This is the first detailed story of these prison hulks which were first officially sanctioned in the second half of the 18th century. Many famous ships eg 'Bellerophon', The Discovery, Euryalus ended their days in sombre fashion as prison hulks moored off the mud banks of the Thames Estuary or Portsmouth Harbour. Described by some critics as 'hell on earth' this book also records the history of the efforts to reform them.