Norman Cross Prison
The site had a good water supply and close to sufficient local sources of food to sustain many thousands of prisoners and the guards.
In 1797, "The prisoners constantly sawed the inner palings [of the stockade] close to the ground, so they could be removed and replaced at night without fear of detection.
[5][6][7][8][9] Most of the men held in the prison were low-ranking soldiers and sailors, including midshipmen and junior officers, with a small number of privateers.
[4] The most senior officer on parole from the prison was General Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes who resided with his wife in Cheltenham from 1809 until they escaped back to France in 1811.
In July 1801 Jeremiah Askew, a tradesman at Yaxley, was convicted of being in possession of palliasses and other articles bearing the government mark of the 'broad arrow'.
[11] Samuel Johnson and a Mr Serle, who visited the barracks, compiled a report on behalf of the British government, stating that the proportion of food allowance was fully sufficient to maintain both life and health, but added: "provided it is not shamefully lost by gambling".
The senior officer from each quadrangle was permitted to inspect the food as it was delivered to the prison to ensure it was of sufficient quality.
From 1808, the former Bishop of Moulins Étienne-Jean-Baptiste-Louis des Gallois de La Tour, who lived in exile at Stilton, was permitted by the Admiralty to minister and provide charity to the prisoners at his own expense.
They became severely dyspeptic and completely blind from sunset until dawn, to the extent that their fitter companions had to lead them around the camp.
Various treatments were tried and failed; finally they were cured with black hellebore, given as snuff, which relieved the dyspepsia and restored their night vision within a few days.
Many prisoners at Norman Cross made artefacts such as toys, model ships and dominoes sets from carved wood or animal bone, and straw marquetry.
42, Old Bond-street, are most uncommon proofs of human ingenuity; whether we take into consideration the many figures moving in all directions, and exercising their different trades on the material with which they are constructed, namely, the bone of beef, they are equally the objects of our admiration.
They remained in Huntingdon Gaol until they received a free pardon from the Prince Regent and were moved to Norman Cross and repatriated with the prisoners of war to France in 1814.
[22] Prisoners at the Norman Cross site were not permitted to manufacture straw hats or bonnets (presumably so as not to impinge upon the local industry).
[4] The authorities appear to have enforced this stipulation: at Huntingdon Assizes in May 1811 John Lun, snr (twelve months) and three sons (six months) were sentenced to prison for a conspiracy, in endeavouring to persuade the NCOs and privates of the garrison to permit a quantity of straw to be conveyed into the site for the purpose of making straw hats.
[23] In September 1812 the North York Militia held a regimental court-martial lasting three days that reduced four sergeants to the ranks and reprimanded two others for conniving at the guards smuggling raw straw into the prison and the plaited product out.
[29] The agent at the depot (camp commander), Captain Pressland RN, was inviting tenders for the building of a wall, in August 1807.
About a fortnight ago a formidable attempt was made by the prisoners of war at Norman Cross to effect their escape from confinement.
Between ten and eleven o'clock at night a force of 500 of them rushed all at once violently against the interior paling of the prison, and in an instant levelled one angle of it with the ground.
They were proceeding to make a like experiment upon the next inclosure (constructed, like the former, of wood), when they were charged by the military of the barracks, and more than 40 were severely wounded with the bayonet before they were driven back to their confines.
None escaped: but in consequence of this attempt a vast inclosure of brick-work is now building about the prison; is to be 14 feet high, and nearly a mile in circumference.
[13] One prisoner, Charles Francois Marie Bourchier, stabbed a civilian, Alexander Halliday, while attempting to escape on 9 September 1808.
[35] In November 1809, two French Navy officers escaped by secreting themselves in the soil carts of the prison, in which they were drawn out of the confines of the depot.
[39] In August 1812 Prosper Louis, 7th Duke of Arenberg, was sent to Norman Cross after refusing to conform to the new reporting rules of his parole at Bridgnorth, where he was staying with his wife, Stéphanie Tascher de La Pagerie (a niece of Empress Joséphine).
[42] However, the Edinburgh's Militia were soon sent north to deal with Luddite machine-breaking[43] and with a very large group of French prisoners arriving from the Peninsula the guards had to be reinforced quickly.
The Bedfordshire Militia were sent from Littlehampton in wagons changed at each town, the officers in post chaises, the journey of 166 miles (267 km) taking just six days (29 April to 4 May).
In January 1807 upwards of 60 of them, whose services had been accepted, were marched under an escort of the Pembrokeshire Militia, to Portsmouth, to be distributed on board ships of war.
[57] The Star reported "We are sorry to add that on their way to the sea coast for embarkation, a few indulged in drinking to such excess, that two of them perished in a fit of intoxication, and nearly thirty were left on the road unable to proceed to their native land.
In April 1815, "1,000 Yards of capital Board Fencing, now standing round the burial ground appropriated to the late French prisoners, near Norman Cross Inn" were advertised for sale.
The memorial to the 1,770 prisoners who died at Norman Cross was erected in 1914 by the Entente Cordiale Society beside the Great North Road.
