local industry). The authorities appear to have enforced this stipulation, at Huntingdon Assizes in May 1811 John Lun, snr (12 months) and three sons (six months) were sentenced to prison for a conspiracy, in endeavouring to persuade the NCO's and privates of the garrison to permit a quantity of straw to be conveyed into the site for the purpose of making straw hats. Insubordination and escapes Insubordination was rife among prisoners. A force of Shropshire Militia, a battalion of army reserve and a volunteer force from Peterborough were required to restrain the prisoners from breaking out during a particular period of defiance. As a boy, the author George Borrow lived at the camp from July 1811 to April 1813 with his father Lieutenant Thomas Borrow of the West Norfolk Militia; He described the place in Lavengro. Six prisoners escaped in April 1801. Three of them were caught at Boston, Lincolnshire and the remaining three were caught in a fishing boat off the Norfolk coast, in the hat of one was found a complete map of the Lincolnshire coast. Each year the number of attempts to escape increased, as did the numbers in each escape. Three groups of 16 men each escaped in late 1801. Incomplete tunnels were discovered in 1802. In October 1804 the press reported the prisoners created a disturbance with the intention of breaking the perimeter fencing. Assistance was sent for to Peterbough. A troop of Yeomanry galloped to support, later followed by two more troops and an infantry unit. The prisoners having cut down a part of the wood enclosure during the night, nine of them effected their escape through the aperture. In another part of the prison, as soon as day light broke it was discovered they had undermined a distance of 34 feet towards the great South road; under the fosse which surrounds the prison, although it is four feet deep, and it is not discovered they had any tools. Five escapees have been taken. During the night several prisoners escaped in February 1807. Three escapees were retaken near Ryde heading for Southampton in April 1807. The agent at the Depot, Captain Pressland R.N. was inviting tenders for the building of a wall, in August 1807. This may have become known to the prisoners as a major escape attempt was made. After the second of these two major escape attempts in 1804 and 1807, the