Life, New York, 6 December 1943 The strange case of Hereford’s birching A small episode in British juvenile courts blooms into national issue that troubles House of Commons In the small English city of Hereford around last New Year’s Day three small boys, aged 13, 11 and 10, got hold of some keys and stole […]
Birch and prison for three men
The Glasgow Herald, 19 February 1938, p.12 Found guilty of robbery with violence Three men found guilty at the Old Bailey, London, yesterday of robbery with violence and stealing an attaché case containing £409 were each sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and 10 strokes of the birch. They were Peter Richard Hill (28), lorry driver; […]
For corporal punishment
Evesham Journal, Worcestershire, 17 April 1980 Letters to the Editor Sir — I refer to the letter from Tom Scott of Teachers Opposed to Physical Punishment. I was undergoing training as a boy-entrant at an RAF Wireless School in 1937. A trainee was found guilty of stealing a florin (a week’s pay) from a comrade […]
Headmaster Wins Caning Appeal
Boy Says His Mother Told Him to Refuse “Four on the Seat” Mr. Ernest Edwin Black, headmaster of Durham Hill L.C.C. School, Downham, won an appeal at the County of London Quarter Sessions to-day against conviction by Mr. Frank J. Powell, the Greenwich magistrate, for assaulting a 13-year-old pupil. Mr. Powell dismissed the summons under […]
M.P. wants women in flogging inquiry
Evening News, London, 6 May 1937 Hon. E. Cadogan as the Chairman Sir John Simon, the Home Secretary, told the House of Commons today that the Hon. Edward Cadogan, CBE, former MP would be chairman of the committee to inquire into the administration of corporal punishment. The complete list would be announced as soon as […]
Boy In Tears at Portland Court-Martial
Two youths, both with the rank of “boy” aboard H.M.S. Nelson, were at a court-martial on H.M.S. Titania at Portland yesterday ordered 12 strokes with the birch. They were accused of an offence aboard H.M.S. Nelson. The Rev. D. Bunt, chaplain, said one boy’s character deteriorated after he found his mother was in a mental […]
Learnt His Mother Was In Mental Home
Western Morning News, Plymouth, 7 November 1936 Boy disillusioned From our own correspondent Portland, Friday. When two boys appeared before a court-martial in H.M.S. Titania at Portland to-day, on certain charges, the Chaplain of H.M.S. Nelson, flagship of the Home Fleet, in which they were serving, told the Court that one of the boys was […]