Prison Was My Parish Etc An Autobiography Dealing Mainly With The Authors Experiences As Chaplain At Dartmoor And Wandsworth Prisons PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920 edition. Excerpt: ...all the prisoners near us will join in and kick their doors." And sure enough they did, so that by the time the warder arrived there was a fine row going on on all sides, and it was some time before he discovered the flag outside and opened the door and set me free. I always liked visiting the men in their cells where we could come face to face and have a straight talk with one another, and from the most of them one was always sure of a welcome if only because there was the opportunity to talk without fear of any ill consequences, the chaplain being about the only person in the prison to whom this privilege appertains. I have heard some queer tales as to undiscovered crimes, buried treasure, and false imprisonments, and although I must often have rubbed the men up on a sore place, any rudeness or rebuff was most unusual, and was invariably followed by some sort of apology. I hope the pleasure of my visits was mutual, and I have good reason to think it was, as for some time after my retirement I had many letters from the men and frequent requests that if possible I would pay them a visit. This I did with permission from the authorities, and spending a day on the moor I put in some hour or two visiting my old parishioners. However many disappointments meet him to damp his ardour, how many hopes may be quenched, he never loses heart, but plods on from day to day, making the best of his opportunities as they crop up. Of course his work carries with it special responsibilities and anxieties, but he never allows this to become too overwhelming, but finds relief in a day on the moor with rod or gun, and returns to work with a lightened mind. Without some such relaxation it would be very hard to carry on, and in this respect I think Dartmoor...