A BRIEF HISTORY OF C.P. & CANING
On a trip to the Newark Houses museum in Leicester we came across this intereting display about school c.p.
The Cat o nine tails was from the army museum within the same building.
|
Bring a boy to be beaten! Alas the stone is under what is now Centrepoint |
TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD & CENTREPOINT IN A NEW LIGHT! There was an old boundary stone in St Giles Cirus at the junction of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, where charity boys of St Giles "beating the bounds" were themselves beaten if they were considered to have deserved a flogging! (From the Encyclopedia of London) The custom of 'beating the bounds' has existed in Britain for well over 2000 years. Precise origins are unclear although it can be found as part of ritual celebration within many different cultures across Europe and beyond. In simple terms it involves people in the locality perambulating their farm, manorial, church or civil boundaries pausing as they pass certain trees, walls and hedges that denote the extent of the boundary to exclaim, pray and ritually 'beat' particular landmarks with sticks. These sticks would originally have been of birch or willow, both being of significance to pre-Christian tribes. Birch has connection with besoms, which have ancient connections with pagan festivals however the willow possessing a close association with water appears to have predominated in medieval times. The sticks were known as rods or wands. The bark was removed exposing the white wood beneath. The English folk-song "Stripping The Willow" is a relatively modern record of these practices. Such processions would typically occur every seven or ten years. Apart from any religious significance in a time when literacy or map-reading were not widespread skills these inspections served to ensure boundaries remained intact, were known by local people and had not been sequestrated by neighbouring landowners. Other activities associated with these processional, religious or secular rituals have also survived. Most frequently, at certain points on the boundary, young boys were held upside down and had their heads bumped on a marker stone. In past times adolescent boys might also be 'switched' (i.e. hit with the willow wands), thrown over hedges, into brambles or ponds or required to climb up chimneys or over roofs. These actions may have originally had a darker antecedence but in more recent times ensured the imprinting of the exact location of a boundary by successive generations of that community. Before the Roman invasion of Britain rituals connected with spring were performed each year as part of the pagan festival of Beltane. Birch twigs or Besoms were struck against the boundary marks as part of the ritual. (Modern-day Pagans still perform a form of beating the bounds ceremony when occupying a house for the first time). The Romans who settled in Britain brought with customs and the worship of gods such as Pan or Faunus to ensure fertility and purification of the land. This often involved sacrifice of a goat the blood of which was smeared on the foreheads of young boys who would also parade around the boundaries and whipped, walls or trees with sticks as well as any bystanders foolish enough to be in their path. |
Been looking around for interesting historical pictures of c.p. instruments from the past.
|
|
|
This is the riding pony from that can be seen at The Galleries of Justice on Nottingham. It can be seen on display and you can ask to try it out if you want to! For those of you who have not visited the museum is missing out! I was cautioned at the police station nextdoor to the museum and I remember seeing this contraction in a corner of a room although it had not clearly been used for years..more the pity! I would of opted for a good beating than a night in the cells! Makes you wonder how many errant lads took a birching or caning over this device! For more information on the museum see http://www.galleriesofjustice.org.uk/ |
The "whipping table for young delinquents" in the South Prison, in the Justiciary Buildings in Saltmarket, 1909.
Corporal punishment was made illegal in Scotland in 1948. Before then, birching had been a relatively common punishment for boys aged between 8 and 16 for offences such as petty theft, cruelty to animals, vandalism, putting obstacles on railway lines and making hoax calls to the Fire Brigade. The table is fitted with restraints to hold down the prisoner sentenced to a "birching". There is a birch rod on the table, and two more standing against the wall. The selection of the appropriate rod depended on the age and size of the offender, with the smallest reserved for 8- to 10-year olds and the largest for adults. Boys under 14 years of age could receive a maximum of twelve strokes but those who were aged 14 and 15 could receive a maximum of thirty-six strokes. A doctor's presence was required by law, and he could intervene if the prisoner appeared physically incapable of bearing further punishment.
The Michael Fay story....it's well known and true! Lucky him!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another but I stumbled across about prison canings in Malaysia.....The skinhead gaurd is nice although he's only a CGI!
One of my favorite bits a fact, the story of "The Clio Ship" and the canings that went on aboard this training ship. Incidently all the following information can be seen for yourself at Beaumaris Goal House on the Isle of Angelsea, Wales. They a big images so you can see the writing and the cane of course!
The genuine article above for all to see, bet it has been well used!
Life on board the Clio was not the best and ritual beatings were common and provided entertainment for the senior crew. When I visited Beaumaris I met a person who was on the ship and recieved several beating for the "Fun of it". He was 15 at the time and I saw him in 1994, I assume he was about 87 years old! More often or not lads were caned either over a barrel or bent over a vaulting buck simular to the shown in the picture to the right. In some cases he added, "beatings were that severe that we had to lie on our fronts to sleep as the welts where very red. In other cases the older crew lads used to paint our cut buttocks with salt water to add more pain.
Other Clio Bits.....
The Clio industrial training ship, moored in the Menai Straits not that from Beaumaris was not a prison ship. But many considered her to be a floating reformatory for young offenders. Boys where sent there to be introduced to discipline and be prepared for the sea. Many where "difficult children" who where considered to be in need of firm control and discipline and to save them from slipping into a life of crime. The boys on board the ship where not there by choice and they where not free to leave. Local people regarded here as a floating prison for children. The Clio became part of local folklore of the area. Long after the ship had gone, mothers would threaten their children!y
c
h
The "whipping Room" at Beaumaris Goal where the punishment took place. You can actually try out the frame for size as it is fully accesable to the public. There is also a whip and a taswe on the wall that was used as punishment. Incidently there is a fully working treadmill in the room next door. If you slacked on the treadmill, providing you didn't crush your legs you where taken next door for a whipping. For more info on the goal see http://www.anglesey.gov.uk/english/culture/gaol.htm (manual link)
And the Gladstone Commitee Reports....the start of Borstal
The Gladstone Committee expressed a great interest in the age group of 16 - 21 and recommended "that the experiment of establishing a penal reformatory under government should be tried" In 1897 Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise, the new chairman of the Prison Committee, visited the United States to study the reformatory system, especially Elmira. On his return he started his experiments in England with young prisoners aged 16 - 21 drawn from London prisons. At first, the prison in Bedford was used for this purpose and later Lincoln also. In 1902 the convict prison outside Rochester, Kent, near the village of Borstal became the first site of an experiment and made the name of the village famous.
GALLERIES OF JUSTICE VISIT, MONDAY 14TH AUGUST 2006 (NOTTINGHAM)
We had a great time looking at the all the equipment in the museum including the original Birching Stool and the huge whipping frame from Wandsworth Prison. Recently the Prison Service Museum moved here as well so there are some very good exhibits about prison life right down the cells to try out! This museum is always worth a visit so you missed out if you didn't come along!
SLANG TERMS AND MEANINGS & THE IMPLIMENTS USED
Just a bit of fun here, do you know of any slang or weird words used for C.P? Email us i'll post them
|
Term/Slang |
Origin |
Meaning |
|
Bottleknocker Babooning Beasting Bastinado Spank(ing) Can(ing) Whip(ping) Thrashing Wallop Paddle The Block Tawse Strap Strop beat(ing) Whack Knouted |
Church Langton Primary School, Leicestershire Parachute Regiment, British Army (To resemeble baboons arse!) British Army term Spanish bastonada, from "baston" Unknown Origin Old French, from Latin "canna" Old English wippen, whippen Possible Russian? English "walopen", to gallop American fraternity slang Eton Public School Scotland Latin. stroppus, struppus, perhaps Greek? Latin "stroppus" Middle English "beten", from Old English "baten". Unknown origin Russian whipping |
To beat the bare arse with bottle shaped paddle Cane, belt or spank the bare bare arse as initiation To beat a soldier with a variety of impliments To beat the soles of the feet with a rod (gen) To slap with open hand usually on buttocks To beat with a cane To strike with repeated strokes, as with a cane To beat with or as if with a rod, cane, birch etc. To beat soundly or thrash A device made from wood to beat the buttocks Wooden block for kneeling on to commit caning A leather lash to beat the hand or buttocks Leather lash simular to tawse A barbers razor sharpener used for beating To punish someone repeatedly with cane ect. To strike with a sharp slap or blow From Knout, a russian whipping device from the 17th cent. |
IMPLIMENTS USED FOR C.P.
|
|
The Birch. Supposed to be one of the most painful types of CP given. Used in the Isle of Man until recently and often used in Eton and Borstals. Not very painful to start with but becomes agony after about 12 stokes after the nodules have broken the skin on the theighs if used hard enough. Made from Birch or Witch Hazel and sometimes Willow.
|
|
|
The Cane. (Rattan/Rotan/Tohiti/Sabutan/Kooboo/the stick/rod ect.... The great British classic for dishing out CP. Used for time in memorial in many countries throughout the world and until 1982 in the UK. Great fior using on bare backsides or over clothes. A firm favorite amongst cp enthusiasts. Used also in various prisons and the famous Malay Rotan is just a bigger version of it. Most famous person to recieve it was Michael Fay in America. I know people who regularly take 500+ sessions every other week or so. |
|
|
The Plimsoll. Used in many schools for a quick dose of CP. Usually over shorts. Does sting but tends to make a "thud" on the arse and easily bruises the cheeks. |
|
|
The Tawse Used mainly in Scotland for use on the arse and palms. Stings like hell and comes in various weights. Will leave severe marks if used properly! |
|
|
The Paddle Used mainly in America for fraternity punishments and general cp. |
|
|
The Barbers Strop. A instrument used be barbers to sharpen razors but has been used on many a backside over the years. Causes severe marks io the arse cheeks if used the right way. Is a sure source of making someone yelp with pain. |
|
|
The Belt. Many of use no doubt have had a "belting"? Usually done by doubling up a gents leather belt. Some people often took the belt with the buckle end. Military belts are best for this as they tend to made of thick leather. Used properly this is very good way at taking c.p. |
|
|
The Riding Crop. Used to beat many lads over the years. A favorite with the aristocracy of the UK. Often used to whip stable boys and may be the odd horse....Not taken too seriuosly by the hardened CP enthusiast..tends be a "strait" thing more than a real waepon of torture! |
|
|
The Hand. One of the best impliments for CP known to man. Ideal for those tactile moments and feeling the damage done by a spanking. Great for feeling up other bits as well. Some people have hands like paddles! One of my favorites! |
|
|
The Bull whip Seen in many John Wayne films and older "classic films" . Causes severe welting and cutting, not usually used on the buttocks but more on the back. Using a real bull whip is a art in it's self. The best fim to one used is Starship Troopers. Men have passed out arter the first stroke...be warned! |
|
|
The Cat-O-Nine Tails. Used often in the Royal Navy for everyday beatings, see Mutiny on the Bouunty for the best images. Quite pleasurable after a while as you get used to it. Very good all over body cp impliment and very good to use on the back as well as the arse. Tolorence can be built up using this and you'll be wanting more of this once you have tried it on your arse. Romans used them with barbs (metal hooks) tied into them to strip the skin off....yuk! Also a favorite with the Nazi's. Where often used to beat men to death with. |
|
|
The Sjambok. Made from part of the carved skin of a Hippopotamus. Absolutely welt producing impliment that will shred any arse to bits. Will cut through jeans and produce blood in a matter of seconds. Used as a self defence impliment in South Africa. Can be used for CP purposes but not for the faint harted! |
