The King's Bench Prison was a prison situated in the Southwark area of central London, England from medieval times until its final closure in 1880. It took its name from the King's Bench court of law in which cases of defamation, bankruptcy and other misdemeanours were heard; as such, the prison was often used as a debtor's prison until the practice was abolished in the 1860s. In 1842, it was renamed the Queen's Prison, and later became the Southwark Convict Prison. The Borough or Southwark is an area of the London Borough of Southwark situated 1. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... One of the ancient courts of England, the Kings Bench (or Queens Bench when the monarch is female) is now a division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A debtors prison is a prison for people unable to pay a debt to another creditor. ...

The first prison was originally constructed from two houses and was situated in Angel Place, off Borough High Street, Southwark - as with other judicial buildings it was often targeted during uprisings, being burned in 1381 and 1450. During the reign of King Henry VIII, new prison buildings were constructed within an enclosing brick wall. This was eventually demolished in 1761.^[1] Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ...

Its 1758 replacement was built at a cost of £7800 on a four acre site close to St George's Fields (south of Borough Road, close to its junction with Blackman Street/Newington Causeway, and a short distance from Horsemonger Lane Gaol; today the site is occupied by the Scovell housing estate). Although much larger and better appointed than some other London prisons, the new King's Bench still gained a reputation for being dirty, overcrowded and prone to outbreaks of typhus. Debtors had to provide their own bedding, food and drink. Those who could afford it purchased 'Liberty of the Rules' allowing them to live within three square miles of the prison. Newington Causeway is a road in Southwark, London SE1, between the Elephant and Castle and Borough High Street. ... Horsemonger Lane Gaol (also known as the Surrey County Gaol or the New Gaol) was a prison located close to modern-day Newington Causeway in Southwark, south London. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Epidemic typhus. ...

On 10 May 1768, the imprisonment in King's Bench of radical John Wilkes (for writing an article for the The North Briton, that severely criticised King George III) prompted a riot - the Massacre of St George's Fields - in which five people were killed. Like the earlier buildings, this prison was also badly damaged in a fire started in the 1780 Gordon Riots. May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... George III (George William Frederick) (4 June 1738–29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain, and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ... The Gordon Riots is a term used to refer to a number of events in a predominantly Protestant religious uprising in London aimed against the Roman Catholic Relief Act, 1778, relieving his Majestys subjects, of the Catholic Religion, from certain penalties and disabilities imposed upon them during the reign...

In 1842 it became the Queen's Prison taking debtors from the Marshalsea and Fleet Prisons and sending lunatics to Bedlam. Fees and the benefits they could buy were abolished, and soon after it passed into the hands of the Home Office during the 1870s, it was closed and demolished. Pray remember ye poor debtors: inmates of the Fleet Prison beg passers by for alms. ... The Bethlem Royal Hospital of London, which has been variously known as St Mary Bethlehem, Bethlem Hospital, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam, is the worlds oldest psychiatric hospital. ... The modern concept of Small Office and Home Office or SoHo , or Small or Home Office deals with the category of business which can be from 1 to 10 workers. ...

Literary connections

In Charles Dickens' David Copperfield Mr Micawber is imprisoned for debt in the King's Bench Prison. Madeline Bray and her father lived in the Rules of the King's Bench in Nicholas Nickleby, while the prison is also discussed by Mr Rugg and Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit.^[2] Dickens redirects here. ... David Copperfield is a quasi-autobiographical novel by Charles Dickens. ... The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, (or Nicholas Nickleby for short) is a comic novel of Charles Dickens. ... Little Dorrit is a serial novel by Charles Dickens published originally between 1855 and 1857. ...

Notable inmates

• Richard Baxter
• Thomas Brown
• Marc Isambard Brunel (engineer, imprisoned 1821, for debt)
• Lord Cochrane
• William Combe
• Edmund Curll
• Alexander Davison (imprisoned for fraud, 1804)
• John Galt (imprisoned c. 1829)
• Robert Gouger
• Thomas Curson Hansard
• Henry Hetherington
• Alexander Holborne
• William Hone
• Jeremiah Lear (stockbroker father of Edward Lear) (bankrupt, c. 1816)
• John Mytton
• John Penry (martyr, briefly incarcerated before his execution in 1593)
• Mary Robinson (poet, imprisoned with husband for his debts, 1775)
• Robert Recorde (imprisoned for debt, he died in the prison in 1558)
• John Rushworth
• Christopher Smart
• Charlotte Turner Smith (poet, imprisoned 1784 with her husband Benjamim, for his debts)
• William Smith (geologist, imprisoned for debt, released 1819)
• John Horne Tooke
• John Wilkes

Richard Baxter Richard Baxter (November 12?, 1615 - December 8, 1691) was an English Puritan church leader, called by Dean Stanley the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen. He was born at Rowton, in Shropshire, at the house of his maternal grandfather. ... Thomas Burnfoot Brown was born 27 May 1750, Whitby, Yorkshire, England and died 3 August, 1825, Grand Sable Plantation, St. ... Marc Isambard Brunel, engraving by G. Metzeroth, circa 1880 Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, FRS (April 25, 1769 – December 12, 1849) was a French-born engineer who settled in the United Kingdom. ... Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald (14 December 1775–31 October 1860), styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a politician and naval adventurer. ... William Combe (1741 - 1823) was a miscellaneous writer. ... Edmund Curll (1675 - December 11, 1747) was an English bookseller and publisher. ... Thomas Curson Hansard (1776 - 1833), was the son of the printer Luke Hansard. ... Henry Hetherington, the son of a London tailor, was born in 1792. ... Sir Alexander Holborne of Menstrie (died January 22, 1772) was a Scottish baronet and sea captain. ... William Hone (June 3, 1780 - November 6, 1842) was an English writer and bookseller. ... Edward Lear, 1812-1888 Eagle Owl, Edward Lear, 1837 Another Edward Lear owl, in his more familiar style Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an artist, illustrator and writer known for his nonsensical poetry and his limericks, a form which he popularised. ... John Mytton (1796-1834) was a notable British eccentric. ... John Penry (1559 - May 29, 1593), is Waless most famous Protestant martyr. ... Mary Robinson, nee Darby (1756 or 1758 - 26 December 1800) the English poet, was also known for her role as Perdita (heroine of Shakespeares A Winters Tale) in 1779. ... Robert Recorde (c. ... Admiral of the Fleet Lord Jellicoe Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe (December 5, 1859- November 20, 1935) was a British Royal Navy admiral. ... Smart Christopher Smart (April 11, 1722 – May 21, 1771) was an English poet. ... Wikisource has original works written by or about: Charlotte Turner Smith Charlotte Turner Smith (May 4, 1749 - October 28, 1806) was an English poet and novelist whose works have been credited with influencing Jane Austen and particularly Charles Dickens. ... William Smith. ... John Horne Tooke (June 25, 1736 - March 18, 1812), was an English politician and philologist. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

References

1. ^ http://www.london-footprints.co.uk/wkcrimesadd.htm#KING'S%20BENCH London Footprints website
2. ^ http://www.fidnet.com/~dap1955/dickens/dickens_london_map.html#kingsbench Dickens London