HM Prison Parkhurst

Parkhurst as an institution began in 1778, originally serving as a military hospital and children's asylum. By 1838, it had transformed into a prison for children.{{cite web |url= http://www.blacksheepancestors.com/uk/parkhurst_page.shtml |title=PARKHURST PRISON |website= BlackSheepAncestors.com |access-date=9 February 2016}} 123 Parkhurst apprentices were sent to the Colony of New Zealand in 1842 and 1843,{{cite web |url= http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~tonyf/parkhurstboys/convicts4.html |title=CONVICTS SENT TO NEW ZEALAND! The Boys from Parkhurst Prison |author=Anthony G. Flude |date=2003 |access-date=9 February 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160129084454/http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~tonyf/parkhurstboys/convicts4.html |archive-date=29 January 2016 |url-status=dead }} and nearly 1500 boys between the ages of 12 and 18 were sent to various colonies in Australia and New Zealand. The Swan River Colony (Western Australia) received 234 apprentices between 1842 and 1849, then chose to accept adult convicts as well.{{cite web |url= http://www.sro.wa.gov.au/archive-collection/collection/convict-records |title= Convict Records |publisher= State Records office of Western Australia |access-date= 9 February 2016}} Victoria and Tasmania also received "Parkhurst Boys", who were always referred to officially as "apprentices", not convicts. During this period, Parkhurst Prison Governor Captain George Hall (in office from 1843 to 1861) employed the boys to make bricks for the construction of the C and M block wings of the prison building.

From its early days as a prison for young offenders, Parkhurst faced severe criticism from the public, politicians and the press due to its harsh regime (including the use of leg irons initially).Hagell A and Hazel N (2001) 'Macro and micro patterns in the development of secure custodial institutions for serious and persistent young offenders in England and Wales.' Youth Justice 1, 1, 3–16. The prison became a focal point for reformers, most notably Mary Carpenter (1807–1877), who campaigned against the use of imprisonment for children.{{cite book|last= Carpenter|first= Mary|title= Reformatory Schools: For the Children of the Perishing and Dangerous Classes and for Juvenile Offenders|publisher=C. Gilpin|location= London|date= 1851|url= https://archive.org/details/reformatoryscho00carpgoog|quote= Reformatory Schools for the Children of the Perishing and Dangerous Classes, and for Juvenile Offenders.|access-date=5 April 2009}}

In 1966, Parkhurst became one of the few top-security prisons in the United Kingdom, known as "Dispersals", because they separated more troublesome prisoners rather than housing them all together in one place. However, it lost its "Dispersal" status in 1995. In 2009, Parkhurst merged with HM Prison Albany to form super-prison HM Prison Isle of Wight, with both sites retaining their original name.{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/prisons-to-become-hmp-isle-of-wight-25161.aspx|title=Isle of Wight County Press – "Prisons to become HMP Isle of Wight"|publisher=iwcp.co.uk|access-date=30 March 2009}}

{{main|1995 HM Prison Parkhurst escape|}}

On 3 January 1995, three prisoners (two murderers and a blackmailer) escaped from Parkhurst prison and enjoyed four days of freedom before being recaptured. One of the escapees, Keith Rose, was an amateur pilot. During those four days, the escapees lived rough in a shed in a garden in Ryde, after failing to steal a plane from the local flying club.

A documentary entitled Britain's Island Fortress was produced about this daring prison escape, and it was featured in the National Geographic Channel's Breakout documentary series.{{cite web|url= http://natgeotv.com/uk/breakout/videos/britains-island-fortress|title=Britain's Island Fortess |access-date=6 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130412010736/http://natgeotv.com/uk/breakout/videos/britains-island-fortress|archive-date=12 April 2013

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Many high-profile criminals have been incarcerated at Parkhurst, including Lord William Beauchamp Nevill;{{cite book |last1=Nevill |first1=Lord William Beauchamp |title=Penal Servitude |date=28 January 1903 |publisher=William Heinemann |location=London}} the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe;{{cite web|url=http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/famous_criminal/54/the_aftermath/1/Peter_Sutcliffe_The_Yorkshire_Ripper.htm|title=Peter Sutcliffe: The Yorkshire Ripper – The aftermath|publisher=crimeandinvestigation.co.uk|access-date=8 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707014748/http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/famous_criminal/54/the_aftermath/1/Peter_Sutcliffe_The_Yorkshire_Ripper.htm |archive-date=2007-07-07}} Moors Murderer Ian Brady; drug smuggler Terrance John Clark, the Teacup Poisoner, Graham Young;{{cite web |title=Graham Young – Poison, Death & Teacup |url=https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/graham-young}} and the Kray twins.{{cite web|url=http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2008/s08070146.htm|title=The Kray twins at Parkhurst Prison|publisher=assistnews.net|access-date=8 December 2008}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

Michael Gaughan died at Parkhurst prison after a 64-day hunger strike. In December 1971, Gaughan had been sentenced at the Old Bailey to seven years imprisonment for his involvement in an IRA bank robbery in Hornsey, north London, which yielded {{£|530|link=yes}} ({{Inflation|UK|530|1971|fmt=eq|cursign=£|r=-2}}). He was also convicted for the possession of two revolvers. On 31 March 1974, Gaughan went on hunger strike demanding political status. At this time, British policy was to force-feed hunger strikers.{{Cite web|url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2006/06/guantanamo-and-medical-ethics.php|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060615205914/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2006/06/guantanamo-and-medical-ethics.php|archive-date = 15 June 2006|title = JURIST | School of Law | University of Pittsburgh}} Over the course of his protest, Gaughan was force-fed 17 times. The last time he was force-fed was the night before his death on Sunday, 2 June. He died on Monday 3 June 1974, at the age of 24.Coogan, Tim (2000). The I.R.A.. Harper Collins. pp. 415–418. {{ISBN|0-00-653155-5}}.

War criminal Radovan Karadžić has been serving a life sentence at Parkhurst since May 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/butcher-of-bosnia-radovan-karadzic-imprisoned-on-isle-of-wight-1.1231810 | title='Butcher of Bosnia' Radovan Karadzic imprisoned on Isle of Wight | work=The National|location=Abu Dhabi | date=29 May 2021 }}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.justice.gov.uk/global/contacts/noms/prison-finder/isle-of-wight/ Ministry of Justice pages on Parkhurst] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216012204/http://www.justice.gov.uk/global/contacts/noms/prison-finder/isle-of-wight/ |date=16 February 2012 }}

{{Prisons in South East England}}

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Parkhurst

Parkhurst

Category:1805 establishments in England

Category:Newport, Isle of Wight

Category:Dispersal prisons