A Dinner for the Judiciary in a Suitably Historical Venue!

One of the roles of a High Sheriff is to support the judiciary and all that uphold the King’s Peace. I have already in my Shrieval year visited both the Crown Court and Magistrates Court with visits to the Family Court and Coroners Court in the diary. I have also visited three of the prisons in the County with further visits planned. It is traditional for the High Sheriff to hold  a service for the Judiciary, and this is taking place on October 3^rd at Holy Trinity Church in Guildford; and it is also customary for the High Sheriff to hold a dinner for members of the Judiciary by way of thanking them for their service and I was delighted to do so last week.  Suzanne and I happen to live in what was known as Guildford’s Third House of Correction or the prison governor’s house when Guildford had a gaol. Originally the prison was located in Guildford Castle, then in the eighteenth century when an Act of Parliament decreed that every city and town corporate in the country had to have a house of correction, the first one was built on the corner of the High Street and Quarry Street. This was soon outgrown and the second house of correction was built a bit further along Quarry Street. By the early nineteenth century this too was outgrown so plans were drawn up for a much larger prison on land just beyond the bowling green in the castle grounds. With seven cell block, three stories high a chapel and infirmary and it also controversially had two treadmills for the prisoners to grind corn. Completed in 1822, it was described as “a dismal plot on a charming scene” as it dominated the Guildford skyline. In 1852, when Wandsworth prison opened, Guildford prison was no longer needed and everything bar the prison governor’s house was demolished. Castle Hill road was constructed and four new houses built. The Surrey Archives at Woking holds the original architect’s drawings of the prison and from this local architects Stedman Blower have kindly created a computer 3D representation showing how large it was. It seemed only fitting that Suzanne and I hosted a supper for the Judiciary on the site of the old prison; and to carry on the theme we asked The Clink to provide the catering. The charity was founded in 2009, and has grown to become of the largest prison rehabilitation and prevention charities, last year training over 800 prisoners. Both the food and the service was exceptional and I would certainly recommend them for events. 

It was wonderful to meet and thank so many people from our local judiciary and I look forward to the forthcoming service for the judiciary.