real time web analytics
Report (Permission Visit) - HM Prison Reading, November 2016 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report (Permission Visit) HM Prison Reading, November 2016

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

True_British_Metal

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Visited as part of the Reading art exhibition. For a full in-depth history visit the Wiki page.

I've never done a UK prison, certainly not one that's immaculate or recognisable as one. Sure, I've done Doftana in Romania, but that was a ruinous shell that was converted to a museum after its first closure in the 50s. So here we have Reading prison, a prime example of a Victorian prison (grade-II listed) designed by George Gilbert-Scott, the grandfather of Battersea Power Station architect Giles Gilbert-Scott in 1844. From 1992 until its closure in 2013, the prison was a Young Offenders Institution and local category C prison, housing offenders aged 18-21 who were guilty of a variety of offences from those such as repeat shoplifting and theft to even murderers in some cases! Since closure it is continually maintained and owned by the MoJ, used for filming (some of the unused cells are used to store lighting equipment and suchlike) and in this case an art exhibition which revolves around the accounts of prisoners such as Ai Weiwei (a letter to his daughter whilst under house arrest), poems and work of Oscar Wilde (its most famous prisoner) and more abstract displays such as those representing prison psychology. A deeply poignant display, I highly recommend anyone, explorer or not to visit this exhibition if they can.

Now there were a few people milling about, but it was nevertheless a great opportunity to explore the prison and take some shots. One of the hosts used to work with the NHS providing mental health services to the inmates, and told me a lot about life inside Reading, which was absolutely fascinating but at the same time sad to think that once you're in its a life sentence in terms of life prospects. That is, once you have a criminal record regardless of the offence you're doomed to a life of low-paid work and no real career.

30975737831_5eb7b406ce_c.jpg


31090162345_a404e1459c_c.jpg


31090288195_3e5ce99735_c.jpg


30948098472_8f076d902d_c.jpg


30976812101_192bc48a69_c.jpg


30977004951_e69d1e0ac5_c.jpg


31091669905_2f2670b61e_c.jpg


30977628051_b9f3e4c12f_c.jpg


30949731852_6856dd6ddc_c.jpg


31092334075_dd641fb076_c.jpg


30950346642_fdaa074599_c.jpg


30950514042_395dbb3b83_c.jpg


31093341015_416bff5b36_c.jpg


Being a permission visit there isn't a great deal I can say otherwise, but I hope its worth posting, if only to show what there is to see inside. It's on until December, so definitely do get down there while you can!

Love as always,

TBM x
 
Top