John Ramwell

FROM ESTATE HAND TO HOSPITAL PRISON OFFICER TO GOVERNOR - 1960 TO 1997 MY TIME ON THIS SIDE OF THE BARS.

HMP STRANGEWAYS

I had been culturally and professionally protected at Gaynes Hall and found myself thrown into the deep as I struggled to learn the ropes. I was not able to practice any nursing. Now I was to be an administrator and I was none too happy with the prospect. Making out staff details and managing staff rather than borstal boys was not my preferred option but needs must and I made the most of it. I was ably supported by a well experienced fellow Hospital Principal Officer who, far from resenting the fact I was still pretty young for the post and he was fairly long in the tooth, took me under his wing. Both he and his wife were lovely people.

Working with staff and trying to get them to perform to standard could prove a challenge but, by and large, with few exceptions, I coped. This is my account and I'm sticking to it!

I wish I can remember the name of the Hospital Principal Officer I worked with at Strangeways as it is worth recounting his circumstances on retirement. We all lived in homes provided by the Prison Service strategically located in close proximity to the prison itself. In many cases houses were equipped with a bell that could be triggered from the prison in an emergency. Today this is no longer the case as official accommodation no longer exists; staff all live in their own homes.

But back then, living in tied accommodation meant that you and your family had to find alternative accommodation on retirement. This could be a tall order as, like today, housing was not in ready supply. Half pay pension was based on the best of your last thee years service and with a totally inadequate 'final lump sum' finding somewhere to live on retirement was proving difficult or well nigh impossible for many. So it was for my retiring colleague and he and his wife endured a nightmare before the local council was able to house them. I remember a Chief Officer retiring from one of my previous establishments having to take a job as a cemetery superintendent as a house came with the job.

I am certainly not short of anecdotes from Manchester. It was an interesting nick to work at with almost daily challenges. Across the corridor from my office were the two protected rooms or padded cells that were infrequently used and when they were there were many checks and balances to ensure they were never abused. One very unpredictable patient was so located and I discovered the visiting psychiatrist had entered alone; she had a cell key. Of course I made a fuss and threatened to have her cell key confiscated. This threat was insufficient to stop a recurrence but this time she paid a heavy price and had to be hospitalised. A quite unnecessary event and, I have to say, a very rare one. We had some difficult patients to care for at Strangeways and, in my experience, they received quality care.

'Scar Face' was our Governor; so called because he had been badly burnt in his tank during WW2. His name was Norman Brown; highly respected and popular he was a regular in the Officers Club and ran a tight ship. Fortunately he had retired by the time of the infamous riot in 1990 and I had left at my own request to take up the post of Hospital Principal Officer at HMP Bedford.

There was a riot at Hull Prison during my time at Strangeways and many of those involved were despatched to us. Staff had been hurt at Hull and so the culprits were given a rough time, being made to run the gauntlet down in the Segregation Unit. It was my job to escort the doctor on his daily rounds of the prison and we had to put a stop to this staff retaliation before it got out of hand. I knew there was one prisoner kept in his cell and out of sight of both Governor and doctor and that the situation was getting out of control. I sought out the officer in charge and suggested the doctor be allowed to treat this prisoner and in return for the doctors compliance/silence the violence cease forthwith. Fortunately this strategy worked and worse was avoided. It wasn't always quite that easy to manage these affairs and there were several occasions when staff and prisoner confrontation led to assaults requiring medical attention. It was evident, from the enquiry following the Strangeways Riot, that circumstances prevailing led to the riot; simple cause and effect. Yes, my time at Strangeways and at Gaynes Hall remained in total contrast. Not that I didn't enjoy my time at Manchester. The prison staff was very cohesive and supportive; one felt part of a family. In fact I met my wife to be whilst at Strangeways. I recall an officer and his family having all their Christmas shopping robbed from their car. In no time at all a collection was made and their shopping and doubtless more besides was replaced. Yes, they were all a great bunch of colleagues.