Thomas Bambridge, warden of the Fleet prison, before a committee of the House of Commons visiting the prisons. Engraving by T. Cook after W. Hogarth.

Hogarth's painting was made in 1729 (National Portrait Gallery, London). A committee was appointed on the motion of James Oglethorpe on 25 February 1728-29 to inquire into the bad state of the gaols of the Kingdom. Thomas Bambridge was indicted for his vindictive behaviour towards Sir William Rich, Bart, as an example of his consistent maltreatment of prisoners in his charge. Bambridge was also tried for the murder of Robert Castell who died of smallpox as a consequence of being confined to the "sponging house". Among the members of the committee were Oglethorpe, John Thomson and Sir Robert Walpole.