A few years ago, New Plymouth Prison staff found an old, brittle business card concealed behind the tin sheathing of a soon-to-be replaced cell door.
A prisoner named HH had used the back of the card to leave a quickly written message to his cellmate.
Bearing the name William Baker, Dr Barnardo's Homes, London, the card had no information that dated the message or explained the connection between William Baker and prisoner HH.
Intrigued, prison staff member Mark Goodwin contacted Barnardo's Children's Charity who told him, because Baker had died in office in 1920, both the card and message on it probably pre-dated that year.
Regrettably, Barnardo's was unable to confirm any connection between the two men but Mr Goodwin says it's probably safe to assume that HH was a Barnardo's boy who had lived under William Baker's care.
What HH's message does reveal, is that finding himself released unexpectedly, he was anxious to keep in touch with his cellmate.
"I believe HH hid the card in the door confident it would not be searched and that the cellmate would know to look there," Mr Goodwin says.
"The fact the card remained in that spot for almost 100 years after the author had implored its intended recipient to destroy it, does suggest that HH's cellmate may not have found it.
"I also believe it's highly likely that HH was a former Barnardo's lad who arrived in New Zealand by sea, jumped ship and found himself in a spot of bother with the law.
"His crime was probably at the low end of the scale but in those days gaol was the only option. There were no rehabilitation or reintegration programmes for prisoners back then so you wonder what became of HH, whether he found a job and a roof over his head or if he went on to commit further crimes."
The message found at New Plymouth Prison created a lot interest at the time. TVNZ carried a story about it, as did the Australian and American Corrections publications. According to a friend of Mr Goodwin's, a Scottish newspaper even featured a few lines about it in the paper's "Odd Spot".
William Baker's business card is kept in a file of "treasures" from Taranaki's penal history - a history that Prison Manager Peter Madsen is keen to preserve in a secure public display.
He's quietly confident that current and former Taranaki residents might have photos, documents or memorabilia they would be happy to donate for the display. If he's inundated with items of interest, Mr Madsen will consider offering them to Taranaki's Puke Ariki Museum.
Originally built as an army hospital during the Taranaki Wars of the 1860s, New Plymouth Prison was designated a prison in the 1870s.
As New Zealand's oldest penal institution, there's growing interest in it but regrettably, many items of historic importance have been lost over the years. Mr Goodwin says senior staff would sometimes ask him to throw things away and "while I generally obeyed orders, there were times when I just couldn't bring myself to do it".
"I bitterly regret looking at the document proclaiming the prison as a place of execution and not holding onto it. Fortunately we have the 22 December 1870 proclamation that the military hospital on Marshall Hill would be the Taranaki District's Public Gaol. The gallows and straight jacket designs are in the prison's historical file and, among the prison plans, I have a 1909 parchment drawing of the prison, the warders’ houses and the drainage layout."
Also in the file are three photographs that Mr Madsen and Mr Goodwin prize. One is a very early photo of the prison - the other two, photos of prison staff taken in the 1880s to 1890s.
"We would welcome calls from anyone who can help us name these people and if you know anything about their working lives with the prison, better still," Mr Madsen says.
Letter believed to date pre-1920I am dropping this line just before I go out (I have only got word just now, so knew I should not get a chance to see you). I will carry out exactly, everything we have yarned about on our recent conversations, so please, oh please relie on me old chum. You will find letters awaiting you at the pre-arranged address, as to my movements etc etc. Hoping you will follow me shortly - not a word to anyone and destroy this at once. Believe me etc HH |
Story about George WilderTwo of the most famous manhunts in New Zealand's recent history concern George Wilder who in the 1960s, became an unlikely folk hero to many New Zealanders. Jailed for burglary and theft, Wilder scaled one of New Plymouth Prison's highest walls on 17 May 1962. At large for 65 days, he caught the imagination of the public with his exploits and ability to stay one step ahead of the police. |
ENDS
For further information contact the Communications Services Desk: