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- Dec 2, 2005
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I visited the ancient English city of York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York) the other week to try and pick up a couple of slipjoints for members here. While I was there, I decided to visit the York Castle museum (http://www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/Page/Index.aspx), which I first went to on a school trip over 35 years ago. The last time I was there a couple of years ago, it hadn’t changed all that much since my first visit, and was none the worse for that in my opinion. Half of the museum is contained within the old York prison, and since my mother was a girl, theyd had some old workshops set up in some of the cells. I figured that some photographs of the old knives and tools would be of interest here. Unfortunately the museum has recently been ‘tarted up’, so the cells have been emptied and white-washed, and now through cod history and a series of projections tell the story of “justice” administered in the former prison. Considering that young children were hanged for stealing apples, that they formerly had on display a set of handcuffs which could have only fitted a baby, and that at least 500 people who passed through the place were sent to forced penal servitude in Australia and America, the appropriateness of calling this “justice” might be considered debateable. I did not see any trace of irony in the use of the word.
(An example of one of the mocked-up workshops in the former Debtor’s Prison – Photo taken on a visit in 2008)
In another part of the museum, recreations of two Victorian streets have existed for well over 50 years. I can remember my mother telling me about them as a small child, and absolutely marvelling at them when I experienced them first-hand. In those days the main street had a working Post Office, which sold fake Penny Black stamps, as well as various other staffed premises. Sadly, these have deteriorated every time I’ve visited, a couple of the shops are now let out commercially, and like the collection of old tools mentioned above, many past exhibits seem to have disappeared. One of the streets currently holds a display about the 1960’s, where Daleks and jukeboxes stand incongruously on the cobbles. As with other museums here, there’s also an attempt to ‘heighten the experience’ (while insulting both intelligence and imagination) with piped noise and faux ‘street smells’ redolent of heavily perfumed manure. Even more annoying is the lighting, which on a cycle of around ten minutes, goes from light to darkness, leaving you stumbling around and interfering with photography.
Anyway, despite the shortcomings, I thought you folk might appreciate a few pics taken through the dirty windows of the mock shops and of some of the rest of the museum. My apologies for their quality, the near darkness didn’t help. I figured that the old pipes in particular would go down well
There are a number working examples of these old Victorian contraptions in the museum, this is certainly the most macabre, but in an appropriate setting.
Another machine features a once popular music hall entertainer.
This is my favourite. You put a coin in, and when the machine warms up, for around a minute, various things happen, the table begins to move, the painting spins, and various spooky characters are revealed! All years before Hammer Horror!
A flagstone from the prison exercise yard, showing graffiti scratched by a prisoner.
Part of the “Justice” display, including a branding iron (the ‘scold’s bridle’, ‘baby’ handcuffs, and man-traps taken from a local orchard, are no longer on display).
An 18th Century shotgun, which may have belonged to Luddites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite ), many of whom were hanged at York Castle (others were ‘transported’.
A feature on a cell wall.
The bed where celebrated highwayman Dick Turpin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Turpin ) spent his last night.
Part of the Victorian street area. Further picture below.
One for Corey!
Elsewhere in the museum (I imagine this is something like what Fes’s den wall looks like! )
Opposite York Castle museum, the remains of York’s original motte and bailey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motte-and-bailey_castle) fortifications can quite clearly be seen, and Clifford’s Tower (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/pogromyork_1.shtml) is another reminder of the city’s sometimes brutal past.
(An example of one of the mocked-up workshops in the former Debtor’s Prison – Photo taken on a visit in 2008)
In another part of the museum, recreations of two Victorian streets have existed for well over 50 years. I can remember my mother telling me about them as a small child, and absolutely marvelling at them when I experienced them first-hand. In those days the main street had a working Post Office, which sold fake Penny Black stamps, as well as various other staffed premises. Sadly, these have deteriorated every time I’ve visited, a couple of the shops are now let out commercially, and like the collection of old tools mentioned above, many past exhibits seem to have disappeared. One of the streets currently holds a display about the 1960’s, where Daleks and jukeboxes stand incongruously on the cobbles. As with other museums here, there’s also an attempt to ‘heighten the experience’ (while insulting both intelligence and imagination) with piped noise and faux ‘street smells’ redolent of heavily perfumed manure. Even more annoying is the lighting, which on a cycle of around ten minutes, goes from light to darkness, leaving you stumbling around and interfering with photography.
Anyway, despite the shortcomings, I thought you folk might appreciate a few pics taken through the dirty windows of the mock shops and of some of the rest of the museum. My apologies for their quality, the near darkness didn’t help. I figured that the old pipes in particular would go down well
There are a number working examples of these old Victorian contraptions in the museum, this is certainly the most macabre, but in an appropriate setting.
Another machine features a once popular music hall entertainer.
This is my favourite. You put a coin in, and when the machine warms up, for around a minute, various things happen, the table begins to move, the painting spins, and various spooky characters are revealed! All years before Hammer Horror!
A flagstone from the prison exercise yard, showing graffiti scratched by a prisoner.
Part of the “Justice” display, including a branding iron (the ‘scold’s bridle’, ‘baby’ handcuffs, and man-traps taken from a local orchard, are no longer on display).
An 18th Century shotgun, which may have belonged to Luddites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite ), many of whom were hanged at York Castle (others were ‘transported’
.
A feature on a cell wall.
The bed where celebrated highwayman Dick Turpin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Turpin ) spent his last night.
Part of the Victorian street area. Further picture below.
One for Corey!
Elsewhere in the museum (I imagine this is something like what Fes’s den wall looks like!
)
Opposite York Castle museum, the remains of York’s original motte and bailey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motte-and-bailey_castle) fortifications can quite clearly be seen, and Clifford’s Tower (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/pogromyork_1.shtml) is another reminder of the city’s sometimes brutal past.
