NAPOLEONIC PRISON OF NORMAN CROSS.
PAUL CHAMBERLAIN
PUBLISHER : HISTORY PRESS, March 2018
208 pages
ISBN: 9780750985932

Norman Cross was the site of the world’s first purpose-built prisoner-of-war camp built during the Napoleonic Wars. Opened in 1803, it was, however, more than just a prison: it was a town in itself, with houses, offices, butchers, bakers, a hospital, a school, a market and a banking system. It was an important prison and military establishment in the east of England with a lively community of some 7,000 French inmates. Alongside a detailed examination of the prison itself, this detailed and informative book, compiled by a leading expert on the Napoleonic era, explores what life was like for inmates and turnkeys alike – the clothing, food, health, education, punishment and, ultimately, the closure of the depot in 1814.