understanding court documents from 1890
« on: Tuesday 09 April 24 12:14 BST (UK) »
The attached is from 'The Swansea Prison: Nominal Registers: Men 1890-1893' on Ancestry.
I wonder if anyone can help me understand the abbreviations?

Under the column for 'Education' what I think says 'Iwp' - it may of course say something else and I have not read it correctly!

Also, under the column for 'Sentence' - does HL stand for hard labour? If so any ideas what this might consist of in 1890 Wales?

Thanks for reading

Offline Bookbox

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Re: Understanding court documents from 1890
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 09 April 24 15:47 BST (UK) »
Education – not 'lwp' but Imp, for ‘Imperfectly’, referring to the prisoner’s ability to read/write.

HL is Hard Labour, and there is plenty of information online if you search. Try this link as a starter ...
https://visitvictorianengland.com/2019/05/07/hard-labour-in-victorian-prisons/

Offline Beavances

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Re: Understanding court documents from 1890
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 09 April 24 17:07 BST (UK) »
Thankyou Bookbox for both  explanations. Reading the abbreviation as meaning 'imperfect' makes sense. Also with the link to the information about hard labour I now realise that it was as part of being in jail. I had somehow got it into my head that it was instead of a custodial sentence.
Appreciate your help.
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