Founded 1980
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Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft


Looking Back
By Colin Ring.

I always wanted to be a Policeman, like both my brothers, but unfortunately I failed the Police on my eye sight, so I then opted for the Prison Service. Having failed the Police due to a lazy left eye, I was a bit apprehensive when it came to having my eyesight checked. It didn’t turn out to be a problem though, as the chap testing my eyes had his back to me writing on my notes. He asked me to cover one of my eyes and read the chart, so I covered my left eye and read the chart to the last letter. He then turned round and asked which I had covered, so I told him it was my right he then asked me to cover my left eye and read the chart with my right eye, so I had 20/20 vision in both eyes!

After 4 weeks as a POUT at Liverpool, I was sent to Leyhill for my Prison Officer training, where after just 5Image weeks I became fully fledged Prison Officer at the age of 23 years of age. At the training School I asked for a posting to either Bristol, Cardiff or Swansea, but instead I received a posting to Stoke Heath Borstal. After moving there, Governor Ritson invited me and my wife along for a cup of tea in his Office, and AG Mick Knight was also there, I found this to be a very civilised introduction to the Prison Service, although this only ever happened once in nearly 39 years. After a couple of years I applied to become a Hospital Officer, and was then sent to Liverpool Prison Hospital Officer Training Centre under the care of HPO Harry Roberts. My training was uneventful, but after 3 months I returned to Stoke Heath to await my new Posting as Hospital Officer on this occasion I requested a posting to Leeds, but was sent to Wormwood Scrubs in June 1977.

Wormwood Scrubs was an eye opener to me after moving from a Borstal, including having to wear a Imageuniform! I did enjoy my time at Scrubs, unfortunately I can’t remember the Hospital Chief Officer at the time, but he was a pleasant chap, as was the Hospital Chief 2. One Hospital Senior Officer (as he was then!) was Don Strong who went on to much greater things.

During Late 1978 I was informed that the Isle of Man Prison Service was looking for the very first Hospital Officer, so as my wife was from the Isle of Man, I applied and was successful.
On arriving at the Isle of Man Prison for my first duty in November 1978 there was just 19 prisoners and after Scrubs it was a bit weird! However on speaking to Chief Gaoler Tom Reilly (as it was then) he gave me a free hand to set up a Hospital Treatment Room, including fitting the room out and purchasing appropriate medical equipment. This wasn’t bad for a young Birkenhead lad who left school at 15 with no qualifications at all! The room eventually was exactly the same as the Out Patients Room at Wormwood Scrubs and was in use up to 2008. I eventually became hungry for promotion, but there was only two Discipline Senior Officers, both in their early 40’s, and no prospects of there ever being a Hospital Senior Officer position on the Isle of Man, so I applied to come back to HMP.

I was the first to ever go from the Isle of Man Prison Service to HMP, and I applied for HMP Leeds again, but was posted to Liverpool in 1986.
Working at Liverpool was probably one of my best times, great staff with such a great sense of humour. Governor Nevill Joseph was at Liverpool when I arrived and he was also a good Governor to work for. I was also able to take the promotion exam at Liverpool, and was successful and eventually had the opportunity to act up to HSO at Liverpool. In 1990 I was promoted to HSO and asked for HMP Leeds again, but was posted to Whitemoor Prison and was there just after the opening. The Governor then was Brodie Clark.
I have to say that I disliked working at Whitemoor from day one! I couldn’t really settle, and it wasn’t because of the staff as they were great. I was working for HPO Billy Walker there, and he was great boss to work for. Also, my wife and children hated living in Wisbech. Eventually I applied for a Hospital PO board, and was granted an Interview. However, the evening prior to my board I was at the Prison until late at night due to an incident, and so after travelling to London I was extremely tired! I failed the board, but someone suggested I appeal on the grounds I was involved with a serious incident the previous evening. I did appeal and was granted a second Board! I passed this Board, and due to wanting to get out of Whitemoor, I asked for HMP Brixton, who I knew wanted an Hospital P.O.……but I received a posting to HMYO near Doncaster. We went for a prelim visit, an I accepted the post. Whilst back working at Whitemoor Prison waiting for a date to move, I received a phone call from Hospital Governor Tommy Ross at Leeds (who had been on my Board) he asked if I would like to go to Leeds! I advised him I had already accepted a posting, but he said he would change the posting if I wanted. We went up to Leeds the next day for a prelim visit, and accepted the posting straight away and we moved there in 1992.

Leeds Prison was also a good Prison to work at, under Governor Fitzpatrick, although my Hospital Governor was Tommy Ross. After about 12 months Tommy was was called to Governors Office and was moved to take over Operation Container and this left Leeds Hospital without it’s own Governor. A day or so later Governor Tommy Ross was in emptying his desk and he advised me Governor Fitzpatrick wanted to see me…….wondering what I had done wrong I went along to his office and gently knocked, and he replied “Enter”. I went in and he looked up from his desk and asked me if I would like to be temporary promoted to Hospital Governor 5, I just couldn’t believe my luck! He then told me to come in in my suit the following day, but I advised him I didn’t have one! He gave me the afternoon off in order that I could go and buy one! This was the beginning of a dream come true for me, a lad without any qualifications! I acted up to G5 for an 8 month period, but when the job was advertised, I knew there would be plenty of applications from far more experienced people than me, and so I didn’t apply.
However, I then noticed the Isle of Man Prison was looking for a Discipline Principal Officer and so in 1994 I again applied and was successful and worked for Governor Rosie Crosby, another great Governor.


Colin Ring