Some More About the Good Ole Days....~

  I 've always loved history, and the study of other times.  It's just extremely interesting to me to read about other people, and the places and events that shaped their world.  Time is an amazing thing, in and of itself.  We just went to Old Washington a couple of weekends ago, and I've been thinking about our visit there.  We saw the tavern, the doctor's house, the printer's shop, and the candlemakers.  But, I got to thinking.....where was the prison?  What did the people of Washington do with their lawbreakers?  I am going to do some more research and find out, but for now , here are some interesting facts from Ancestry.co.uk.  

    In the late 1880's it was not uncommon for women and children to be sentenced almost as harshly as the men.  For example,  Elizabeth Murphy, aged 19, was sentenced to five years hard labour, and seven years of police supervision, for stealing an umbrella.
    Dorcas Mary Snell, aged 45, was sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour, in 1883 for the theft of ......a single piece of bacon.
    And finally, Ann Mc Quillan was sentenced to four years in prison for "theft by housebreaking."  She was 11 years old. 

     I think it's amazing that people complain about the shape our society is in now!  Last I checked, 11 year olds were not sentenced to hard time for breaking into houses, and we certainly don't put people away for stealing single pieces of bacon.   I think the next time I worry that we are going down the wrong road, I will remember these examples, and say maybe we are not so bad off after all!


Here's to tempering justice with mercy~ Ruby Jeanette