Editing Norman Cross Prison (section)

===Clothing===
The French prisoners, whose main pastime was gambling, were accused by the British government of selling their clothes and few personal possessions to raise money for further gambling. In 1801, the British government issued statements blaming the French Consul for not supplying sufficient clothing (the British government had paid the French for all English prisoners held in France and French colonies to be clothed). In July 1801 Jeremiah Askew, a tradesman at Yaxley, was convicted of being in possession of [[palliasse]]s and other articles bearing the government mark of the '[[broad arrow]]'. He was sentenced to stand in the [[pillory]] at Norman Cross and two years of [[hard labour]].<ref>{{cite news|title= On Monday|newspaper= London Courier and Evening Gazette|date= 24 July 1801|page= 3}}</ref>

Samuel Johnson and a Mr Serle, who visited the barracks, compiled a report on behalf of the British government, stating that the proportion of food allowance was fully sufficient to maintain both life and health, but added: "provided it is not shamefully lost by gambling". The [[British Admiralty|Lords of the Admiralty]], along with Johnson, instructed that naked prisoners should be clothed at once, without waiting for the French supply or payment for clothing.

The British government provided each naked prisoner with a yellow suit, a grey or yellow cap, a yellow jacket, a red waistcoat, yellow trousers, a neckerchief, two shirts, two pairs of stockings, and one pair of shoes. The bright colours were chosen to aid the recognition of escaped prisoners. In Foulley's model of the prison (at the [[Musée de l'Armée]], Paris; pictured above) more than half the prisoners are represented wearing these clothes.