Story perspectives

Victorian prison treadmill called “perfect punishment” for inmates

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 3:34 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Sir William Cubitt invented the prison treadmill in 1818 as a punishment device.
Prisoners were required to walk six hours daily, receiving only twelve minutes rest each hour.
Academic Vybarr Cregan-Reid called the Victorian treadmill the ‘perfect punishment’ because it wore out inmates.
Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard labour in 1895 and forced to walk on the treadmill.

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Story summary

Sir William Cubitt invented the prison treadmill in 1818 as a punishment device.
Prisoners were required to walk six hours daily, receiving only twelve minutes rest each hour.
Academic Vybarr Cregan-Reid called the Victorian treadmill the ‘perfect punishment’ because it wore out inmates.
Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard labour in 1895 and forced to walk on the treadmill.