Volume 2

[Letters on prisons].

  • Lettsom, John Coakley, 1744-1815.
Date:
[1803-1813]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Letters on prisons]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    184/204 (page 1056)
    a8 Mr. Neild’s Remarks on Worrcfler City Goal, [Jan S2l. l6s. 91^^* Bridewell earnings 1441. 19s. Sd. ; prifoners fhare 24l. Ss. 0|d. gaoler 241. 3s. 0|d. county 961. 13s. 2d. Number' of prif<uiers committed to the gaol 30: bride- well 58. Worcester City. Gaoler, James Criffiths, lalary 50/. ; he is likevvil'e the parifli clerk and clerk to the Houfe of Jnduftry. Fees, debtors Qa-. 2d. ; felons 1 4; d. Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Fanlk- »er ; duty, prayers every Friday morn- ing ; (alary 10/. Surgeon, Mr. Ray- ment, lalary 6 /. 6 5. ; allowance, deb- tors none, except extreme poor, then 3 r/. a clay, the fame as felons. The Under- flieriff demands 2 5. 6 d. for the deb- tors liberate ; and no perlon, arrefled by a writ illued out of the Court of Pleas of the City of WorceOer, has ever been able to derive any advantage under the Lords’A61. Remarks, This is aUb the City bridewell. Debtors have a court about 18 yards fqtiare, a tlay-rnom 14 feet fqnare ; and there are five rooms on the Mafier’s fide to xvhich theReeper furnilhes beds at Ss. per week ; if two lleej) together 25. pcf week each. One large room, which ferves as a chapel, is the debtor’s free ward, to which the City allows llraw and a rug each. Criminal prifoners have a final! court-yard, a day-room, and a fleeping-room, on the'ground floor, U) which firaw and two rugs each are allow'ed. Bridewell prifoners have a (niali day-room up-ftairs, and a large lleeping romu for men and women feparate. 'Fhe prifon is well fupplied with water. .No room fet a])artforan Infirmary, Act and claules not uj). 'i he pnl'oners |)rocure work for themfelves, and have all they earn. Nov. 8, 1802, debtors 2, felons 2, petty ofienders 2, total 6‘. 1803, Aug. 26ih, debtors 9, felons 2, [reitv otien- clers 2, total 13. My dear Friend, the abrrve remarks will confirm the truth of n»v obferva- tions, “ that poor debtors are the moll pitiable objects in our gaols j” the fame complaint, want of food and of work to earn it, ftill exifis in many of our gaols, whdfi, in others, they have a generous alhtwance. In I’ome pri- fons, in and near the Metropolis, they ha\ e no bread, ahhough it is granted to the highwayman, the houfe-breaker, and the murderer; attd medical afiifi- ance, which is provided for the for- mer, is withheld from the latter ; bc- fuies which they fnffer a varieiv of hard- fiilps to impede their difeharge, even after the law has fpeni its force, or the creditor forgives the debt. But the detail is too voluminous for a letter, therefore will be re.ferved forafutine publication on Prifons, by, dear fir. Yours truly, James Neil». To Dr. Lettjhm, London. Nichols ajid Sod, Printers, Red Lioa Passage, Fleet Sneei.