The first girls’ reformatory
Posted by Abel on 05 May 2008 at 08:16 am | Tagged as: Historical Punishments, Perverting Reality
I’ve been reading about The Red Lodge, Britain’s first reformatory for girls.The enlightened founder believed that the girls could be educated without regular recourse to corporal punishment. But I can imagine one resident pushing her luck too far: absconding for a third time, perhaps, having been given a very clear final warning.
She would be brought before the Governors. That, in itself, would cause her to quake: any bravado would have been long abandoned by the time she was led into the room. They would ask for an explanation; she would have none. They would warn her of the dire fate that might befall a homeless girl wandering the streets of Victorian Bristol. They would ask whether she recalled her previous warning:
“Yes, sir.”
“Then we cannot allow this to go unpunished.” They would confer amongst themselves, before the Chairman of the Governors turned back to her. “We intend to make an example of you, girl. We cannot allow the staff her to be undermined, and you were given very clear warnings.”
“Please, sir. Have mercy…”
“You are to be birched at nine prompt tomorrow morning.” The Chairman would turn to the warden: “Please make sure the girl is washed and put into a clean dress tomorrow morning, and bring her to the Oak Room at five to nine. Now take her away…”
–
A small group would gather in the Oak Room the following morning: the Chairman, with birch rods in hand. A governor or two. The warden of the reformatory. And the girl.
She’d be ordered to remove her dress, before being tied over the end of a long oak table. The Chairman would stand back: “I think we should wait until nine, gentlemen.” And so they’d pause, listening for the bells of the neighbouring church. Counting each of the nine peals. Knowing that the other girls in the reformatory would also be counting, would also be holding their breath.
Pausing, once silence reigned.
And then beginning her thrashing: hard, measured, teaching a lesson that even the most tolerant of reformatories knows how to punish when punishment is due.
-------Now you can buy a book of the best entries from "The Spanking Writers".
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Abel — only you can read a book on a reformatory that *didn’t* use corporal punishment, and still end up with a situation involving CP!
so. hot.
Zille - I can read a book on just about anything and still manage to end up with a situation involving spanking
Graham - why, thank you
Glad you liked it.
The Chairman would stand back: “I think we should wait until nine, gentlemen.” And so they’d pause, listening for the bells of the neighbouring church.
Oh, my. That is really quite delicious
Abel, I do love your brain.
I love Abel’s brain too. It really is a remarkably wonderful brain.
Shame about the man, really… :p
I think we all love Abel’s brain. And Haron’s. I’m not sure what I’d do without ‘em actually.
I wouldn’t normally say this in public, but I’m three glasses of wine to the good: they’re as much fun in person as they are when they’re blogging.
…I’m sober, and I agree with catherine
i’m also sober and i agree with catherine
all these posts are just increasing my curiosity about birching (which i am still yet to try) to the extent that i’m probably going to end up going against my better judgment and asking to try it…and it will no doubt end up being one of those ‘curiosity killed the cat moments’. like my first time with a hairbrush…
and i will be holding you two responsible you know
Awwww, you all say such nice things. (And then I go and beat some of you). (Lucky you). (Lucky me).
Blue Fairy - be very careful with comments like that; wishes have a habit of coming true… (They have very nice birches in our area, you know, if you’re brave enough!)