Birching
Birching has been a corporal punishment for centuries. Although abolished in the UK in 1948 it was still in use on the Isle of Man until 1978. As a much milder punishment than the cat or flogger it was most often used in schools and in police stations against offending juveniles. The administrating officer often received a small fee for this duty.
A miscreant on his way to a public whipping would sometimes be tied to the back of a cart and birched along the way. Quite often the route would be through the area of the scene of his crimes. The length of the journey would be tallied against the time spent at the whipping post.
In Scotland the punishment was administered whilst the offender was laying face down but most commonly it was received whilst bent over. Sometimes the offender would be tied to a "pony", other times he would be bent over and his head held between an officer's legs whilst a colleague did the business.
"The use of the term 'birch rod' appears to have given rise to misapprehension in some quarters; the birch to be used for whippings is not a rod or cane but a bundle of birch twigs. The twigs are bound together at the thick end to form a handle, and the remainder is left free so that the loose ends of the twigs form a spray, which at the centre of the birch is about six inches in circumference. The birch may be soaked in water, not brine, before use, not to make it more painful but simply to make it more supple and to prevent the twigs from breaking off during use."
The birch was always applied to the bare flesh as it produced little effect through clothing. The first few strikes would have smarted but the cumulative effect as the flogging continued would have been extremely painful.
An account from 1887
"The two boys were both found guilty of theft and sentenced to receive 12 strokes of the birch. The sentence was to be carried out at 1pm, after the birch had been pickled for two hours. It consisted of a number of long thin lashes tied to the end of a stick about 2 feet long. Each lash had a resemblance more to wire than wood. At the appointed time the magistrates arrived to witness the punishment and the sobbing boys were brought in. A move was made to the courtyard at the back of the gaol, a dull, bare piece of ground surrounded by high walls. In the middle of the courtyard had been placed a bench, similar to a school form.
"Now then, down with your trousers, quick! " said one of the constables Although the two culprits obeyed the command their movements were not very rapid. One of the constables quickly unbuttoned one of the fellow's braces, and his trousers were pulled down so as to leave his buttocks bare. Almost with lightning rapidity he was placed on his stomach on the form. One constable at one end held his hands with an iron grasp and the other took the wretch's legs.
"The official who held the birch stepped forward both hands holding the rod, and with all his might and main commenced to administer the punishment. The boy began the most piteous howling and yelling and red marks appeared almost immediately across his buttocks. After three strokes his right buttock was like a piece of raw beef. After the sixth stroke the constable moved round to the other side of the form and administered six hefty strokes across the left buttock. The boy evinced the most unearthly yells and blood was immediately drawn. The constable took pride in the fact that the culprit would not be able to sit down for quite a time."
Pall Mall Gazette
