Kent Prisons

[Bill Jones]

Does any one have stories about the Maidstone prison please.

[Dave Smith]

Colin. Why not divulge? It may give us a smile in these difficult times & I doubt anyone who reads it will be associated.

[Colin walsh]

My wife worked for years as assistant cook in the officers mess ,then in charge of a Mrs Amy,some times "trainees"were allocated to the mess as helpers,she told me many a strange story,somtimes comical ,somtimes tragic of the boys she met there,my wife was not employed byHMPrisons but by the officers mess committee,So she had no official connection to the prison.
We have been divorced now for many years,but I still recall the tails I was told,never to be divulged.😎

[AlanTH]

I lived at Cookham Wood just across from where the road went around the Borstal. Warders used to march a crocodile of inmates out for a walk om Sundays. It was funny when they decided to go for an impromptu "run" in all directions with warders chasing them.
Many used to make for the bridges over the Medway trying to get to London I suppose including the M2 bridge even when it was under construction.
Actually before we moved to Cookham we lived in Baker Street and my father went out in the backyard one night to investigate a noise only to be threatened with his gardening fork by an escapee from the Borstal. Not sure what happened after but the old man soon came back in and locked the doors.
But we used to go for walks around the farm the boys worked on and that was enjoyable because most of the work was done by the big shire horses they still had there.
AlanH.

[Pete]

I went to the POs Social club at Borstal a few times on brewery service calls. Bit like an army Corporal's mess-basic & cold. One of the interesting things it held in common with some of the mental hospital social clubs was the vast quantity of quarter bottles of spirits that were sold. I wonder where it all went ?? 

[Invicta Alec]

In the early 1970s I played for a couple of teams in the Rochester and District Football league. During one season there was a team from HMP Borstal in our division.
The rigmarole playing against them was quite complex. For those of you familiar with the old war movie "Albert RN" it was somewhat similar.
As the visiting team you had to assemble outside the main gates. Once happy that everyone was present, then and only then, you requested entry. Once everyone had passed through the gate and it had clanged loudly shut you found yourself in an area confronted by another imposing set of gates. Here the headcount took place.
Having got changed into our football kit we were lead back to a cinder path with ten feet high chain link fencing either side which lead to the football pitch. The pitch was of course completely surrounded by high fencing. The opposition team was made up of eight inmates and three warders. We were instructed before the match that if any inmate started a fight against one of our team members to do nothing (!) and that the playing warders and further officials around the touchline would quickly deal with the offender. At the end of the game and after showering etc. our group was once again counted between the two sets of gates before we were released!
I never experienced any problems there and indeed it was an easy place to get a win (and the 2 points) since the opposition were usually a bit of a ragbag assembly.


Alec.

[mmitch]

 20 years ago I used to deliver PPE etc to prisons amongst others. Stamford Hill open prison and then onto Elmley! At Stamford prisoners would be outside the barrier sweeping and tidying up. At Elmley I put my delivery in a bomb proof container while the guard watched me behind armoured glass. The 'keep off the grass' signs meant you will set alarms off if you do! In all senses it seemed like the end of the road....
]mmitch.

[Mike Gunnill]

Mike

"Just ahead of this, Michael Howard, MP went into visiting room at the front gate and left 20 minutes later."



Ann Widdecombe's comment about Michael Howard " There's something of the night about him."

Sorry Longpockets just seen this comment of yours. It is a classic remark and made me look at Michael Howard in a different way. How he married such a lovely ex-model, I will never know.

[Longpockets]

Mike

"Just ahead of this, Michael Howard, MP went into visiting room at the front gate and left 20 minutes later."



Ann Widdecombe's comment about Michael Howard " There's something of the night about him."

[Pete]

One thing I have never found a answer to- In press reports of escapes in the early 1900s several refer to the warders opening fire on the fleeing escapees, does anyone know when warders were diisarmed?

[Mike Gunnill]

This is for prisons


 


Mike

I had to photograph a prisoner at the open prison on Sheppey. I was given an exact time. Just ahead of this, Michael Howard, MP went into visiting room at the front gate and left 20 minutes later. Holding the door open for him to leave was Jonathan Aitken. Job done for me but felt this was certainly an arranged photograph for my benefit.


Mike

[Mike Gunnill]

This is for prisons


 


Mike