Record Number: 23072

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

ms journal of Sophia de C-, one of the ladies of the Visiting Society for Newgate, entry dated 1 May 1817: 'Most of the prisoners were collected in a room newly appointed for the purpose to hear a portion of the Sacred Scriptures read to them, either by the matron, or by one of the Ladies' Committee; which last is far preferrable ... I think I can never forget the impression made upon my feelings at this sight. Women from every part of Great Britain; of every age and condition, below the lower-middle rank; were assembled in mute silence, except when the interrupted breathing of their suckling infants informed us of the unhealthy state of these innocent partakers in their parents' punishment. The matron read; I could not refrain from tears; the women wept also; several were under the sentence of death. Swain for forging, who had just received her respite, sat next to me; and on my left hand sat Lawrence, alias Woodman, surrounded by her four children, and only waiting the birth of another, which she hourly expects, to pay the forfeit of her life, as her husband had done for the same crime a short time before'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

1 May 1817

Country:

England

Time

daytime

Place:

city: London
specific address: Newgate Gaol
other location: prison

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

passive reactive unknown
single serial unknown

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

anon

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder

Occupation:

matron, women's prison, Newgate

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

unknown

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

female prisoners and lady prison visitor

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

[n/a]

Title:

Bible

Genre:

Bible

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

23072

Source:

Print

Author:

Elizabeth Fry

Editor:

Katharine Fry

Title:

Memoir of Elizabeth Fry, with extracts from her Journal and letters, edited by two of her daughters

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1847

Vol:

1

Page:

274

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Elizabeth Fry, Katharine Fry (ed.), Memoir of Elizabeth Fry, with extracts from her Journal and letters, edited by two of her daughters, (London, 1847), 1, p. 274, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=23072, accessed: 25 April 2024

---

Additional Comments:

None