Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QGR4/302
  • Title
    Minute Book of the Visiting Justices' weekly meetings [second Volume]. Contains information on prisoners' numbers, health, and conduct, officers' conduct, contracts for supplies, those awaiting transportation, etc. Page 302 includes the following:
  • Date free text
    14 May 1832
  • Production date
    From: 1832 To: 1832
  • Scope and Content
    Philip Hunt, Robert Moore, Charles Thomas Higgins, Thomas Barber. The Gaoler applied for the assistance of a second Turnkey on the ground that if perpetual inspection be required of the treadwheel labour he must have another assistant to perambulate the Gaol to prevent attempts at escape. This was allowed for the present on condition that one of the assistants keep watch over the convicts at hard labour to prevent conversation. The gaoler reported that [James] Green, one of the prisoners confined in irons for attempting to escape, had been endeavouring to free himself from his irons. Mr Warner was sworn, as to the attempt of[James]Lar[n]kin, [James] Green and [John] Kelly to escape and it appears from that and other evidence that it is necessary and expedient to continue them in irons and to keep them as much separate from each other as can be done without contaminating prisoners of less atrocious character. It is ordered that each of these prisoners is to be confined in a separate sleeping cell from five o clock in the evening until nine in the morning every day until their trial, and also to be kept in irons until further orders. [Richard] Charles a prisoner deposed before the assembled Justices that he had heard Lankin, Green & Kelly speak of their intention to cut up their blankets for ropes to escape from prison, and that he had mentioned that circumstance to the Chaplain on the very evening of the night when the attempt was made.
  • Level of description
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