Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QGR5/287-8
  • Title
    Minute book of the Visiting Justices [third volume] [see also QGR 4/1-360]. Mentions straw plaiting, female prisoners' diet, tobacco smoke from Debtor's Ward pervading the building, gas, new prisoners' diet. Frontispiece includes prison rules and list of Visiting Justices. Page 287-8 includes the following:
  • Date free text
    15 & 23 April 1840
  • Production date
    From: 1840 To: 1840
  • Scope and Content
    15 April: George P Livius. 12 prisoners. 23 April: Thomas Charles Higgins, George p Livius. it appears that Thomas Griggs a prisoner confined for Debt, made his escape last night a few minutes before 9 o clock. The following is the result of the enquiry we have made: The Gaoler called the Roll over as usual at 7 o clock in the presence of the Turnkey, when all the prisoenrs answered their names. The outer door in the Debtors day room was locked as usual at 7 o clock. At 20 minutes before 9 o clock all the debtors left the day room and went to their cells to bed. The turnkey went up to their cells, as usual, at 9 o clock to lock up tehir cells when he discovered Thomas Griggs absent, so that it appears that in the interval between 20 minutes to 9 o clock and 9 o clock Thomas Griggs returned to the day room and broke the outer door of the day room open by forcing the lock (which could not easily be done) and that he Thomas Griggs then got over the wooden fence, and then over the outer wall. It is supposed that someone had thrown a rope over the wall and by that means the escape was affected. On looking over the premises, it certainly appears that the fastening attached to the outer door, which was locked, was broken open, was most inefficient for the purpose of security. We have ordered a more secure lock to be put on.
  • Level of description
    item
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