Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QGR2/3/1/1
  • Title
    Report of the Visiting Justices to the Gaol and House of Correction Epiphany Sessions 1863. W Stuart junior, William Lynn Smart, Harry Thornton, W B Higgins, Henry Littledale, Frederick C G Passy, William Thornton, Joseph Fuller, R G Chalk, B H Starey, C C Beaty Pownall.
  • Date free text
    6 January 1863
  • Production date
    From: 1863 To: 1863
  • Scope and Content
    1) Prison has been visited reguularly and is in a satisfactory condition. 2) It has been found necessary to warm and light that part of the old prison now occupied by prisoners with gas, and that an expense of £18.13.3 has been incurred in providing the necessary fittings which the Visiting Justices request the Court to confirm. 3) The Visiting Justices regret they have to report a very aggravated and unprovioked assault committed by a Middlesex prisoner named Henry Oliver upon Warden [Richard] Cookson which might have proved very serious had it not been for the timely assistance of two other Middlesex prisoners and the Wardens who were at hand. The Visiting Justices upon due consideration of the circumstances of the case determined (for the sake of prompt example) upon exercising the summary powers vested in them by Law for punishing offences of this description rather than send the case for trial. Accordingly Oliver was charged before them with the above named offence and pleaded guilty. He was also charged with another offence for breach of the prison rules which was clearly proved and the Visiting Justices thereupon ordered him to be flogged for the assault on the Officer, and to undergo ten days close confinement for the second offence. The Visting Justices consider that the conduct of the two Middlesex Prisoners upon this occasion is deserving of merit and they suggesttherefore to the Court to exercise the power vested in the Justices in Quarter Sessions by the statute 4 Geo 4 cap 64 s.16 and to recommend them to the Royal mercy for their good conduct and that a remission of 3 months be allowed in the sentence of Joseph Jarman and of 2 months in the case of Joseph Ricketts. 4)A piece of land used as a garden abutting on the East side of the prison belonging to Ezra Eagles is for sale and an offer has been made of it to the County on behalf of the owner. The whole may be purchased for £300. The Visiting Justices leave the question to the decision of Sessions. 5) A brick wall should be erected to separate the shot drill ground from the exercise ground, with prison labour cost estimated at £27.3.7. 6) The outside of the Porters logde, Governors and Wardens houses will require to be painted this year at an estimated cost of £13.5.0. The Visiting Justices regret to find a considerable increase in the number of Juvenile prisoners, several of whom are in a deplorable state of ignorance.
  • Level of description
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