On this day in history : 25th May 1962 – Coventry’s Cathedral Church of St. Michael is consecrated…. The new Cathedral replaces the original St. Michael’s which was destroyed in World War II….
Coventry Cathedral 1962 | The Service of Consecration – Herry Lawford via flickr
The Coventry Blitz began during the evening of November the 14th, 1940; it was the most severe bombing raid to hit Coventry during WW2, involving 515 German bombers and was given the name Operation Mondscheinsonate (Moonlight Sonata)…. The intention of the Germans had been to destroy Coventry’s factories and industrial infrastructure….
At around 8pm Coventry’s Cathedral was set on fire by incendiaries; volunteer firefighters managed to put the flames out…. However, more hits followed and new fires started….soon the blaze was out of control….
Coventry Cathedral in 1891 – public domain
The Cathedral could not be saved; all that remained was the spire, tower and outer wall…. It had been constructed in the late 14th and early 15th centuries and was one of the largest Parish churches in England…. In 1918 it had been given the status of Cathedral…. It now stood a ruin….
Photo credit: Andrew Walker CC BY-SA 2.5
In 1950 a competition was launched to find an architect to design a replacement…. Out of over 200 entries submitted the design of Scottish architect Basil Spence was chosen…. Spence insisted that the old Cathedral, which stood on hallowed ground and with a Grade 1 listing, remain – as a garden of remembrance….
The foundation stone for the new Cathedral was laid by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 23rd of March 1956…. It was built by John Laing and Hollington sandstone was used…. The modern design raised a few eyebrows – but upon opening the Cathedral won the hearts of the people…. For its consecration on the 25th of May 1962 Benjamin Britten composed his ‘War Requiem’….which was premiered in the Cathedral on the 30th of May….
Like its predecessor the modern Cathedral is Grade 1 listed…. The two stand side by side….the ruins a reminder to the pointless waste of war…. Behind the altar of the ruined Cathedral can be seen the words ‘Father Forgive’ – which Provost Richard Howard had inscribed upon the wall after the bombing….
Provost Richard Howard (left) with Winston Churchill in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral – Photograph: Horton (Capt) – War Office official photographer – Public domainImage credit: DeFacto CC BY-SA 4.0
On this day in history : 24th May 1809 – Dartmoor Prison is opened….after being purposely built to accommodate the thousands of French prisoners captured during the Napoleonic wars….
The entrance to Dartmoor Prison
Britain and France were at war between 1803 and 1815…. At first prisoners of war were held in redundant warships that had been converted into floating prisons….they were known as ‘the hulks’…. Conditions onboard were beyond terrible; overcrowding, lack of sanitation, malnutrition, hardly any exercise, little fresh air and rife disease meant the death rate became unacceptably high…. It became obvious a permanent prison was needed on dry land….
Beached convict hulk ‘Discovery’ at Deptford – Public domain
Many of the hulks were located at Plymouth and it was decided a good place for the new prison would be at Princetown on Dartmoor – land which happened to belong to the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV)…. The foundation stone was laid on the 20th of March 1806 – and the intention had been that it would be built in 18 months…. However, due to disputes involving labour and the inclement Dartmoor weather the actual construction time was double that….
Drawing of Dartmoor Prison published 1879 – Public domain
The first prisoners arrived in May 1809….and by the end of the year the prison was full and had soon become over crowded…. In April 1813 American prisoners of war started to arrive – and the conditions became even worse…. At one point there were almost 6,000 men crammed into the prison; diseases such as typhoid, smallpox and pneumonia claimed many lives…. In all over 1,200 Frenchmen and 271 Americans died…. The dead were buried on the moor….
The wars ended and the prisoners returned to their homelands, the last leaving in early 1816…. The prison remained empty until reopening in 1850 to take convicts…. At first prisoners came from the prison ships on the Thames and at Gosport….the majority had some form of disability – and it was thought the fresh Dartmoor air would do them some good….
The ‘Warrior’ hulk – HMS Warrior as a prison ship
New iron cells were constructed, replacing the old stone ones – and gradually the old stone prison buildings were replaced by the Victorian ones which make up much of the prison today….
At some time around 1852 the graves of the war prisoners were exhumed – and the remains re-buried in two graveyards to the rear of the prison…. This was done on account of the new prison farm which was about to be established….
During the years of World War I the prison became a Home Office work centre….. Conscientious objectors could attend a tribunal to state their objections to serving the Country, on moral or religious grounds…. Sometimes they would be able to sign an agreement to work at a labour camp…. Dartmoor accommodated 1,000 such men….the locks were removed from the cell doors and they were able to move freely around…. Warders were merely supervisors, the ‘Conchies’ wore their own clothes and during their free time they were able to visit the village – although generally they were despised by society – being seen as cowards….
The prison re-opened as a penal detention establishment in 1920 and housed some of Britain’s most notorious criminals…. Nowadays the prison holds low category prisoners….
Dartmoor Prison from the air – andrewrabbott CC BY-SA 4.0
On this day in history : 23rd May 1797 – The Bank of England acquires the nickname ‘The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’ – when a cartoon by caricaturist James Gillray is published….
James Gillray (1756-1815) was a well-known caricaturist and satirist of the time…. His cartoon, entitled ‘Political Ravishment – The Old Lady of Threadneedle-Street in Danger!’ referred to the financial crisis of the time…. It protested against the introduction of paper money – which had been produced to replace gold coins….
The old lady represented the Bank of England, which of course is situated on Threadneedle Street, the City of London…. Her dress is made from banknotes and she is seated upon a locked money chest – which represents the Bank’s gold reserves…. Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger is seen to be making unwanted advances towards her…. She cries “Rape! Ravishment! Ruin! Ruin! Ruin!!!” He is trying to pick her pockets of any gold coins she may have secreted away – but his real intention is to get into that chest she is sitting upon….
Under his hat, which is lying on the floor, can be seen a loans notice…. The Bank had been making large loans to the government to fund the war with France….
On this day in history : 22nd May 1915 – The Quintinshill rail disaster takes place near to Gretna Green, Scotland…. To this day it remains Britain’s worse rail disaster – with 227 dead and 246 injured….
The signal box at Quintinshill controlled two passing loops, situated parallel to one another on the Calendonian mainline between Glasgow and Carlisle…. The signal box was the responsibility of the station master at Gretna Green and manned by one signalman at a time and was worked in shifts…. On the day of the accident the night shift had been manned by signalman George Meakin and he was due to be relieved at 6.30am by James Tinsley, for the morning shift….
Site of the Quintinshill crash (2014)
Two regular express trains were due to pass through at this time of the morning – a long with a local train…. The normal procedure was – so as to make way for the faster trains – to shunt and hold the local train on one of the passing loops…. However, there was extra traffic on the line this particular morning – a special troop-train, carrying a Royal Scots battalion, was passing through on its way south to Liverpool…. They were on their way to join the troop-ship Aquitania bound for Gallipoli….
The two passing loops were already occupied when the local service train arrived at Quintinshill – a freight train with empty coal wagons and another goods train…. Both express trains were running late – so Meakin directed the local train to be held, facing north, on the south bound line…. James Tinsley was on the train, arriving to do his shift in the signal box…. He joined his colleague – who did not leave immediately – but remained to read the newspaper that Tinsley had brought with him…. They were joined by a couple of crew from the waiting trains and the group discussed the latest war news….
At 6.49am the south bound troop-train collided head-on with the waiting local train…. The train carrying the Royal Scots over-turned onto the north bound main line…. Shortly after one of the express trains ploughed into it….
The Illustrated London News 25 May 1915
The troop-train burst into flames – the ferocity of the fire made it impossible for rescuers to get near…. The old wooden carriages were lit by gas lamps….the gas being stored in cylinders beneath the floor….which of course added to the inferno….
Out of the 498 soldiers onboard 214 were killed….only 83 of these could be identified…. A total of 227 lost their lives in the disaster – and a further four children remained unaccounted for…. Another 246 people were injured…. Only 58 men and 7 officers from the Royal Scots escaped un-injured – and were sent on to Liverpool for departure to Gallipoli…. However, they were declared medically unfit and returned to Edinburgh….
At the following public enquiry all blame was placed on Meakin and Tinsley…. George Meakin had failed to put into motion two vital safety procedures…. He had forgotten to inform the signal box further north that no trains should be allowed onto the Quintinshill section – and he did not put the regulation safety lock collar on to the signal lever…. James Tinsley, on taking over, had forgotten the local train was being held on the south bound line – and as there was no safety collar on the lever it meant he was able to signal the express train through….
Public domain
Meakin and Tinsley were charged with culpable homicide and found guilty at trial…. Tinsley received a sentence of 3 years imprisonment and Meakin 18 months…. Both men actually served just over a year – and returned to work on the Calendonian Railway – but not as signalmen….
It has to be questioned whether the men were entirely to blame….most of the lives lost were due to the fire…. It could be said the age and condition of the carriages made them not fit for purpose….and contributed to the disaster….
On this day in history : 21st May 1780 – The birth of English Quaker and prison reformer Elizabeth Fry…. Often referred to as the ‘Angel of Prisons’ – but also a social reformer in many other ways….
Elizabeth Fry the ‘Angel of Prisons’ – Flickr Commons – Public domain
Born Elizabeth Gurney, into a wealthy Quaker family in Norwich, she was known as ‘Betsy’ to those who knew her well…. At the age 12 she was devastated when her mother died – but even at such a young age she was expected to help bring up her younger brothers and sisters….
It was after hearing a prominent Quaker preacher in 1797 that she vowed to do something to help others…. She set up a Sunday school in the laundry room of the family home for children working in the factories of Norwich…. Her sisters called them ‘Betsy’s imps’…. She also began visiting the sick and those in need….
When she was 20 Elizabeth met Joseph Fry – part of the Fry’s chocolate family…. They were married on the 19th of August 1800….and set up home in East Ham, London…. They had eleven children, five sons and six daughters, one of whom – Betsy – died at the age of 5…. Elizabeth and Joseph were later to have 25 grandchildren….
Elizabeth Fry – Public domain
Elizabeth hated violence of any kind – she campaigned against capital punishment and flogging…. She once sacked a governess to her children on the spot, having caught her administering a beating…. Elizabeth’s compassion also stretched to those unfortunate enough to find themselves in Britain’s squalid gaols of the time….
A visit to Newgate Prison in 1813 shocked and horrified Elizabeth….over 300 women and children living in filthy, overcrowded conditions – some of the women had not even had a trial…. The gaoler did not want her to enter the prison alone ~ “they’ll tear off your things and scratch and claw you. And first of all they’ll snatch your watch” …. Elizabeth conceded to leave her watch behind but adhered to her resolve to visit the women and their children alone….
Elizabeth Fry – Reproduction of lithograph – credit: Wellcome Collection CC BY
At the time her own family were having financial difficulties and she was not in a position to do much to help the prisoners….but in 1816 she returned…. One of the first things she did was to fund a school for the children of the women prisoners – it was common for children to accompany their mothers to prison….
In 1817 she helped found the ‘Association for the Reformation of the Female Prisoners of Newgate’…. One of the areas the Association worked in was to provide the materials and equipment for the women to learn to sew and knit – to give them the skills and an opportunity to earn a living once they got out of prison…. Elizabeth believed in rehabilitation rather than harsh punishment….
Elizabeth Fry reading to inmates in Newgate Prison – by Jerry Barrett CC BY-SA 4.0
On a visit to England the King of Prussia, Frederick William IV, requested that he accompany Elizabeth Fry on one of her visits to Newgate Prison…. Such was the admiration for her work that support came from high places; Robert Peel helped where he could within his Parliamentary capacity….and Princess Victoria championed her cause and contributed money….
Elizabeth’s work in the reform of the penal system for women also included the welfare of those about to be transported…. For over 25 years she visited every convict ship bound for Botany Bay….her mission to improve conditions on board for the women prisoners – to make sure they were properly fed and had access to water…. Materials and sewing equipment would be provided for the women to make items – such as quilts – so they had something they could sell on reaching Australia….
She even campaigned for the prisoners to have closed carriages from the prison to the convict ship…. The practice had been for the women to be taken by open cart….to be met by hostility from people in the street – who relished yelling abuse and hurling rotten fruit – or worse…. Elizabeth fought to give those about to be transported some degree of dignity….
The Neptune, a convict ship that took convicts to Australia – Public domain
Her work and dedication to making conditions for prisoners more humane was demanding enough – but with Elizabeth it didn’t stop there….
She proposed reforms for mental asylums and founded hostels and soup kitchens for the homeless…. She promoted education for working women and worked to provide housing for the poor….
Elizabeth was personally adept at tending to the sick….and particularly supported vaccination against smallpox…. She had been trained in the procedure herself by Dr. Willan – an early advocate of the smallpox vaccination…. She also founded a nursing school at Guy’s Hospital, which inspired a distant relative of hers – Florence Nightingale….who took a team from Elizabeth’s school to the Crimea with her….
Elizabeth died in Ramsgate, Kent on the 12th of October 1845 – after suffering a stroke…. In 2001 the Bank of England commemorated her by featuring her picture on the reverse side of the £5 note….remaining until its replacement by an image of Sir Winston Churchill in 2016….
Elizabeth Fry (after Charles Robert Leslie) – Public domain
Cottage Capers 