What was life like for Victorian child criminals?
John & Isabella
By Ben, 11, Bosworth School, Nottingham, UK
I think Isabella stole the sheets to keep warm so that she got warmth at night. I think she was scarred on her arms because they beat her with a cane. I think she might have moved from Scotland with the family she worked for.
I think John stole cotton waste for comfort, and was scarred to look hard to other prisoners. He risked punishment because you steal or die. Perhaps he was starving.
John Parker & Isabella Petry
By Scott, 11, Bosworth School, Nottingham, UK
Isabella stole the sheets to get warm and have a comfortable place to sleep. She stoles something so basic because you didn't get a lot in those times. She was scarred because I think her boss had whipped her so it was harder for her.
I think she left Scotland because she ran away.
John Parker may have stolen cotton waste to make his bed more comfortable. Perhaps he was scarred because he wanted to look hard.
They had risked being punished because they had so little anyway. The rich people had loads of stuff and the poor people only had like straw to sleep on.
