shepton mallet gaol

[Missy74]

hi
i know this is not birmingham based but just looking for a bit of advice.
I have a gaol record for an ancestor, in the column stating previous convictions it says militia, also he was sentenced for breaking out of camp, he was 17 years old.
Could anyone tell me what kind of camp it would have been and also what is " militia"
Thanks

 

[mw0njm.]

The World's Oldest Prison | Welcome to Shepton Mallet Prison

The World’s Oldest Prison is a heritage-led, Tourist Attraction that inspires, immerses and educates visitors through a journey behind bars.

www.sheptonmalletprison.com

HM Prison Shepton Mallet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Militia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Gaol is an outdated spelling that is rarely used.
Both forms have been used over the past few centuries, but today, only jail is commonplace. Since gaol has an O in it, like the words old and outdated, you can use the word's spelling as a reminder that it is no longer current.

 

[mikejee]

I'm not sure it is outdated. I reckon your quote was from an American source, who still want to spell sulphur as sulfur (like the bloody spellcheck on my laptop )

 

[Missy74]

This is the record that i have, Im wondering if the " breaking out of camp" is in reference to a military camp maybe.

 

[Austin K2]

I was in Shepton Mallet prison for a week in 1956.
Not as a prisoner I may add, but as duty driver.
I had just been posted to 22 Coy. RASC and was sent on detatchment to the prison for one week as duty driver,
just ferrying prisoners about and fetching rations and such like.
As drivers we were only there for a week each time so as not to get friendly with prisoners.
As I remember, all the prison staff were staff sargent or above and were very good to me, but bloody horrible to the prisoners.
Happy days. (for me)