Founded 1980
Chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft
Home
Dover Borstal Continued
Alan, an assistant governor who was more senior than me was posted to Dover from Usk Borstal where he had already served several years. He was also a keen rugby player and as I was already playing with the lad’s team, I cleared it with the Physical Education Department that Alan could also play. This was the start of a very long and strong friendship.
Alan himself never mentioned it, but I leant almost by accident from a colleague 40 years later after Alan and I first met how brave he had been whilst at Usk. A Borstal lad who was allowed out during the week as a gardener for a local solicitor managed when the house was empty to steal 2 revolvers and seven rounds of ammunition. Usk Borstal was an ‘open Borstal’ so when it was opportune two of them absconded. Alan and another housemaster, Bernard (who also came to Dover later on promotion) were dispatched to see if they could be traced. Clearly no one knew they were armed. They were spotted in town and a pursuit commenced, whereby the two lads split up and so did the staff. The lad Alan was pursuing suddenly stopped and pointed the gun at him and said ‘stop there or I will shoot’ with no hesitation Alan continued and grappled with the lad who then threw the gun into a nearby stream. In Bernard’s case he chased the lad who then dived over a steel gate into a field, Bernard climbed over the gate and continued the pursuit until the lad stopped pointed the gun at him and warned him the gun was loaded, Bernard was unclear at first that it was a gun, and he made it clear that he was not retreating and said ‘Do not use that on me’ eventually the lad lowered his arm and threw the gun aside. The Governor of the Borstal received a communication from Headquarters in July 1964 stating: ‘Would you please convey to Assistant Governors Marchant and Rawson the Secretary of State’s commendation for the courage and devotion to duty they displayed in apprehending two absconders both of whom were armed with loaded pistols and threatened to use them. An appropriate entry is being made in their personal files held at this office.
Establishment Division 3.
It was a tradition at Dover that when there was a proven escape all Housemasters and any other staff who could be spared were sent out to what were called ‘fixed posts’, they covered the main known exit routes out of Dover. On occasions, they were successful in apprehending some. We went in pairs as we could be there for several hours, and it was usually late afternoon or evening when these occurred. Another Housemaster, Ron always asked to team up with me and take on a particular post in the Lea Valley. Every so often Ron would disappear; I just assumed he had gone into the nearby woods for a leak as we there for hours at times. Bill would always have his supper at home at 7 pm sharp. After that, he would drive to each live post for an update and would offer hot coffee laced with brandy. He asked where Ron was, I replied he has gone to relieve himself believing that to be correct. Bill stayed for a bit and then said I better move on others are waiting. When he returned, ‘I said you took your time over that, Bill was enquiring where you were.’ Ron replied ‘thanks, but I better tell you where I really go, my girlfriend lives in the end house down there and I take the opportunity to pay her a visit.’ It clearly paid off as they married and are still enjoying life together after all these years. I was to work with Ron again later in my career, and we are still in touch after all this time
Christmas was a busy time in Borstal, firstly as every lad was allowed one parcel from their family of ‘Goodies’ for Christmas mainly of food and chocolate. All these had to be stored and recorded as they were allowed to be opened other than on Christmas Day, and an estimate had to be made as those who might not receive one. We then purchased sufficient items to make up a parcel so that no went without. The other aspect was the emotional element of being away from home over Christmas.
I explained there were the normal monthly reports on every lad to assess his progress against his sentence plan. As the housemaster, I had to collate all these, reach a consensus amongst my staff as to whether any were fitted for the next grade. Once these had been approved by the Governor, I had to feedback the position to each lad. In my office, I sat behind a large, solid wood desk. I also had the billiard cues as these were only issued at recreation periods. Each lad was summoned individually and given an update in private (in reality most had a good inkling about what the formal report would say. This was the December Review, so emotions were already at a high level.
One of my lads was an ex-marine who had served in Aden. Dunham stood quietly as I read his report which was rather negative. I still had my head down reading the last sentence when the next thing I knew was that I was on the floor with my wooden desk on top of me, and Dunham charging across the room with a billiard cue which he used as a weapon and cascaded several strong blows to my body. I could only shout for help, it was 3 other lads who rushed in and rescued me, two holding firmly on to Dunham and third helping me up. Staff then arrived and escorted Dunham to the punishment block. As this was only three days before Christmas, and Governor insisted I take three days sick leave, despite my protestations I had Christmas off duty. I was more shaken than hurt, though my back was sore, and I still have a faint scar from one of the blows.
The Prison Department had a set of procedures which prisoners could use to make a request or make a complaint. It started with a verbal request to the lowest manager grade, if not satisfied it could then proceed to the Governor and the next step was a Petition to the Secretary of State. In my first 7 years working in Borstals, I can only recall one such petition, and it was from the most unlikely of sources. Clegg was a local lad from Dover, and from a back-dormitory window of Hythe House, he could actually see his parent’s house, not that they took any interest in him as they never visited and did not want him back home on discharge. He was a petty criminal, hardly able to read or write and was probably assessed at Educationally Subnormal.
Every month there was an arranged trip to a local indoor swimming pool which lads could be selected to go on if found suitable. Clegg had applied, but it was known that he was telling everyone he had applied so that he could abscond. Naturally, the Governor upheld my decision not to allow him to go. Whether he wrote the Petition itself is doubtful, but he had signed it, and it said, ‘I wish to complain about not being selected to go on the outside swimming party just because I said I was going to abscond’. You can guess the reply he received. As his parent’s had rejected having him back, I asked his local probation officer if he could meet him on the day of discharge and help him find accommodation, as he would struggle on his own. To my amazement, he declined advising me that he did not see it as his role! so I told Clegg I would go with him to town to get him sorted. We went to the local Labour Exchange to sign on, after queuing we were seen but told he needed a home address before he could register. So we found what looked like reasonable accommodation, but they wanted money up front before they would allow him to book a room, his discharge grant did not meet the cost.
How do you solve that? I do not fully recall, but I think I lent him some money to get on his feet. I was fairly safe as in those days once registered for employment, they paid out the first instalment in cash. So aftercare has never been all it should be, so it is no wonder so many do not cope and ended up back inside. I never heard any more about Clegg so perhaps he did survive.
All prisoners had to declare their religious faith on arrival, including young offenders, and as religious services were still compulsory (a hangover from the Victorian era) attendances were good. It also appeared a tradition that Bishops of the Anglican Church conducted the Christmas service. By now ‘Down the Block Jock’ had been promoted and moved on to his new establishment. He had been replaced by Bernard on his promotion from Usk Borstal.
He seemed very assured and was in charge on the day of the Bishops visit. The Bishop had been allowed to drive his car to the chapel which was adjacent to my house. Whilst the Bishop was still saying his farewells, Bernard approached me and ‘I do not know how you say farewell to a Bishop, so will you do it’ and walked away. When the Bishop was ready, I just thanked him and said farewell, and advised I would walk ahead and ensure the gate staff were ready to let him out. He thanked in return and said you must come and have dinner with me, I will be in touch. Accordingly, the invitation arrived and went to the Bishops residence in Canterbury. I had not realized he was a bachelor, but with a very good housekeeper, and that he liked a tipple or two. He made me very welcome and said I understand you like a gin and tonic. I did not know why he believed that, as I never drank spirits other than a cherry brandy at Christmas time, but did not want to appear ungrateful as imagined it would be one drink before we ate. It turned out to be three, then a whole bottle of wine between us over dinner. It was an excellent meal and very convivial. I had decided as I was in the outskirts of Canterbury, I would drive home in Whitstable after the meal. I set off and was gaily driving along feeling very pleased with myself, when suddenly after about 4 miles, my brain suggested that I should be driving on the other side of the road. Fortunately, it was rather late at night and traffic was much lighter in those days. It did, however, drive home a clear message about drink and driving.
I cannot remember the connection, but as members of the public could attend the chapel service on Sunday, that might have been it. However, an elderly lady in town had written to the Governor to offer to have one of the lads to afternoon tea. The Governor had passed it to me and said choose one of your lads. Eagleton was over 6 feet, generally well built, Afro-Caribbean and loud. He was not a bully as such; his sheer presence ensured he got what he wanted. If it was a meal, he liked he would indicate and get a portion from lesser lad’s plates. For some reason I chose him, and he said he would like to go. When he came back, I asked how it went and he just said fine. Later I was in contact with the lady concerned and asked her, she said it went well but he did not eat a lot, I thought you said he had a good appetite. So I approached Eagleton and said I understand you did not eat a lot when you went out, normally you have a big appetite. Yes, he said, but she was an old lady and did not have a lot of money, so I decided she needed the food more than me, she was very kind and nice. I now saw Eagleton in a very different light and felt there was more hope that he could make something of his life.
By now the Governor had been promoted and posted to a new top security prison, Albany on the Isle of Wight to set up an experimental regime. He was replaced by Bill a very different kind of Governor. Every Sunday there was dormitory inspection in every House, the beds had to be made up army fashion and all kit clearly displayed in the locker or on the bed. This was inspected by the housemasters on duty, and any deficiencies noted. Once a month the Governor worked a weekend and carried out this inspection in every House. David’s had been rather cursory. Bill who had been a major in the army was more diligent and used his walking stick to prod into the lockers. A lad called Mustafa did not have his black plimsoles on display, and Bill pointed that out. Further down the line poking into another lad’s locker he espied two pairs of plimsoles, are these yours he called out to Mustafa. As Bill left Mustafa called out to me ‘Governor very clever man he found my plimsoles.
In the summer of 1967 Wormwood Scrubs Prison was short of governor grades, and the Borstal Allocation Centre was in a mess, partly because of the incompetence of the governor grade in post. So each of the housemasters at Dover was now required to do a month’s ‘detached duty’ at Scrubs to provide better cover. I booked my bed and breakfast for the month and reported to Scrubs. I was made welcome and given a quick tour of the prison.
Bob Duncan
PART NINE OF BOB’s MEMOIRS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN ISSUE No 92, SPRING 2025
Autobiography.
