The Prison at Norman Cross: The Lost Town of Huntingdonshire

Part of ‘What did the Georgians ever do for us?’ lecture series.

A talk by Paul Chamberlain. 200 years ago Peterborough had a population of 3,500, but five miles to the west was a vibrant community of nearly 7,000. A community of houses, administration buildings, a hospital, school, a theatre, a cemetery: all the features that would be found in any town. This however, was a prison depot housing many of Napoleon’s soldiers and seamen. All towns have an economy and Norman Cross Prison Depot was no exception. This talk tells the story of the prisoners through the prison economy: who made money, how and why, and what that money was used for. It is a story of bone ships, domino boxes, forgery of banknotes and bribery of soldiers.