It argues that the rise of the prison schoolmaster (and to a lesser extent, the prison schoolmistress) was largely functional, a consequence of new legislative requirements and the restrictive environment of the 19th century prison. While waves of penal reform inadvertently led to the increasing professionalisation and attractiveness of the role, ultimately the persistence of unqualified teachers and warders with teaching duties led to the fall of the prison schoolmaster and schoolmistress and undermined the educational project in prisons
This article tracks the rise and fall of the prison schoolmaster and schoolmistress over the course of the 19th century.
