PRISON RECORDS

Since medieval times, British prisons have held not only those accused of crime but also debtors, sinners, religious and political opponents, disobedient soldiers and sailors, and foreign combatants. They have also employed managers (governors, keepers and matrons), guards (turnkeys, warders and gatekeepers), and sometimes other service providers (including cooks, chaplains, surgeons and schoolmasters). So it is no wonder that many of us have uncovered at least one prison connection in our family tree.

INCREASED IMPRISONMENT

From the mid-1700s, the use of imprisonment to punish crime expanded while it was reduced for other types of transgression. At the same time, pressure from reformers saw the institution transform from a dangerous dungeon into a healthy and, finally, tightly controlled environment. This was accompanied by better