Institutional Clothing for Boys: Reformatories--England


Figure 1.--These English boys at a borstal are doing gymnastics. The photograph was taken about 1910. They appear to be wearing a knickers uniform.

Britain used to refer to their reformatories as borstals. Borstals were institutions to which young offenders could be sent instead of prison. The name was taken from Borstal prison near Rochester, Kent, where the system was first introduced in 1902. Thus the little village of Borstal gave its name to an empire-wide institution dreaded by tearaways. Being "sent for Borstal training" involved military-style discipline with a heavy emphasis on the acquisition of workshop skills. The word "borstal" is probably best known to Americans for Irish author Brendan Behan's book Borstal Boy, an autobigaphical account of his experience as a young Irish boy imprisoned in a British borstal during World War II. Borstal refers to a series of reformatories built throughout Britain beginning in the late 19th century. Borstals were for delinquent boys aged 16 to 21 years. The idea originated (1895) with the Gladstone Committee as an attempt to reform young offenders. The original borstal was England's first attempt to separate boys from men in the British prison system, and also the first attempt to cure wrongdoers instead of only punishing them. It was opened in 1904 in what had been a military prison since 1876. Borstals were subsequently opened all over the country. The main elements in the borstal programs included education, regular work, vocational training, and group counseling. Some borstals, such as Lowdham Grange, were open, having no walls or gates. Those showing sufficient improvement are paroled to the Central After-Care Association, which supervises them during the period after release. Boys were often incouraged to enter the service. One report about the Kent Borsatl reports, " Borstal Boys in their short pants were routinely marched down the hill and straight into the army and many were singled out as natural NCO material." There was a reaction against the harsher aspects of Borstal reformatory methods. The Criminal Justice Act 1982 abolished the borstal system and replaced them with Youth Custody Centres in 1982. There are also Young Offenders’ Institutes. HBC knows of no national borstal uniform, but most of not all borstals adopted a uniform. Photographs from a 1910 photograph shows the boys wearing jackets, long sleeve dark shirts and knickers. References to borstals in the 1940s and 50s usually describe the boys wearing short trousers. Cord shorts appear to have been worn at many borstals.

Terminology

Britain used to refer to their reformatories as borstals. Borstals were institutions to which young offenders could be sent instead of prison. The name was taken from Borstal prison near Rochester, Kent, where the system was first introduced in 1902. Thus the little village of Borstal gave its name to an empire-wide institution dreaded by tearaways.

History

Borstal refers to a series of reformatories built throughout Britain beginning in the late 19th century. Borstals were for delinquent boys aged 16 to 21 years. The idea originated (1895) with the Gladstone Committee as an attempt to reform young offenders. The first borstal was opened in 1904 in what had been a military prison since 1876. Borstals were subsequently opened all over the country. There was a reaction against the harsher aspects of Borstal reformatory methods. The Criminal Justice Act 1982 abolished the borstal system and replaced them with Youth Custody Centres in 1982. There are also Young Offenders’ Institutes.

Discipline

Being "sent for Borstal training" involved military-style discipline with a heavy emphasis on the acquisition of workshop skills.

Books

The word "borstal" is probably best known to Americans for Irish author Brendan Behan's book Borstal Boy, an autobigaphical account of his experience as a young Irish boy imprisoned in a British borstal during World War II.

Philosophy

The original borstal was England's first attempt to separate boys from men in the British prison system, and also the first attempt to cure wrongdoers instead of only punishing them. The main elements in the borstal programs included education, regular work, vocational training, and group counseling. Some borstals, such as Lowdham Grange, were open, having no walls or gates. Those showing sufficient improvement are paroled to the Central After-Care Association, which supervises them during the period after release.

Military Service

Boys were often incouraged to enter the service. One report about the Kent Borsatl reports, " Borstal Boys in their short pants were routinely marched down the hill and straight into the army and many were singled out as natural NCO material."

Marine Society

We note a group called the Marine Society. We do not know muxh about it at this time. It apparently worked with at risk boys before they got into serious trouble. The were presumably boys without home or at least stable homes. One photograph shows a group of barefoot, perhaps working boys if they can find jobs. As they are barefoot presumably they have not. The group apparently is the before picture of a group to be resuced by the Marine Society. The Marine Society was a charitable group who rescued boys from the street. The boy in the centre can be seen in an after photo showing a group of Narine Society boys. We have few details on the group and who sponsored them. Nor do we know if they wre aresidentil progream or more like a youth group. Thgey had Royal Navy styled uniforms. Many if not modst of the boys went on to serve in the Royal Navy.
Individual Schools

We do not have a lot of information on individuals English reformatories. Many but not all were called Borstals. We do have a page on the Liverpool School Board Industrial Truant School of Hightown. I don't think it would have been clssified as a Borstal because Borstal boys commonly got in to more trouble than truancy. Of course trunts were likely to get up to mischief. Another example is the Plymouth Truants' Industrial School estanlished in 1882. The school was opened on the basis of the Industrial Schools Act of 1866.

Uniform

HBC knows of no national borstal uniform, but most of not all borstals adopted a uniform. Photographs from a 1910 photograph shows the boys wearing jackets, long sleeve dark shirts and knickers. References to borstals in the 1940s and 50s usually describe the boys wearing short trousers. Short trousers were very common in England, but often mothers begn buying long trousers for boys at about 12-13 years of age. This varies fro family to family, but except as part of school uniform most 15-16 year old boys wore long trousers. Many of the boys who got in trouble and were sent to borstals were wearing long trousers. As most borstals had short trouser uniforms, the miscreants had to change back to short trousers which, a change to which many objected. Cord shorts appear to have been worn at many borstals.








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Created: June 12, 2001
Last update: 3:29 PM 9/4/2007