Ask anyone to name a prison and they will probably say 'Parkhurst'. This book tells in a very human and informal way the fascinating, long and interesting history of this, the Isle of Wight's most famous jail. It tells of the bleak moments and the harshness of bygone days as well as the humour which characterises all prisons.
The small wooden door of the title refers to the opening into the original Victorian cells of Parkhurst where boy prisoners, under 14 years of age, were held. In a more general sense though, it can be taken to mean the door in the main gate leading inside the prison complex, for this is the story of Parkhurst in its entirety. Following behind the boy prisoners, the female prison is recalled and then the arrival of the first adult male convicts.
The book tells about food and medical matters at the prison, of escapes and other incidents which, from time to time, disturbed the prison’s routine. It recalls those prisoners who, in World War I, volunteered to fight for ‘King and Country’, some of whom died as heroes.
Brian Manser’s book gives a fascinating insight into how prison life has changed over the years, with an idea of just what does go on ‘behind the small wooden door’.
Chapter One ‘Wards, Work Routines and a Fire’ recounts how the prison came into being in the first place, and features stories on some of the more interesting characters who graced its cells at this early stage in its history:
“One of the earliest inmates to be received in Parkhurst was twelve-year old Nathanial Barton who was not by any means a hardened criminal like many of the others of his peer group…along with two of his friends, William Saxby, aged nine, and Henry Smith, aged just eight, they stole some lucifers (matches) from a nearby cottage and set fire to some straw stacks…the punishment imposed on the boys, for what was after all no more than a misdemeanour must have come as an awful shock…”
It goes on to describe the various punishments inflicted on these young inmates, amongst others, as well as the set-up of the prison.
Chapter Two gives more detail on the reasons why Parkhurst was built, and notable information on some of its employees. It is interesting to note that the hospital surgeon was paid much less than not only the governor and the chaplain, but also the cooking and cleaning staff!
The 1845 and 1863 visits to the prison by Queen Victoria are described in Chapter Three ‘Our Royal Visitor, the Women’s Riots and a Baby’. Her first viewing of Parkhurst (when it was exclusively a prison for male youth offenders) was a great success. By the time she entered the gates for a second time the prison also housed female criminals. These ‘ladies’ were not so keen to create a good impression in front of royalty, refusing to sing the National Anthem to Her Majesty, causing a riot and having to be hosed down by prison officials: “It is recorded that these women convicts were of a depraved manner and that they had decided to celebrate Queen Victoria’s visit with a mutiny.” Unsurprisingly the queen never returned, giving instruction to her government that no future monarch should ever set foot inside the prison walls!
Behind the Small Wooden Door continues with many more interesting anecdotes, little-known facts and contemporary images, woven together in a confident writing style that will have the reader captivated. There is much more to HMP Parkhurst than what we see today. Just because it is not an English Heritage site and still functions as a prison does not mean that it is lacking in history: on the contrary, it is one of the most fascinating establishments on the whole of the Isle of Wight and this book can only help to spread the word.
