HONOURED PRISON GOVERNOR TO RETIRE
By Lachlan Key
HM Prison Reading Governor, Lyn De Montfort, is set to retire after 31 years of service. She is one of the longest serving prison governors in England and Wales.
Ms De Montfort, from Reading, started working in the prison service straight out of university. She rose from prison officer to governor of Thameside Prison in a few short years.
In 1991, she joined HM Prison Reading with a primary objective of increasing security. Prior to her arrival, the prison had a checkered past with several inmates escaping. “I was frankly appalled at the number of escapes that had happened,” she said, “I saw it as imperative to protect the people of my hometown from offenders until they could be reformed.”
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In her tenure no inmate has broken out of the prison. She also had to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic and was honoured in January 2022 for her efforts with an OBE from The Queen.
“I have certainly not had an easy time being a female prison governor, and the pandemic really showed me what I was capable of. I was overjoyed to receive an OBE from Her Majesty at this late stage of my career.”
“Mr Brigham [her successor] was exactly the person I was looking for. I know I am leaving the prison in good hands.”
Ms De Montford is a pleasure boat enthusiast and is looking forward to spending time on her boat and walking the Thames Path with her dog, Fry. “Walking the Thames Path has been on my bucket list for a while and now I finally have the time to do it. You never know what you might find!”