Sign up for a 14-day free trial and enjoy all the amazing features MyHeritage has to offer. If you decide to continue your subscription, you’ll get a 50% discount bit.ly/RobsLondon
I grew up in Erasmus St on the old Millbank site - my father was school caretaker and we lived our address started 'School House, Millbank School'. School had 3 buildings & I was terrified of one of the boiler house basements. Lighter note: I was a regular visitor to the Tate when bunking off school 😂
Millbank Estate was built with bricks recovered from the demolished prison and its buildfings are now Grade II. I lived there when I was very young and now I live in ... Australia.
@@Robslondon it was all about reform around contacting family and friends; install limited function cellular phone in the cells that each prisoner can dial into using the existing PIN and approved phone number system. Delete the cost to the prisoner but keep usage down via a time-limited system. That way, no queuing and no fights. Prison etiquette would sort out times of acceptable use. Add in a system of head phones that can only connect to your calls and that would be sorted. Thanks so much for sparking something from the depths of my brain that may help prison reform. X
A buried steel door would produce a very similar magnetic signature to a buried aircraft bomb. In those days suspected bombs were dug out by hand using timber shafts to hold back the soil. It would likely to have been several days of hard, wet digging. You can imagine how pleased the bomb disposal team would have been to find out they’d discovered a door… :)
Another excellent video, Rob, thank you. I heard the POM/Millbank thing from a Portuguese fellow nearly two decades ago, so there might be something to it.
Fab as always Rob. And how I loved the old picture of the cows by the Thames at Millbank! Almost impossible to picture London as it was then, and equally sad that all that ruralism has gone.
Loved this one mate. The shape of the prison alone peaks the interest immediately. What a design! Fascinating viewing as usual. Thanks for all your efforts.
I always thought POM had something to do with prisons but not specifically Millbank but Prisoner of His/Her Majesty. I had heard a theory that pom or pommy was an abbreviation for “pomegranate.” Cockney rhyming slang for “immigrant” or, alternatively an exaggeration of what could be perceived to be the generally pale complexion of the average British immigrant, which could often develop into a certain sun burnt redness not dissimilar in colour to a pomegranate fruit. Although pomegranates are not native to Australia!
Anyone familiar with the Magnus Archives will have a great appreciation for Millbank prison and Robert Smirk. Anyone NOT familiar with the Magnus Archives should immediately start listening to them. They're available on UA-cam (and numerous other places). But don't listen to any of the episodes if you live alone, and it's night, or you're isolated, or if you have any insects in your home, or if you're driving on a dark road back road, or.... well...at least wait until someone you know and trust is with you. They are very intricate, creative, amusing, and seriously seriously creepy. And lots of fun.
@@Robslondon Oh! Woof. I wasn't expecting a reply from the video maker hisself!. The Magnus Archives whole history has been really interesting. A rather great story of people creating content and putting out via the internet, and it became very successful. Due to quality.I believe the writer is now able to support himself just via his writing work. The final seasons went out during lockdown years, & that is bound to have had some effect on the numbers of people who took it up. I'm stuck over in the US now, but lived in London before this, and am a sucker for anything which reminds me of my lost home - which is why I was so drawn to your channel . Anyway, the MA have a big overarching structure. Even the very first stories, or archive entries,, are relevant to the whole shebang, but they're also just good creepy fun on their tod. Not all the entries are London set, but the vast majority are. I really liked your Dracula video too...I lived in Highgate..made me terribly homesick.
I have heard of this prison through Nicola White's channel Tideline Art. She was mudlarking on the Thames and found a token with a girl's name and found out out she was a prisoner in Millbank.
For a second, reading the title, I thought this was going to be... "Okay, we've lost an entire prison in London. We aren't quite sure where it is. London is a big city after all. If any of you have seen a prison wandering around please let us know. Do not approach the prison on your own, call Scotland Yard and let the proper authorities deal with it." Joking aside, another fascinating bit of history. Great work as always!
I had never heard of it. Crikey Rob, you do dig up some really interesting stuff for us - thanks for another slice of top notch entertainment! Do hope you`re keeping warm...
Even the drawing at 8.50 looks hellish. I know The Tate Gallery of course but never imagined, when visiting , that such a place as this had existed where I was walking. Thanks Rob. Another definite 'hit'
Wow, I never knew of that place. Another trip into the fascinating and somewhat dark side of London. I love the POM association... incredible and very believable. Best wishes to you and family.
@@Robslondon Just realised you haven't been away at all - despite being a subscriber, I haven't received any notifications since your London Transport Museum film. Strange! I'll try unsubscribing and re-subscribing - hopefully that might rectify the issue. 🤔
@@thetragicyouth Yes, I was going to say when you said it's good to see me back that I haven't really been away! I have regular friends- such as your good self- who always leave lovely comments, so when you don't show up I figured something wasn't getting through. It's something to do with the algorithm I think.... my latest videos have been performing very poorly which, to be honest, can be a little soul-destroying. Not entirely sure what's going on. Have you clicked the bell icon for notifications? If so you should be informed when a video is published no matter what (well, in theory!) Anyway, so glad you've found this video and it's lovely to see you again ;-) Cheers and stay well.
Thanks for the nostalgia trip back to my childhood home area. We lived on John Islip Street in the 70’s. I live in Dulwich now and even though it’s only a bus ride away, I never have cause to go back there so seeing the area again was nice.
Fascinating as always, Rob. Side note. Found a 2015 article about Jeremy Bentham's head in a Buzzfeed article. Apparently they take it out of it's box once a year for inspection, and the author of the article was allowed to view the process. It's interesting, if not a bit gruesome.
The origin of the word POM I recall from my younger days here in New Zealand is that Pommy was a derogatory term derived from Prisoner of Mother England.
Excellent video Rob. I had heard of the Millbank Penitentiary, but did not know its location. To think that an area of so much misery to so many poor souls should become the site of the wonderful Tate Gallery. Many of those poor inmates had probably carried out comparatively minor crimes, probably in order to buy food. For centuries, the people that wielded power in Britain treated their own subjects just as badly as victims of the slave trade, but it has been washed from history.
Bentham's used to be on display in a 'cupboard and during rag-week students would often 'kidnap' the remains and send ransom notes to the university for the return. Moving him to a sealed glass display has put a stop to such high jinks.
Thanks Rob. I never knew about this prison. I was aware of the equally infamous Fleet prison as I used to work in Fleet Street. A prison was located on that site since the 12th century I believe. Genealogy has long been an interest of mine too. It’s akin to a giant jigsaw puzzle which you’ll never complete.
Had no idea. Knew about a few others like bedlam. We must not confuse the treatment of prisoners with the architect who designed it. The bread and water et cetera was not his fault.
Well I’d never heard of this delightful institution - sounds truly grim! Great video as always though Rob 😊. I did know about Jeremy Bentham though - truly bizarre!
Hi Rob this was spot on ✔️ so a big 👍 to you. Now I know that Pom was an Oz word to describe us Brits but I rather like the explanation you gave Prisoner of Millgate. In hindsight the prisoners who went and survived were the lucky ones? Cheers DougT
@@Robslondon Always a pleasure Rob. I'm excellent thanks mate, more so because my Fortnum's order that I was expecting on Friday 2nd December, arrived today. Hope you're keeping well too.
This was excellent Rob. A unique, brutalist design on that prison, whilst also being mathematically beautiful. Grim conditions though. Had no idea the Tate Modern stood on that footprint
Well done again, Rob. The DownUnder and Pom derivations are perfectly viable for me here in Oz..! I've not heard of any viable others locally. Our Australian Macquarie Dictionary refers to the notion that from a Northern Hemisphere viewpoint, we are situated on the underside of the globe, and that Pommy is and abbreviation of Pomegranate which was somehow rhyming slang for immigrant, rather a stretch in modern parlance..!
I had no idea about that, thanks for sharing! Funny you mention it too, as I’m currently preparing a video which will indeed show a cell door from Newgate!
Hello Rob Great video, Sandra I really enjoyed. Love the possible origins of those two words. I having been working on my family tree since 2010. I love the history so when you are related to the people that makes that history it even more exciting. At least to me. Love the Tate Britain. Thanks again. Take Care Chris and Sandra of Canada.
i love the strange strings that follow us. I ended up at the panopticon in dartmoor last year - i lived there, for a job that happened really randomly, completely unplanned but i was loving life. we were just randomly driving through the moors one day and came across the prison and gave it a little visit. i completely forgot where they said that the original design came from, i forgot about it completely - BUT I clicked on this video because i saw jezza's head and thought it would be interesting as i somehow ended up studying at ucl this year. still not sure how i'm here, but here i am. I stumbled upon the prison in Dartmoor through the most random circumstance, and now i've done a full circle - simply because i saw a familiar severed head.
Hi Rob I've heard of millbank prison but until now had no idea as to what it looked like, as you've said rather grim. The Tate has flooded quite badly actually in 1928 it heavily damaged and destroyed several hundred pieces of historical art works. May be a story for you to investigate? Another great video and as always a treat to watch Cheers Mike
The building shown as University College is actually Senate House. The front of UC was actually shown in the film "Carry on Doctor", as it is opposite what used to be UC Hospital on Gower Street. Jeremy Bentham used to be in a cabinet in the entrance hall of the old UC building.
Wow how interesting another enjoyable video. Do you know any history about London’s flour mills? My Grandfather lived in West Ham in the 1920s but having gone through heritage and ancestry I have got nowhere finding anything out and in the off chance I am cheekily picking your knowledge of flour mills. Any history would be wonderful but if you are inundated with requests that’s fine and thank you for reading. ❤️
Thanks so much Gill! Unfortunately I have no knowledge of flour mills in London, although funnily enough I was in the Museum of London only yesterday (filming for an upcoming video) and they had a small section about baking- maybe they would know more? Thanks as always ☺️
There were mills in London that were situated the tip of the Isle of dogs because the windmills were situated on the sea wall the area the area became known as Millwall. There were flour Mills at the Royal Docks and they may have been owned by Spillers or Macdougles flour but I'm not sure about that
Yeah, it certainly looks like an absolute nightmare to navigate, manage and be inside.. the shape and ridiculous construction from solid stone means it would weather and wear at different points at different times.. absolute nightmare.
I thought Down Under referred to going to the southern hemisphere from the northern, ie down under the globe, and POHM stood for Prisoner Of His Majesty. Thanks as always Rob. Take care ❤😊
Fascinating! After doing some family research on Ancestry, I found that my 3x Great Grandparents used to live on Ponsonby Place in the 1870's. I was wondering how they managed to afford to live in an area of London that, I imagine even then nearby would have been somewhat affluent, at least on a Labourer's wage. Presumably with their houses backing on to the prison, it would have made the street a bit cheaper than the nearby areas...
@@Robslondon So I've since done a bit more ancestry research and found that my 4x great grandfather, who was head of the household was actually one of the 'warders' (guard / officer) at the prison. He lived at number 83 Ponsonby Place from at least as early as 1851 to the 1890's / 1900's. I've tried to find number 83 on the map / Google Street View, but can't seem to figure out which house it was. Could it have been pulled down since then? It would be great to figure out exactly which house was theirs.
I was raised in Erasmus street , Hogarth house in millbank and it was hell. From a baby till the year my family moved we never looked back. I have many stories alongside my mother and brothers of the haunted ghost stories we experienced etc; it effected my childhood massively. The whole of millbank is misery and cold. Soon I’d like to go back and ask the family who moved in after if they experienced the same thing out of curiosity. My brother also once said one time he was walking back to my mums house and he saw a chariot with a man and they fled off into the distance during the day.
@@Robslondon When we was living there, a family planned to move in to another flat and I can’t remember how it went as my mum told me the story a while ago it’s either the lady moved in and left the same day because there was a evil feeling coming from the flat or she came to view the flat and realised the evil feeling and didn’t bother taking it.
@@Robslondon & I still get chills till this day. Baring in my mind that we only moved to Pimlico after and now I live in west london. Still seems so very close tho. Everytime I mention the house to my mum she says she’s glad she moved and she left whatever that was behind. I’ve always wanted to find out more since it scarred me for a long period and I’ve read up and watched videos such as this one online and it’s starting to make sense. Thanks for this documentary.
My 3X Great Grandfather's 'Partner' (it's complicated) was banged up in Millbank "Unlawfully attempting feloniously to stealing one shirt the property of Samuel Kilpin Catton, at St. George The Martyr, Southwark." Amazing how it all links together. Loved the Video
In Australia, we believe that it is a shortening of the initials of " Prisoner of Mother England," thus becoming POME,or pome( pronounced pom e, or pommy, as it is now pronounced.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial and enjoy all the amazing features MyHeritage has to offer. If you decide to continue your subscription, you’ll get a 50% discount bit.ly/RobsLondon
I grew up in Erasmus St on the old Millbank site - my father was school caretaker and we lived our address started 'School House, Millbank School'. School had 3 buildings & I was terrified of one of the boiler house basements. Lighter note: I was a regular visitor to the Tate when bunking off school 😂
Great comment 😉
Millbank Estate was built with bricks recovered from the demolished prison and its buildfings are now Grade II. I lived there when I was very young and now I live in ... Australia.
You've just instigated a discussion on prison reform between me and my husband. That's the power of this video. Awesome.
That's brilliant! Who won the debate?! 😀Thanks so much Rowan and stay well.
@@Robslondon it was all about reform around contacting family and friends; install limited function cellular phone in the cells that each prisoner can dial into using the existing PIN and approved phone number system. Delete the cost to the prisoner but keep usage down via a time-limited system. That way, no queuing and no fights. Prison etiquette would sort out times of acceptable use. Add in a system of head phones that can only connect to your calls and that would be sorted. Thanks so much for sparking something from the depths of my brain that may help prison reform. X
@@rowanmorgan457 Really interesting thoughts Rowan, would make perfect sense in my opinion! Thanks so much for sharing.
i love this channel - well done
Really appreciate that wendalboy, thank you
I live overlooking the moat . I have lived here 20 years. You sort of pick up on the energy of the place it’s hard to explain. Great vid
Really appreciate that, thank you.
Robslondon never fails to produce amazing documentaries.
That's so kind of you to say, Alan- thank you my friend. Stay well.
A buried steel door would produce a very similar magnetic signature to a buried aircraft bomb. In those days suspected bombs were dug out by hand using timber shafts to hold back the soil. It would likely to have been several days of hard, wet digging.
You can imagine how pleased the bomb disposal team would have been to find out they’d discovered a door… :)
Thanks Bob. When I was researching this I did indeed see a photo of the sort of shaft you described being used.
Another excellent video, Rob, thank you.
I heard the POM/Millbank thing from a Portuguese fellow nearly two decades ago, so there might be something to it.
Thanks Graham 😉
Fab as always Rob. And how I loved the old picture of the cows by the Thames at Millbank! Almost impossible to picture London as it was then, and equally sad that all that ruralism has gone.
Lovely comment, arriesone1 ☺️ Thank you and stay well
Another great and interesting video once again. Loved watching it as always too. Thanks Robert.👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️
You're a star Sharon, thank you as always :-) Stay well.
Loved this one mate. The shape of the prison alone peaks the interest immediately. What a design! Fascinating viewing as usual. Thanks for all your efforts.
It’s a pleasure Jamie, thank you so much for your kind words. Stay well.
I always thought POM had something to do with prisons but not specifically Millbank but Prisoner of His/Her Majesty. I had heard a theory that pom or pommy was an abbreviation for “pomegranate.” Cockney rhyming slang for “immigrant” or, alternatively an exaggeration of what could be perceived to be the generally pale complexion of the average British immigrant, which could often develop into a certain sun burnt redness not dissimilar in colour to a pomegranate fruit. Although pomegranates are not native to Australia!
Hi Ian, yes someone else has mentioned that too…. Interesting 😉
Anyone familiar with the Magnus Archives will have a great appreciation for Millbank prison and Robert Smirk.
Anyone NOT familiar with the Magnus Archives should immediately start listening to them.
They're available on UA-cam (and numerous other places).
But don't listen to any of the episodes if you live alone, and it's night, or you're isolated, or if you have any insects in your home, or if you're driving on a dark road back road, or....
well...at least wait until someone you know and trust is with you. They are very intricate, creative, amusing, and seriously seriously creepy. And lots of fun.
Sounds intriguing Green Man; will have a look 😉
@@Robslondon Oh! Woof. I wasn't expecting a reply from the video maker hisself!.
The Magnus Archives whole history has been really interesting. A rather great story of people creating content and putting out via the internet, and it became very successful. Due to quality.I believe the writer is now able to support himself just via his writing work.
The final seasons went out during lockdown years, & that is bound to have had some effect on the numbers of people who took it up.
I'm stuck over in the US now, but lived in London before this, and am a sucker for anything which reminds me of my lost home - which is why I was so drawn to your channel .
Anyway, the MA have a big overarching structure. Even the very first stories, or archive entries,, are relevant to the whole shebang, but they're also just good creepy fun on their tod. Not all the entries are London set, but the vast majority are.
I really liked your Dracula video too...I lived in Highgate..made me terribly homesick.
great video again Rob
knew about mill bank prison
but no wear near as much as i do now
really enjoyed this one
thanks and all the best
Cheers Andy; it’s a pleasure. Stay well mate.
I have heard of this prison through Nicola White's channel Tideline Art. She was mudlarking on the Thames and found a token with a girl's name and found out out she was a prisoner in Millbank.
That’s brilliant- I’ll have to look her channel up as mudlarking is fascinating. Stay well Helen.
@@Robslondon Thanks Rob!
Very interesting. I always enjoy your videos!
Really appreciate that Bob, thank you.
For a second, reading the title, I thought this was going to be... "Okay, we've lost an entire prison in London. We aren't quite sure where it is. London is a big city after all. If any of you have seen a prison wandering around please let us know. Do not approach the prison on your own, call Scotland Yard and let the proper authorities deal with it."
Joking aside, another fascinating bit of history. Great work as always!
😂 Cheers!
I had never heard of it. Crikey Rob, you do dig up some really interesting stuff for us - thanks for another slice of top notch entertainment! Do hope you`re keeping warm...
Thanks so much amper sand. Hot water bottles are being used a lot in our household at the moment! 😉 Hope you’re warm and well and thanks again.
"It was a symbol of utter dread." But it looks like a flower--it can't be that bad.
[One video later]
Oh...
Ha ha! ;-)
Thanks for another cracking vlog very interesting 🧐
Thanks so much David, really appreciate your kind words. Stay well.
Another great vid Rob, love how the outline of the prison is still visible on the current streetplan
Thank you so much 😊 And yes, once you see it, you can’t un-see it!
Another informative video Rob. Very brutal looking building for sure.
Thanks so much Paul. Stay well 😉
Fascinating bit of our history, thank you for your effort.
Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. Stay well.
Great content and quirky detail as always. Thanks
Many thanks Robert
Even the drawing at 8.50 looks hellish.
I know The Tate Gallery of course but never imagined, when visiting , that such a place as this had existed where I was walking.
Thanks Rob. Another definite 'hit'
Thank you so much Paul! Hope you're keeping well.
Great video, learned a bunch. :)
Cheers Jacek 😉
Another fascinating glimpse into the (grim) history of London. Your research is very thorough for your excellent videos. Thanks Rob. 👍
Really appreciate that Roy, thank you. Stay well my friend.
Wow, I never knew of that place. Another trip into the fascinating and somewhat dark side of London. I love the POM association... incredible and very believable.
Best wishes to you and family.
Thanks so much John; same to you mate.
That’s so interesting, thanks for the video
It's a pleasure; thanks so much for watching :-)
So interesting and informative, thank you.
Thank you Rachel :-)
My surname is Millbank and I live in London. Some of my paternal family actually lived that area. I wonder if there is a connection ?
What a great surname to have Dave 😉
Great to see you back, Rob! Another fascinating film! 🙂
Thank you! I’ve got quite a few videos lined up between now and Christmas so be sure to stay tuned 😉
@@Robslondon Just realised you haven't been away at all - despite being a subscriber, I haven't received any notifications since your London Transport Museum film. Strange! I'll try unsubscribing and re-subscribing - hopefully that might rectify the issue. 🤔
@@thetragicyouth Yes, I was going to say when you said it's good to see me back that I haven't really been away!
I have regular friends- such as your good self- who always leave lovely comments, so when you don't show up I figured something wasn't getting through.
It's something to do with the algorithm I think.... my latest videos have been performing very poorly which, to be honest, can be a little soul-destroying. Not entirely sure what's going on.
Have you clicked the bell icon for notifications? If so you should be informed when a video is published no matter what (well, in theory!)
Anyway, so glad you've found this video and it's lovely to see you again ;-)
Cheers and stay well.
How fascinating! Thanks for another interesting video and have a great weekend 👍
Thank you so much Louise :-) Same to you!
Thanks for the nostalgia trip back to my childhood home area. We lived on John Islip Street in the 70’s. I live in Dulwich now and even though it’s only a bus ride away, I never have cause to go back there so seeing the area again was nice.
It's a pleasure Jason, glad to be of service. Stay well mate.
Thanks Rob, that was fascinating. I had no idea it had ever existed.
Thanks Matt
Thanks Rob. I hadn’t heard of the Prison. Very interesting narrative greatly researched and presented as usual.. great work mate
Thank you so much Doug 😉
Great facts about old London. Love this channel
That’s really kind of you to say, thank you ☺️
Fascinating as always, Rob.
Side note. Found a 2015 article about Jeremy Bentham's head in a Buzzfeed article. Apparently they take it out of it's box once a year for inspection, and the author of the article was allowed to view the process. It's interesting, if not a bit gruesome.
Thanks so much :-) And yes, I've heard about that.... sounds hideous!! ;-D Stay well and thanks again.
Another great video! 👍
Thank you 🙂
@@Robslondon very welcome! 😄
Really interesting that Rob, love how the residents have utilised the trench in growing veg etc. Life just wasn't great those days was it, cheers👍
Cheers Dave! It certainly wasn't that's for sure. Stay well mate.
Rob, really interesting was just getting engrossed into the history and it was over. POM I think that sounds about right. .
Ha ha, cheers Butch 😉
The origin of the word POM I recall from my younger days here in New Zealand is that Pommy was a derogatory term derived from Prisoner of Mother England.
Ah, interesting 😉
Absolutely fascinating, as always.
Thank you so much Richard 😊
That's amazing info. I'll pop along and have a look at this.
Thanks 😘
Cheers Basil ;-)
Excellent video Rob. I had heard of the Millbank Penitentiary, but did not know its location. To think that an area of so much misery to so many poor souls should become the site of the wonderful Tate Gallery. Many of those poor inmates had probably carried out comparatively minor crimes, probably in order to buy food. For centuries, the people that wielded power in Britain treated their own subjects just as badly as victims of the slave trade, but it has been washed from history.
Thanks John... yes, those folk sent to Australia often suffered a great deal for very little.
Thank you. Professionally researched and produced....you are such a clever fellow 👍 👍
Much appreciated MrJohn, thank you ☺️
Bentham's used to be on display in a 'cupboard and during rag-week students would often 'kidnap' the remains and send ransom notes to the university for the return.
Moving him to a sealed glass display has put a stop to such high jinks.
😂
Excellent stuff mate... thanks
Thanks Rob. I never knew about this prison. I was aware of the equally infamous Fleet prison as I used to work in Fleet Street. A prison was located on that site since the 12th century I believe. Genealogy has long been an interest of mine too. It’s akin to a giant jigsaw puzzle which you’ll never complete.
Lovely comment Mark, thank you. I’d like to cover other lost prisons too. Stay well.
As always good work Rob,I now no where the word POM came from and the name Tate cheers and take care 👍👍
Ha ha! Cheers Nicholas ;-)
Another really interesting post. You put so much research into them. Wonder if the Tate is haunted by late prisoners.
Thank you so much Lesley… and yes, what a chilling thought!
Had no idea. Knew about a few others like bedlam. We must not confuse the treatment of prisoners with the architect who designed it. The bread and water et cetera was not his fault.
Good point Andrew
Well I’d never heard of this delightful institution - sounds truly grim! Great video as always though Rob 😊. I did know about Jeremy Bentham though - truly bizarre!
Thanks so much Annette 😊
Hi Rob this was spot on ✔️ so a big 👍 to you. Now I know that Pom was an Oz word to describe us Brits but I rather like the explanation you gave Prisoner of Millgate. In hindsight the prisoners who went and survived were the lucky ones? Cheers DougT
Cheers Doug ;-) Stay well.
Excellent, as always Rob. The only thing I knew was the Tate Gallery connection.
Thanks so much Barry. Hope you're keeping well mate.
@@Robslondon Always a pleasure Rob. I'm excellent thanks mate, more so because my Fortnum's order that I was expecting on Friday 2nd December, arrived today. Hope you're keeping well too.
@@barrywa39 Fortnum's? Very class act Barry! ;-)
Great video! I'm Canadian, but London is my favourite city in the world, and I love behind-the-scenes stuff like this. Thank you! 😊
That’s so kind of you to say, Sheila 😊 Many thanks! Stay well.
@@Robslondon Awww...my pleasure! 😊
@@sheilasinghal2922 😀
So many wonderful facts. Beautifully told as always with humour and enthusiasm.
That means so much to me, Victoria- thank you and stay well.
@@Robslondon you too.🙂
Another great video, thanks Rob!
Did you know that the Portrait Gallery was built on the site of a workhouse? Another case of art following misery! 😬
I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know, will have to look into it as that's fascinating ;-)
@@Robslondon A friend of mine does alternative history talks, that’s how I found out about it. You should check her out. Her name is Bird la Bird.
@@thevjoiners Thanks, I certainly will do 🙂
This was excellent Rob. A unique, brutalist design on that prison, whilst also being mathematically beautiful. Grim conditions though. Had no idea the Tate Modern stood on that footprint
Nice comment Dave, cheers!
Brilliant stuff Rob really enjoyed this one!
It's a pleasure John, thank you my friend.
Smirks design was revolutionary
Well done again, Rob.
The DownUnder and Pom derivations are perfectly viable for me here in Oz..! I've not heard of any viable others locally.
Our Australian Macquarie Dictionary refers to the notion that from a Northern Hemisphere viewpoint, we are situated on the underside of the globe, and that Pommy is and abbreviation of Pomegranate which was somehow rhyming slang for immigrant, rather a stretch in modern parlance..!
Ha ha! Thanks Bryan; that seems to be a very interesting take! Cheers mate and stay well ;-)
A few times a year a company organises ghosts tours of the remaining tunnels, starting in the Morpeth Arms. I hope to do one next month!
Ah; interesting!
Another excellent and interesting video Rob, I'd heard of Millbank but didn't know much about it. Aah, the good old days! 😂
;-) Cheers Tony, much appreciated!
At the former headley court in Surrey there is the death cell door from Newgate gaol!
I had no idea about that, thanks for sharing! Funny you mention it too, as I’m currently preparing a video which will indeed show a cell door from Newgate!
@@Robslondon I have a photo somewhere! Why it is there I have no idea!
@@Sterlingjob Would love to see it 😉
@@Robslondon just sent to you gmail address on your website!
Hello Rob
Great video, Sandra I really enjoyed. Love the possible origins of those two words. I having been working on my family tree since 2010. I love the history so when you are related to the people that makes that history it even more exciting. At least to me. Love the Tate Britain. Thanks again. Take Care Chris and Sandra of Canada.
Lovely comment, thank you 😊
Very interesting, more please!
Thank you Deborah! There will certainly be more!
Great video, love the architecture, i wonder how he got the last name Smirk.
Thanks Richard... yes, it's a strange one...
Thumbs up mate.
Cheers Mike 😉
i love the strange strings that follow us. I ended up at the panopticon in dartmoor last year - i lived there, for a job that happened really randomly, completely unplanned but i was loving life. we were just randomly driving through the moors one day and came across the prison and gave it a little visit. i completely forgot where they said that the original design came from, i forgot about it completely - BUT I clicked on this video because i saw jezza's head and thought it would be interesting as i somehow ended up studying at ucl this year. still not sure how i'm here, but here i am.
I stumbled upon the prison in Dartmoor through the most random circumstance, and now i've done a full circle - simply because i saw a familiar severed head.
Great comment, thank you!
Your presentations get better each time Rob. Interesting, well filmed and informative. Good job.
That means a lot to me, thank you so much mate 😉 Hope you’re keeping well
Very interesting and entertaining. Cheers.
Much appreciated Stephen, thank you 😊
Hi Rob
I've heard of millbank prison but until now had no idea as to what it looked like, as you've said rather grim.
The Tate has flooded quite badly actually in 1928 it heavily damaged and destroyed several hundred pieces of historical art works.
May be a story for you to investigate?
Another great video and as always a treat to watch
Cheers
Mike
Thanks so much Mike.... I had no idea about the flood, will have to look into it! Cheers and stay well.
The building shown as University College is actually Senate House. The front of UC was actually shown in the film "Carry on Doctor", as it is opposite what used to be UC Hospital on Gower Street. Jeremy Bentham used to be in a cabinet in the entrance hall of the old UC building.
Yes, I’ve got a clip of Bentham’s corpse in one of my videos… can’t remember which one though!
Pom sounds feasible but not sure about the 'down under' explanation. A very interesting video, thank you.
Thanks
Cheers Robb, another fabulous video 😊 keep em coming 🎊 🎉 we just love the historical look at London 😊
It’s an absolute pleasure Greg, thanks for watching!
I had probably never heard of this prison ( although > may have and forgotten!) But this was very interesting!
Thank you so much Vicky
Wow how interesting another enjoyable video. Do you know any history about London’s flour mills? My Grandfather lived in West Ham in the 1920s but having gone through heritage and ancestry I have got nowhere finding anything out and in the off chance I am cheekily picking your knowledge of flour mills. Any history would be wonderful but if you are inundated with requests that’s fine and thank you for reading. ❤️
Thanks so much Gill!
Unfortunately I have no knowledge of flour mills in London, although funnily enough I was in the Museum of London only yesterday (filming for an upcoming video) and they had a small section about baking- maybe they would know more?
Thanks as always ☺️
There were mills in London that were situated the tip of the Isle of dogs because the windmills were situated on the sea wall the area the area became known as Millwall. There were flour Mills at the Royal Docks and they may have been owned by Spillers or Macdougles flour but I'm not sure about that
@@sheilabeer6834 Interesting, thanks Sheila.
Yeah, it certainly looks like an absolute nightmare to navigate, manage and be inside.. the shape and ridiculous construction from solid stone means it would weather and wear at different points at different times.. absolute nightmare.
Bentham was ahead of the game I suppose. Great video.
Thanks Richard; much appreciated. Stay well my friend.
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your support Eric. Much appreciated my friend; stay well.
I thought Down Under referred to going to the southern hemisphere from the northern, ie down under the globe, and POHM stood for Prisoner Of His Majesty. Thanks as always Rob. Take care ❤😊
I think it could be a combination of those things ;-)
Thanks
Thank you so much my friend, truly appreciated. Stay well and have a great weekend.
Fascinating! After doing some family research on Ancestry, I found that my 3x Great Grandparents used to live on Ponsonby Place in the 1870's. I was wondering how they managed to afford to live in an area of London that, I imagine even then nearby would have been somewhat affluent, at least on a Labourer's wage. Presumably with their houses backing on to the prison, it would have made the street a bit cheaper than the nearby areas...
Ha ha! Thanks Peter… yep, would’ve been very cheap in those days- quite the opposite now 😬
@@Robslondon So I've since done a bit more ancestry research and found that my 4x great grandfather, who was head of the household was actually one of the 'warders' (guard / officer) at the prison. He lived at number 83 Ponsonby Place from at least as early as 1851 to the 1890's / 1900's. I've tried to find number 83 on the map / Google Street View, but can't seem to figure out which house it was. Could it have been pulled down since then? It would be great to figure out exactly which house was theirs.
I was raised in Erasmus street , Hogarth house in millbank and it was hell. From a baby till the year my family moved we never looked back. I have many stories alongside my mother and brothers of the haunted ghost stories we experienced etc; it effected my childhood massively. The whole of millbank is misery and cold. Soon I’d like to go back and ask the family who moved in after if they experienced the same thing out of curiosity. My brother also once said one time he was walking back to my mums house and he saw a chariot with a man and they fled off into the distance during the day.
Gosh! Reading your comment has given me chills.... Hope you're keeping well now.
@@Robslondon When we was living there, a family planned to move in to another flat and I can’t remember how it went as my mum told me the story a while ago it’s either the lady moved in and left the same day because there was a evil feeling coming from the flat or she came to view the flat and realised the evil feeling and didn’t bother taking it.
@@Robslondon & I still get chills till this day. Baring in my mind that we only moved to Pimlico after and now I live in west london. Still seems so very close tho.
Everytime I mention the house to my mum she says she’s glad she moved and she left whatever that was behind.
I’ve always wanted to find out more since it scarred me for a long period and I’ve read up and watched videos such as this one online and it’s starting to make sense.
Thanks for this documentary.
@@sdarealdeal It's a pleasure. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences. Stay well.
Another fascinating video Rob, and so well researched. Sorry it's taken a whole month to get round to watching ☹Must try harder in 2023...
Thanks so much David! And no worries; there’s no time limit on my videos; they are here for you to watch whenever you wish 😉
As an Aussie the other term that one might hear is Pommie... or "Prison of Mother England"...
Thanks; that’s an interesting one 😊🇦🇺
Bloody amazing.
Millbank features in my family history.
My Grandfather born in Page Street, Mum lived in Regency Street,
My 3X Great Grandffeloniously
My 3X Great Grandfather's 'Partner' (it's complicated) was banged up in Millbank "Unlawfully attempting feloniously to stealing one shirt the property of Samuel Kilpin Catton, at St. George The Martyr, Southwark."
Amazing how it all links together.
Loved the Video
Great comment, thanks for sharing your family's history :-)
In Australia, we believe that it is a shortening of the initials of " Prisoner of Mother England," thus becoming POME,or pome( pronounced pom e, or pommy, as it is now pronounced.
Thanks Gary ;-)
Very Intresting
Thanks Steve
interesting as always
Thank you J F, much appreciated. Stay well.
This place makes Alcatraz look like a holiday home
Good comparison!
I think my GGGrandfather Thacker spent a little time in there, before being Transported to Oz (rather fortuitously, I feel :) RjB
Wow...
Hockney was deeep
proppa docu Rob!
Ha ha 😉 Cheers Joe; much appreciated. Stay well mate.
I'm sure there is an underground tunnel in the cellar of the Morpeth Arms.
I believe so Lou….
As an Aussie, I always thought POM was Prisoner of Mother England . But i suspect down under could be right, or that we are down under the globe !😂
Ha ha! Maybe both are right 😉🇦🇺
Bentham’s head used to be on public display too, until some enterprising students from King’s College London ‘borrowed’ it… :)
❤
I just searched up Jeremy Benthams head. I wish I didn't. The eyes.
😂