Punishment in industrial Britain

• What significant change occurred in attitudes towards punishment during the 18th and 19th centuries in Britain?

  Transportation and public executions stopped, and imprisonment as a punishment increased.
• What was the timeline of significant events related to punishment from 1770 to 1868?

  • 1770: Captain Cook claimed for Britain
  • 1774: Cal Act
  • 1776: American War of Independence; start of transportation to USA
  • 1787: Transportation of convicts to Australia begins
  • 1787-1868: Over 160,000 people transported to Australia
  • 1822: Hanging for stealing
  • 1825: End of Bloody Code; crimes reduced to 122
  • 1823: Gaol Act
  • 1842-77: 90 new prisons built
  • 1850: Transportation slowed down
  • 1868: Transportation abolished; no more public executions
• What led to the increase in the Bloody Code during the 18th century?

  Rapidly growing crime rates led the government to increase the Bloody Code.
• What was the peak number of capital crimes in the Bloody Code, and in what year did it occur?

  The peak number of capital crimes was 222 in 1786.
• What were the changing views on the purpose of punishment in the 19th century?

  • Punishments should be equal to the crime committed
  • Corporal and capital punishments were inhumane except for serious crimes
  • Punishment should focus on rehabilitating the offender
• What was the outcome of the changing views on punishment in the 19th century?

  There was a decrease in the use of the death penalty and the end of the Bloody Code.
• When was transportation to Australia abolished?

  Transportation to Australia was abolished in 1868.
• Why did transportation to Australia increase due to rising crime rates?

  • Criminals worked for settlers for seven years
  • Provided free labor to build infrastructure
  • Most stayed in Australia after their sentence due to inability to afford the fare home
• What factors contributed to the end of transportation by 1868?

  Australia no longer needed forced laborers, and it was seen as too expensive and harsh.
• What were the conditions like in 18th century prisons?

  • Very poor conditions
  • Increasingly used as a form of punishment
  • Many believed conditions should be poor with hard labor
• Who was John Howard, and what did he contribute to prison reform?

  John Howard's work led to the 1774 Gaol Act, suggesting improvements in health and sanitation in prisons.
• What did Elizabeth Fry do for female prisoners in Newgate Prison?

  She set up education classes, improved food and clothing, and treated prisoners with kindness and respect.
• How did the work of John Howard and Elizabeth Fry influence prison reforms?

  • Their efforts led to improved conditions in prisons
  • Influenced Peel's prison reforms
  • Emphasized rehabilitation over punishment
• What is the significance of the Gaol Act of 1774?

  The Gaol Act suggested improvements for health and sanitation in prisons.
• In what year did Elizabeth Fry visit women in Newgate Prison?

  Elizabeth Fry visited women in Newgate Prison in 1813.
• What was the purpose of the education classes set up by Elizabeth Fry?

  The purpose was to reform female prisoners.
• What was the impact of the discovery of gold in Australia on transportation?

  It made Australia an attractive place to go, reducing the need for forced laborers.
• What was the role of public executions in the context of punishment during the 18th and 19th centuries?

  Public executions were a common form of punishment until they were abolished in 1868.
• What should you include when describing how attitudes towards punishment changed during the period 1750-1900?

  • Changing attitudes towards the purpose of punishment
  • Reasons for the changes
  • Key events and reforms in punishment practices