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[[Datei:John-Howard-prison-reformer2.jpg|500px|left| John Howard]] | [[Datei:John-Howard-prison-reformer2.jpg|500px|left| John Howard]] | ||
== Personal Life == | |||
[http://www.clophillhistory.mooncarrot.org.uk/spotlight/howard.pdf At the age of twenty John Howard took himself on a “Grand Tour”] of France and Italy. Although travelling great distances in those days must have been difficult John Howard enjoyed the challenge of getting to new places. He returned home three years later when he had an illness described as a “nervous fever” and was advised to change his diet. From this time he restricted himself to vegetables, fruit, bread, milk and tea. | [http://www.clophillhistory.mooncarrot.org.uk/spotlight/howard.pdf At the age of twenty John Howard took himself on a “Grand Tour”] of France and Italy. Although travelling great distances in those days must have been difficult John Howard enjoyed the challenge of getting to new places. He returned home three years later when he had an illness described as a “nervous fever” and was advised to change his diet. From this time he restricted himself to vegetables, fruit, bread, milk and tea. | ||
Eventually he moved into the home of Sarah Lardeau who nursed him back to health. Although she was twice his age Howard proposed marriage to Sarah in 1752 but she died three years later. | Eventually he moved into the home of Sarah Lardeau who nursed him back to health. Although she was twice his age Howard proposed marriage to Sarah in 1752 but she died three years later. | ||
Nine days before his wife's death there was a huge earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal. Howard wanted to see the aftermath and eventually set sail from Falmouth (in 1757 ?). | Nine days before his wife's death there was a huge earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal. Howard wanted to see the aftermath and eventually set sail from Falmouth (in 1757 ?). His ship, the Hanover, was attacked and captured by a French privateer and Howard and his companions were imprisoned first in the castle at Brest and later elsewhere. After a few months he was released and returned to England. | ||
[http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/johnhoward Howard settled] in Cardington, where he had inherited family properties, and started to improve his home and those of his tenants. He married Henrietta Leeds in 1758 and she helped with his work to improve the accommodation of villagers. In 1765 Henrietta gave birth to their only son, John (known as Jack), and died a few days later. | |||
== Prison Travels== | |||
After a spell of ill-health Howard started travelling abroad again and made several trips over the next few years. Eventually he settled back in Cardington and '''was appointed High Sheriff of Bedfordshire in 1773'''. | After a spell of ill-health Howard started travelling abroad again and made several trips over the next few years. Eventually he settled back in Cardington and '''was appointed High Sheriff of Bedfordshire in 1773'''. When he discovered the condition of Bedford jail he was appalled by what he saw, and began to visit the jails of neighbouring counties to investigate their condition and management. He was particularly concerned to find that debtors, having paid their debt, were sent back to prison because they could not pay the fees that they owed the gaoler. Driven by curiosity he visited Bedford Gaol to see how it functioned. He found it “foul and fetid” but, as he would discover later, it was not as bad as some. He discovered that the gaoler was not paid but could charge fees. On the wall was a notice that said “All persons that come to this place ... must pay before discharg'd, fifteen shillings and fourpence, to the Gaoler.” Howard asked the justices if the gaoler could be paid a salary instead of relying on the prisoners for their income but they were reluctant to do this. He decided to find out what went on in other gaols starting with Cambridge where he arrived unannounced. He meticulously recorded all the details of the gaol. He must have felt that this was his life's vocation for he immediately set off for Huntingdon to inspect its gaol. This was the beginning of his relentless self-imposed schedule of gaol visits that would continue for the rest of his life.Left a rich man as a result of his father’s death, Howard bought an estate at Cardington, Bedfordshire, which he managed directly. He was an enlightened landlord, improving the labourers’ cottages and encouraging efficiency and order. | ||
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/howard_john.shtml John Howard (BBC)] - stands for prison research from below, comparable to later social researcher and reformer [[Frédéric Le Play]] | [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/howard_john.shtml John Howard (BBC)] - stands for prison research from below, comparable to later social researcher and reformer [[Frédéric Le Play]] | ||
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He visited Spain and Portugal in 1782. At a time when travel was uncomfortable and frequently dangerous, '''he travelled nearly 80,000 kilometres, making seven major journeys between 1775 and 1790,''' the first two of which are described in his book 'The State of Prisons in England and Wales... and an Account of Some Foreign Prisons'. - While examining Russian military hospitals, Howard contracted typhus in Kherson, Ukraine, and died there on 20 January 1790. | He visited Spain and Portugal in 1782. At a time when travel was uncomfortable and frequently dangerous, '''he travelled nearly 80,000 kilometres, making seven major journeys between 1775 and 1790,''' the first two of which are described in his book 'The State of Prisons in England and Wales... and an Account of Some Foreign Prisons'. - While examining Russian military hospitals, Howard contracted typhus in Kherson, Ukraine, and died there on 20 January 1790. | ||
Having visited several hundred prisons across England, Scotland, Wales and wider Europe, Howard published the first edition of The State of the Prisons in 1777. It included very detailed accounts of the prisons he had visited, including plans and maps, together with detailed instructions on the necessary improvements, especially regarding hygiene and cleanliness, the lack of which was causing many deaths. | Having visited several hundred prisons across England, Scotland, Wales and wider Europe, Howard published the first edition of The State of the Prisons in 1777. It included very detailed accounts of the prisons he had visited, including plans and maps, together with detailed instructions on the necessary improvements, especially regarding hygiene and cleanliness, the lack of which was causing many deaths. It is this work that has been credited as establishing the practice of single-celling in the United Kingdom and, by extension, in the United States. The following account, of the Bridewell at Abingdon, Oxfordshire, is typical: | ||
:Two dirty day-rooms; and three offensive night-rooms: That for men eight feet square: one of the women's, nine by eight; the other four and a half feet square: the straw, worn to dust, swarmed with vermin: no court: no water accessible to prisoners. The petty offenders were in irons: at my last visit, eight were women. | :Two dirty day-rooms; and three offensive night-rooms: That for men eight feet square: one of the women's, nine by eight; the other four and a half feet square: the straw, worn to dust, swarmed with vermin: no court: no water accessible to prisoners. The petty offenders were in irons: at my last visit, eight were women. | ||