Newgate / Oakum-Picking
Poster Prints from Mary Evans Picture Library
Newgate / Oakum-Picking
A convict, in his cell, oakum- picking. Date: 1873
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Media ID 7120853
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10103072
1873 Cell Convict L Aw New Gate Picking Prisons Oakum
EDITORS COMMENTS
This haunting image captures the grim reality of life inside a Victorian-era British prison, specifically at Newgate Prison in 1873. The convict in the photograph is shown hunched over in a cramped, dimly lit cell, his worn and soiled clothing a testament to the harsh conditions he endured. In his hands, he holds a ball of oakum, a hempen rope used for caulking ships. His task was to unravel and separate the fibers of the oakum, a laborious and time-consuming process that was used as a form of punishment and rehabilitation for prisoners. The practice of oakum-picking was a common form of penal labor in British prisons during the 18th and 19th centuries. Prisoners were forced to spend hours each day engaged in this tedious work, which not only served to keep them busy but also to break their spirits and instill a sense of submission. The monotonous and degrading nature of the work was intended to humiliate and dehumanize the prisoners, making them more compliant and easier to control. The image of the convict in his cell, oakum-picking, is a poignant reminder of the harsh and inhumane treatment of prisoners during this period. The use of oakum-picking as a form of punishment highlights the cruel and degrading nature of the prison system at the time, which was more focused on punishment and control rather than rehabilitation and reform. The photograph serves as a powerful reminder of the need for compassion and humanity in the treatment of prisoners and the importance of recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of all individuals, even those who have made mistakes or committed crimes.
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