Floating Hell - Life on Board a Victorian Prison Hulk (Convict Ships in the 1800s)

Imagine being imprisoned on a dirty old ship in the 1800s for months or years with terrible food. The 18th and 19th Centuries saw Britain fight numerous wars and, with civilian jails on land overcrowded with prisoners, the government put convicts on old ships called hulks. They became widespread up to the Victorian era and could be found in ports throughout Britain, Australia, Gibraltar and the Caribbean. This is a genuine account of prison life and the convicts aboard on old ship on the River Thames in the 1850s, by a Victorian journalist. Prisoners had a hard life with no rest from work, cleaning and hard labour - except in sickness or death.
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Credits: Narration - markmanningmedia.com
CC BY - TCL Rowbotham Shipping at Deptford 1840, Hospital-ship 'The Dreadnought,' A small rowing boat is taking people to a prison ship, The Society of Friends soup kitchen Manchester 1862 by Wellcome Collection; HMS Victory hammocks by Mike Prince from Bangalore, India; Portsmouth HMS Victory (Deck) by xmax
CC BY-SA - Bell on the bow of the MV TUSTUMENA in Sand Point, Alaska, with build date “1964” by Gordon Leggett; Closeup of an inmate's shackled hands (handcuffs on a martin link belly chain) by Rainerzufall1234; Contemporary model of a British 70-gun 3rd rate ship of the line from 1725 counterposed to a 50-gun 4th rate ship of the line from 1715, to scale by Igor Zyx; División de las tropas by Oladelmar; Galley on HMS Victory by Chris Gilson; H.M.S. Trincomalee, Hartlepool Maritime Experience by Ian Petticrew via geograph.org; Medicines onboard HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard by The Wub; Model of HMS Discovery (1789) at the Vancouver Maritime Museum by The Highfinsperm Whale; Prison hulks in the Thames c.1814, England, painting by State Library of New South Wales; Reenactors in the uniform of the 33rd Regiment of Foot (Wellington's Redcoats), who fought in the Napoleonic Wars between 1812 and 1816 by Wyrdlight; The Carpenter's Workshop, HMS Victory, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard by Hugh Llewelyn; Video from Shire Hall Monmouth by Richard Symonds
#PrisonHulks #PrisonHulkShips #PrisonHulksOnTheRiverThames #PrisonHulkThames #PrisonShips #PrisonShipsVictorian #PrisonShipsVictorianEngland #BritishPrisonShips #PrisonShipsOnThe Thames #PrisonHulksMedway #FactFeast

[@FactFeast]

Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this and want to support the channel you can do this by using the SUPER THANKS button above! ▶ Victorian Criminal Underworld: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2rSgKJ9oKqSftU ▶ Victorian London's Street Criminals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5qvqmmVZ8ynnac ▶ Victorian London's Police Court and Crazy Criminals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXfGqJ5vm819bMU ▶ Where is Blackbeard's Treasure? (Pirates and Gold of the Caribbean): kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2PWaGOLptuUl6s ▶ Criminal Past (Playlist): kzbin.info/aero/PLLSSHJuYZhj7L8CqIIm4UlEniX1Th2ipu

[@davidfarmer2049]

One housed in a prisoner is a prison(er). Not an "inmate".

[@coconutsmarties]

​@@davidfarmer2049what's the difference..

[@sTraYa249]

@@davidfarmer2049 oh, that changes everything 😂

[@troyjenkins5474]

I couldn't imagine.. Truly a living hell Rikers island I believe is a floating barge In 1745 I doubt that the science of metrology existed When storms came, the storm came without warning. Instant sea sick Possible total distruction of the vessel and instant death if shackled.

[@ladyhonor822]

LOVE 😘❤

[@january6447]

My 4x great-grandfather was held on a hulk before being transported to Australia. He was only 12 and had stolen a snuff box 😢.

[@FactFeast]

Yes, theft of just a handkerchief could get someone transported. Very different times. Thank you for your comment.

[@strfltcmnd.9925]

What was in the snuff box that was so important?

[@Rejoice.]

​@@strfltcmnd.9925who cares, he was 12, horrifying.

[@bobertmcboberty1385]

@@Rejoice.some just want to know what exactly a snuff box is….

[@urbantrixsta6514]

How long was he on the hulk

[@williammorris3303]

Anyone else, (at least referring to my schooling, and I’m 47 years) realize that KZbin videos do far better at educating on some subjects than the old lesson plans

[@johnengland8619]

My teachers were boring

[@Colt45hatchback]

Yeah im 34 and agree

[@NavigatorPlays]

As a teacher, yes 🤣

[@daves2552]

Maybe if they didn’t censor anything that anyone may find uncomfortable. Even the truth. Some history is horrible but needs to be taught as it was. When you censor you take away why things happened as they did.

[@drips1030]

By far yes.

[@murph7421]

My great, great, great grandfather was a prisoner on several hulks over the course of 6 years (The Warrior and The China, mainly) before eventually being transported to Australia, where he was pardoned upon arrival. He was an Irish soldier in the British army, and was court martialed after threatening to kill a superior officer, and then beating him senseless. I found a copy of the doctor's notes from his time on the ship, and he sounded like he was in an appalling condition. He only survived into his 40s. His family claimed his imprisonment and subsequent transportation took years off his life.

[@Mercmad]

Four of my ancestors were on the hilks before being transported to New South Wales. One was irish,my GGGG grandfather who was sentenced to transportation for the term of his natural life. He was accused of white boy activities and uttering an unlawful oath (swearing an oath ).A lot of his records survive .He was 12 years old. In Sydney he was flogged at age 16 for insubordination ,then sent to the Hunter Valley to the hill farm. He died at 35 years.

[@Idle_Hands]

I bet he regreted not killing him after that.

[@ballockybill2277]

So many Irish People suffered the same fate .

[@jameswhite7693]

@@ballockybill2277, most of the Irish were not convicts but political prisoners sent to Australia as troublemakers by the English government, the majority were given a free pardon as they had many skills badly needed by the colonial government, fortunately for Australia many became farmers and helped Australian to become the best country in the world, they were tough and independent, we owe them a lot.

[@brownwrench]

I'm sure it did

[@KatrinaRegina]

The British also used prison ships in Brooklyn during the American Revolution. Most people don’t know about them but conditions were appalling and many died.

[@FactFeast]

Yes, they were terrible.

[@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f]

So did the 'Revolting' rebels. Two of my Mann ancestors from Stillwater, NY spent time being treated by their neighborly hospitality in 1776.

[@GTSN38]

They need to bring these back.

[@isaiahthomas118]

@@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f i wonder why? they started it.

[@AChunkyDog]

​Who started it?

[@1bert719]

Dickens referenced "Hulks" in his writing. Notably Able Magwitch from Great Expectations escaped from a hulk moored in the medway estuary among the salt marshes there. Always made for a fascinating subject.

[@FactFeast]

Yes, the hulks moored on the Medway were a familiar sight to Dickens when he was young. Thank you for your comment.

[@nobrains6107]

Also Jean Valjean in Hugo's Les Miserables.

[@brianoneil9662]

Oh dear. So Great Expectations barely scratched the surface of the horrors of these things! Excellent video, good sir! You've made my Sunday!

[@FactFeast]

It’s really nice to know you enjoyed this one. It’s amazing how many of these hulks there were - for prisons, hospitals and cleaning.

[@DoktahArk]

Seems like that refugee "reception center" off the coast of England has a long tradition!

[@troybailey9524]

My 6th great grandfather Jeremiah Cooley was transported to Sydney in 1829 after being held in Middlesex Gaol for stealing a handkerchief worth 2 shillings. He was just 13 years old and spent 9 months chained below deck on the long journey to Australia.

[@JulianStev54444]

Well I hope he learnt his lesson

[@Feliday]

wait, is it a common thing in Australia, that people know, who their anciestor was, who was sent as a prisoner? ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ

[@JustTryingToYoutube]

@@Felidaysome people prefer learning about family history rather then tik Tok

[@mackamotorsport2593]

​@@Felidayit is.

[@sudanemamimikiki1527]

@@Feliday most people can trace their lineage back quite easily for some 200 years.

[@adamogilvie6951]

I always thought I was quite knowledgeable in regard to history. However, I never knew these existed. You have blown my mind. Thank you, my friend❤

[@FactFeast]

I’m happy you found this informative. I think the hulks are a fascinating part of history in the 1800s.

[@KentuckyBrad]

Who knows if it’s actually true? 😂😂

[@macflod]

I think there is an island in the Thames called skull island or something. Anyway you not allowed there as its being erroded and many many human skeletons are being exposed. Most of these were people died on these hulks. They just buried them there, unmarked and forgotten until now. Pretty disturbing Nd horrible but i always say the past is as alien to us now as some alien race would be to us.

[@andreiromanles]

CARNACIORI

[@Clippidyclappidy]

⁠@@KentuckyBradThe people who were imprisoned on them? The people who sailed on them? The people who authorized these things? Prison hulks aren’t some obscure part of history, they were well documented.

[@olliefoxx7165]

Ive never heard of these prison ships. This is an interesting subject. Thanks for doing the research and putting together this video. 👍✌️

[@tifapanties25]

I bet you never heard of "gaitor bait" or human zoos either. Funny how alot of history is hidden like that

[@buffalopatriot]

There’s reference to them in Charles Dickens classic ‘Great Expectations’.

[@MadScientist267]

​@@tifapanties25Naaa just the masters. And no idea about any zoo.

[@dalemiller5893]

Do you live under a cloud bro, iam from kiwi land

[@CulturalProspect]

I learned about these from my pastor. He's a historian and, said that these are the people who started America. Imagine prisoners being the people that started America.

[@danielkarmy4893]

My town, Gosport, knows much of the prison hulks; they used to be moored near here in Portsmouth Harbour, and also in our creeks, and Burrow Island, a small island connected to one of those creeks, is still strewn with the remains of some of those unfortunate souls. On my first visit to the island as a thirteen-year-old in 2008, I found myself trudging over large, grey bones on the shore - 'oh, there must have been animals here', I naively thought.

[@FactFeast]

Interesting stuff! I believe there was a convict burial ground somewhere near Woolwich for the Thames ships too.

[@Mercmad]

@FactFeast On Nicola Whites Mud larking Channel,they wen o an island in the Thames which was burial ground for dead convicts. The number buried was never kept as records so the numbers of dead will never be known. Lots of bones lay about on the ground.

[@FactFeast]

Good to know - thank you! Another viewer here has commented that there is a ‘Dead Man’s Island’ in the River Medway that was used for burials and turns up some rather grim discoveries from time to time.

[@brudenell27]

Same.. doesn’t the name turk town for Gosport come from these ships? We had American prisoners that suffered sadly and died from disease and poor conditions here that were among others buried on that island.. my dad used to call it rat island and also pewit island 🤷‍♂️

[@zellyu8559]

whoa! I bet it is extremely haunted there!!

[@david9783]

What an inglorious ending for ships that were once so proud and seaworthy. I wonder if any retired captains beheld their former floating home, where they were supreme master, now rotting away in obscurity. Maybe some convicts were once sailors on the hulk they now found themselves imprisoned upon.

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

I believe there were in actuality more steps to the process, most ships first being moved to reserve (where they might be used as school for the training of new sailors, or for the accommodation of land units), then, becoming purely barrack ships (at this point any remaining weapons and much of the rigging were removed), only when the ships were considered too dilapidated to be used to house normal soldiers/sailors, would they be transferred to the prison agency... a decade at least, but often a good 30 of 40 years after leaving active service.

[@KateBates22zabu]

Ugh those rows of hammocks, inadequate diet and over crowded men. That was punishment. Enjoyed video thanks

[@lasura]

I got to visit Victory this year and bloody hell the lower decks felt terrible even on a clean, empty, well-cared-for ship. I cannot imagine how it'd be stuffed with prisoners. I'm not claustrophobic but the sheer thought of being so low down was unsettling. Also it's hard to understand just how big these ships are into you're on one! Well worth a visit!

[@jamessones4044]

The English language has some descriptive gems such as ‘hulk’. A perfect word for such a thing.

[@whitetroutchannel]

yes yes and yes, these great hulks where the things of nightmares and again youve done an amazing job transporting us straight up on deck!! one of the last prison boats HMS AL RAWDAH was moored just off my town in the 1940s it housed I.R.A. interness

[@FactFeast]

Thanks whitetroutchannel. It's great to know this was an interesting topic for you. There were so many of these prison hulks that they must have been quite an imposing sight on the Thames and Medway in the 1800s.

[@whitetroutchannel]

@@FactFeast you can only imagine those great hulks sitting against the skyline back then, thanks once again for a trip back in time 👍👍

[@markstarmer3677]

You never mentioned the toilet facilities, I'd imagine a grim place.

[@drewwhy5541]

Bucket and chuck it.

[@dietlindvonhohenwald448]

probably buckets

[@gordonlloyd9335]

Kinda calls for some type of poop deck wisecracking...

[@Johnnywestoz]

Great video, thanks for the real life account of these horrible ships that were a part of our history. Really makes you step back a bit and realize how hard life was back then and how we have it now.

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

less horrible possibly, but, Prison Ships are still a thing in the UK.

[@cplcabs]

@@stanislavkostarnov2157 as they are in a number of places including the US. As for the UK, no, there was one called HMS Weare, but it was sold in 2006 to a Nigerian oil company to accommodate their workers. We do have an accommodation ship or barge called the Bibby Stockholm which is quite a plush place with a restaurants, gym, games room and even a bar. This was used for oil workers and construction workers in the past and Ireland were going to use it for university students but in the end didn't bother. The Germans used it to house the homeless for a few years and the Netherlands and some other countries used it to house migrants and that is what the UK is using it for.

[@pvt.rainbowpony8898]

Just watched it. Amazing video, this style of narration really makes you feel the circumstances. Thank you very much

[@FactFeast]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for writing.

[@floramew]

I just listened to The Count of Monte Cristo, and I can't recall the exact place but these prison hulks were mentioned in the text, and I only knew this kind of situation was what was being referenced because of this video. It's so nice to learn the context of things!

[@TheHappyhorus]

This is fantastic, I work on the river Thames and this video is fascinating, thank you so much.

[@FactFeast]

Great! It’s nice this history has meaning for you.

[@travisdsimmon]

All those in favor of bringing this back would piss themselves to dehydration in a local jail. Punishment is rarely rehabilitation. If anything it's making more and harder criminals.

[@omarb7164]

I’m in favour of introducing this in the US. Throughout the entire video, I couldn’t help but think the conditions were arguably much better than the average American “correctional” facilities.

[@NeilCWCampbell]

​@@omarb7164Criss cross

[@nopamineLevel100]

Thanks! Your videos are fantastic, especially your narration.

[@FactFeast]

Thank you so much for your super thanks 😊 I’m happy you like the content.

[@s.v.2796]

No matter how much I study there is always more to know. Thank you

[@ismewhat1234]

That's the kind of prison we need for all these freaking Killers we got now but nope they get 7 years & out during the same 💔😡

[@NeilCWCampbell]

Citation required for context.

[@hittingdasauce]

That prison will be good for serial killers, rapists, and child predators

[@bobcosmic]

Went to sleep early so now I missed this last night. About to watch and I’m sure that I’ll find it entertaining and educational!

[@FactFeast]

I hope you enjoyed watching!

[@keith800]

Most interesting video , here in Chatham was also where these ships were moored ,there is a exhibition of life between decks in the Guildhall museum in Rochester and also in the Medway estuary is the island known as "dead mans island" where many prisoners were buried with many skeletons and coffins becoming exposed in the mud over the years.

[@FactFeast]

That sounds like a really interesting exhibit in the museum - I hadn’t heard of it. A rather grim name for an island, but it seems to deserve it given such a history. Thank you for your comment.

[@AlfredoSalgado-e2x]

We should bring them back….

[@captc0ck5lap60]

I'd not have such a problem with these if half the inmates weren't serving time for stealing a mug of tea or half a crusty slice of bread.

[@InglouriousBradsterd]

Another fantastic video, Mate! This one was eye-opening as I had no idea about "Hulks!" Terrific (professional) narration, editing and loaded with amazing art (ie. 11:40 ). I just love this charcoal artwork! It is so well done. Also, I love your usage of panoramic view as evident here with is piece. 17:36 -- The Man on the far left is staring right at me and through me--Soulless & haunting...what a wild sketch! Victorian artists were so talented. Isn't it funny how, when the Victorian journalist is toured around the Hulk, everything is "ship-shape?" The inmates (and guards) are on their best behavior, everything is orderly and being cleaned. Inmates are reading the Bible and eating, etc. The doctor is even there with salve! I'm suggesting it usually wasn't like this. Maybe I'm wrong though... It just reminds me of businesses bringing in company "big wigs" around to look at the warehouse (where I've worked, at least). Everything is unusually clean, and workers are looking like they're working hard. TY so much for the content!

[@FactFeast]

It does seem to have been run like a military operation with labour tasks expected to be carried out at specific times. Though something seems to have gone wrong since it caught fire and was sunk! I’m glad you found the story of the hulks interesting!.

[@jonthehermit8082]

Great work mate. Love it.

[@FactFeast]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@michaeldillon3113]

Just off Queenborough ( isle of sheppey ) is Dead Man's island . This is where the dead from the hulks that served the Royal Navy at Sheerness and Chatham were ' buried ' . It is now forbidden to go there but there are plenty of images on the internet from the time when access was possible .

[@SoldierPoet]

I really enjoyed this video. You always have interesting stories to tell and I love your narration. ✌️

[@FactFeast]

Super! I’m glad you enjoyed. Thanks for writing 🙂

[@denisedalton8399]

Thank you..Once again you give us wonderful information.

[@FactFeast]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching and your comment.

[@ellstark372]

The food may have been incredibly basic but they certainly didn’t starve. 12o/z of bread for breakfast is the equivalent to 9 slices! The constipation must have been rough though!

[@pilotjoe4010]

Even if it’s high quality, the diet would still result in severe malnutrition and contribute to death by disease. There was not enough protein or veggies to sustain hard manual labor.

[@angloaust1575]

In spite of improved conditions people still commit crime Inbred sin!

[@lyndawilliams4570]

Man cannot live on bread alone….sorry, I couldn’t help myself

[@crakkbone]

You can starve with a full stomach, from nutrient deficiency. How on earth do you think 9 slices of bread will sustain you for any amount t of time?

[@retrowatches1655]

​@@pilotjoe4010the Scots get away without eating vegetables. Lol

[@angr3819]

Thank you for the information. I had only heard of them but not taught about them in schools.

[@admiralradish]

9:45 This description of sickness on a ship, from the time, is the most descriptive ive ever heard. It reminds me of a really bad case of a stomach flu but it would be exacerbated by the movement of a ship.

[@TeaLaTeQuiL]

Thankyou for the great vids.

[@FactFeast]

You're welcome! I'm glad the history interests you.

[@leejennimgs6224]

This had to be horrible. Hollywood makes it look romantic. Those poor people. That was filth, disease and starvation. 😠

[@cM-zm5kp]

When did Hollywood romanticize prison ships? Lmao

[@Strype13]

"Half an ox cheek once a week?" Yummy!

[@2BachShakur]

You have an incredible voice for narration, perfect for this style of video.

[@FactFeast]

Thank you! Nice to know you enjoyed listening.

[@warmist8197]

Those hammocks are better than jail beds today....

[@LindseyWilkinson-k1w]

This was extremely informative. I had imagined much worse conditions.. This was extremely informative. I had imagined much worse conditions..

[@leehighland5435]

They should bring them back, might cut down on the crime rate.

[@sincereflowers3218]

You could make a damn advanced prison ship these days. But why? An island is just as good as a basement with hooks imbedded in a concrete wall.

[@James-ju4gj]

They tried with Bibby Stockholm and filled the water supply with deadly micro-viruses. They almost got away with it too

[@matthewcornish3086]

They could make Jay walking punishable by death. Won't stop people from doing it.

[@jb1818.]

amazing how this is forgotten from our history and never acknowledged this before

[@DonnyGossett-nz8rp]

Frances Scott Key wrote our National Anthem from a prison ship.

[@bugzyhardrada3168]

That's painfully ironic

[@jaanikaapa6925]

It's been shown in Assassin's Creed franchise.

[@nicolasrose3064]

It's only "forgotten" by those who don't take the time to be aware of it, true ignorance is not the absence of knowledge but the refusal to acquire it.

[@mikehunntt5338]

​@@nicolasrose3064you can't be ignorant of things hidden from you by a society as a whole

[@anime4life209]

we need to bring these back...

[@michaelhowell2326]

I think Victory was slated for hulk conversion before Nelson took command. It ended up costing something like 3-7 times her original building cost to get her seaworthy again.

[@MrPoonomatic]

great story telling.

[@FactFeast]

Thanks for listening!

[@shmackydoodRon]

These hulks are incredible.

[@alan-the-maths-tutor]

My 4th great grandfather was transported to the colonies in New England in the 1760s. When the Revolutionary War started, he fought on the American side and reinvented himself after the war.

[@grimfandango6137]

Well done, as usual

[@FactFeast]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@DocBree13]

“Sentences of transportation to the Americas…” what? I didn’t know they sent convicts, here - I thought that was only Australia - very interesting

[@610Mungral]

after the American war of Independence convicts could no longer be transported to the Americas, fortunately (?) Australia needed colonizing!

[@dietlindvonhohenwald448]

Many prisoners were shipped to Canada and America too and sold at auctions as bond servants for the number of years of their sentence.

[@olwyn.3954]

❤ Another captivating and brilliant video.

[@FactFeast]

Thanks!! Glad you found the hulks compelling history.

[@johngiles6376]

I did 2 years on one of these ships back in the late 1700's. made me the man i am today.

[@PeteJones-ch3te]

This should be done today over the world

[@sTraYa249]

Imagine on a hot summer's day/night 😢 Another fascinating documentary! I listen & thank my lucky star's that I wasn't involved in such misery.

[@FactFeast]

A grim thought indeed! Flies and mosquitoes too. Thank you for your comment.

[@sTraYa249]

@@FactFeast Thank you 👍

[@peternicholson1167]

Yeah and imagine what it was like in winter on a freezing 🥶 night

[@trumpeter699]

I believe the vessel pictured at 1.17 could be the Dreadnought Hospital Ship rather than a prison hulk, judging by the inscription on its side. My 3x great grandfather Robert Matteson (1780-1832) was on board as a patient in 1831 with "Swelled legs". He sadly died the following year. I'd be interested to know about the conditions on board, and if they were much better than the prison hulks. Anyone interested in the subject would do well to check out the Guildhall Museum, 17, High Street, Rochester, Kent. Many thanks for a great video !

[@victoriadalrymple6497]

As horrific as it sounds. It still sounds better than circumstances many who's only crime was poverty found themselves in. A bed for the night and regularly fed. So many others of the Time didn't far so well.

[@twocyclediesel1280]

Yes, the “homeless shelters” were horrible. Just saw a video on the Victorian “crawlers”. They were old women too sick and weak to even beg so would crawl around begging from the beggars.

[@jayremie5705]

Having had the misfortune of incarceration I can tell you I’ll take poor and cold but free over no freedom any day.

[@serendipity5569]

*fare so well

[@williamlouie569]

Not much had changed! Today there are more prisons and conditions are not any better!

[@Wilt8v92]

Looks like holiday camp compared to the Australian hulks,that were for incorrigible convicts,the Bushrangers Ned Kelly and Dan 'Mad Dog' Morgan did time on the hulks...

[@paulguise698]

I didn't know about these Hulk Ships, when was the last ones used? very informative vlog

[@davidmccann9811]

They were used in the UK until the 1850s.

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

Didn't "Great Expectations" start with a prisoner who escaped from a prison hulk? I'll have to refresh my memory.

[@williammorris3303]

Loved this

[@FactFeast]

Great! Thanks very much.

[@RamblinJer]

One of grandfathers who served during the Revolutionary War when taken prisoner was held on a British prison ship.

[@marekkocon7407]

This is awesome. thank You so much. Greetings from Poland :)

[@FactFeast]

Hello and thank you! I’m glad you like the history.

[@brianoneil9662]

Thanks!

[@FactFeast]

A huge thank you Brian!! I’m very grateful 😊

[@williamaltizer6102]

The ship's warden was most likely fully prepared for the journalist to take account of the hulk. It sounds like everyone was exhibiting their best behavior. The ship was probably scrubbed down thoroughly by the prisoners and with ruthless delegation. So that when the writer came aboard all the inmates were dead tired and sound asleep in their tidy cramped cells. Giving the writer the illusion that things weren't that bad for these convicts. I believe the only true account would be from testimonies from the inmates or perhaps disgruntled officers.

[@Khatoon170]

How are you doing sir thank you for your wonderful cultural documentary channel. As always said with every new video I learn new information and vocabularies too . I gathered main points about topic you mentioned briefly here it’s floating hell by late 1700s these ships commonly known as ( hulks ) are heavily relied up on to ease overcrowding in land based facilities. They are referred to as ( floating ships ) or ( he’ll hold ) . Since conditions are just horrible as in traditional prisons . Convict ship was any ship engaged on voyage to carry convicted felons under sentence of penal transportation from their place of conviction to their place of exile called hulks . Hulks are houses prisoners in 18 and 19 th centuries and last convict ship in 1868 . There are so many convicts in England because life was Very hard and as new machines were invented people were no longer needed to do farming jobs so they moved to cities and cities became overcrowded. Prison ships over time is practice was most widespread in 18 and 19 th centuries in England as government sought to address issues of overcrowded civil jails on land and influx of enemy detainees from war of Jenkins and seven years war . Ship jail called brig and military prison USA called usdb. We appreciate your great efforts as foreigners subscribers as overseas students want to increase our cultural level improve our English as well.good luck to you your dearest ones.

[@FactFeast]

It’s good to know you found the story of the hulks so interesting Khatoon. Thank you for writing!

[@brianmeek5236]

Still in use today, renamed refugee barges. Economy class carnival cruise to nowhere

[@ajayjohal2703]

Turns out every KZbinrs great grandfather was in a hulk ship. Hey mine too!

[@aborteddemocrat-ux7ue]

Imagine being the pirate who stole the whole prison

[@hittingdasauce]

U have a huge number of recruiters or a huge number of dead weights of diseases weaking men

[@francisnewmarch6837]

Highly interesting but whilst I absorb the story in detail the word Stockholm keeps springing to mind. Must be my age. Thanks for another gem of a production. Regards from Barnes

[@Mothhour]

another enthralling installment from FF :) best historical youtube channel about! keep it up! love your work and this one was especially good.] best - M (FYI its 'obsessed pathetic troll' - i have a skeleton profile pic on that account. i'm on a diff. account atn as i'm on my old uni PC, down the coast visiting family: but its me! i'm the guy suggested more homeless docs previously, spoke about my family's history in the eastend and also left a £2 thanks in the past. just didnt want you to think i'd abandoned you mate; love your work and I'm always following your content.)

[@FactFeast]

Hello! I remember your name and icon very well 😊 Nice to see you here - Thank you for your words of support and I hope you have a great holiday! Btw - new upload today!

[@aaronsweeney5428]

We need to bring these back. This whole soft approach to crime isn't cutting it.

[@L_Train]

If they have enough ox cheeks to go around, then where is the rest of the ox?

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

It was probably a very cheap cut of meat

[@richardglady3009]

Thanks for this video. An American hears “prison hulks” and he/she thinks about American POW’s from the War of Independence. Thanks for opening my eyes.

[@kewlcat4566]

This was extremely informative. I had imagined much worse conditions.

[@FactFeast]

Thank you! Great to know you found the history useful.

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

As a Australian thanks mate

[@FactFeast]

You’re welcome! Thanks for writing 🙂

[@margotishrn]

Life on board a ship in the 18th century "let me show you its FECHURES!!" 😂

[@dmitritelvanni4068]

Why am i 32 and find incredible satisfaction everytime he annunciates "poop". Like that could be an ASMR no joke.

[@claudermiller]

It's funny how the British saw themselves as purveyors of civilization and Christian values. Hmmm?

[@colin3424]

Name some cultures that were more humane than the british in the 18th-19th century.

[@Archon...]

Well, they were.

[@James-ju4gj]

@@colin3424 Almost the entirety of East Asia and countries where Buddism and other genuinely peaceful and accepting religions are politically dominant. 'Christian Values' are ever changing dependent on the social norms of the time. In the 18th Century 'Good Christians' would have been very accepting of prison Hulks as a form of punishment, just as they were accepting of genocide, slavery and war.

[@TheMancYank]

Many big cities in the USA have progressive district attorneys who have released many criminals back into the streets. If you were a victim of such crime would you prefer they get a piece of chocolate on their pillow every night?

[@thekerr8728]

Yeah I’m sure a Chinese prison in the 1800s was much better… get out of here with that nonsense.

[@johnnybirdwell6968]

Good Video! My home state of Georgia in the US was used by the British Government as a convict dumping ground before the war. As for the story about the hulk, well as normal I doubt that if "Special" people did not come onboard, things would have been different. Or so I would believe. As for the food, well what was listed and what was gotten was two very different things! 12 oz's of Bread and that has to last you to lunch and you are doing very hard labor? Is it good fresh bread or is it hardtack? Methinks its hardtack! And even if it wasn't hardtack, I doubt it good bread. Most likely the cheapest bread that could be found. As for the meat, again I doubt that we would feed that meat to pigs today! I can see some guard telling the convicts "Hey, we have a reporter coming onboard today, so you lot will get new clothes and bedding for the next day or so and some good food! Way to good of food for you lot, but we must put a good face on for the reporter!" "And if even one of you says one thing about how you are treated, well you just shouldn't if you want to keep breathing without pain!" And a couple of days later, the men are back into rags, the food is worse then ever and the work is even harder!

[@brianedwards7142]

Gotta love them Georgians (sarcasm). One of my favourite movies is David Lean's Great Expectations.

[@lablackzed]

They had prison ships in gibraltar they used the men to build the Royal dockyard .

[@gregmiller9710]

i became aware of English "Hulks" from the last time i watched 1946 Great Expectations'...^^

[@OldenVoices]

It would be interesting to compare prison hulks across different countries during the time period. The British were very much a maritime culture, but would the contemporary continental Europeans have done similar? Or would they have found different solution to similar problems?

[@sygmarvexarion7891]

Wow! No idea prison hulks were a thing.

[@cplcabs]

they are even to this day

[@PistolPackin1312]

I was on one of these ships, typhus and sailors rot use to set in and we were done for. Everyday my peg legs remind me of what we went through. Glory days for sure.

[@chudleyflusher7132]

I remember you! You were that guy constantly sniffing your fingers!

[@kinghash29]

This should be the sentence that awaits people shoplifting tv’s from stores and closing down all the supermarkets within 20 minutes of town.

[@awotnot]

A drinking game. You have to take a liquor shot every time he says the word hammock.

[@Packyboy]

prison ship ,poor house. Death sentences, each one

[@WeRNthisToGetHer]

My genealogy on my father's side, the Reeves, was probably on one of those. They were sent to the American colonies on a prison ship for their involvement in the Monmouth rebellion against the Duke of York. We are distantly related to Bill Clinton and his family.

[@robkunkel8833]

I don’t think I have even seen anything in writing or in film about this. It is so logical. You mentioned HMS Temeraire. That was a famous paining by Turner.

[@pauldziejman]

This is exactly what they need to bring back. Enough coddling criminals.

[@joebryant5722]

Actually nice to hear how well organised and structured we ran things.

[@LiveFastRaceHard]

The first scene, was that a game? If so, what game? Love these videos, I feel like I'm watching old school history channel, back when it was still good! Narrators voice fits so perfect for these videos too!

[@FactFeast]

I don’t know about any games. Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoy the videos.

[@ZarpSterr]

Did not know about this.....until now.

[@ukwarrior89]

And i always wondered where Warhammer took its grimdark inspiration

[@breakfastsurreal5650]

I'd love to know more about the Shanghai tunnels in Portland.

[@FactFeast]

I have a video about them. See this link: Portland’s Dark Underground History (Shanghai Tunnels) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZKnhHWZic59p7c

[@mattharvey8712]

Bravo........I have not heard any stories from the ships..........or escapes...........cheers

[@FactFeast]

Great to know you found this story useful. Thank you!

[@nickmiller76]

I've found frequent reports of escapes in the newspapers of the time.

[@LarsonPetty]

Kinda think their "Deportation of Undesirables" practice was a hell of a bad idea. They grouped together that many like minded individuals with a proclivity for not following the rules, just waiting for sufficient numbers, and were shocked when they revolted?