QGR3/7

General Annual Report of the Justices of the Peace to the General Quarter Sessions, including the reports of the Keeper of the Gaol & House of Correction; the Surgeon of the prisons and the Chaplain of the prisons. Includes the following:

14 Oct 1845

From: 1844 To: 1845

The Gaoler reported in each Quarter that the health of the prisoners was good and their conduct orderly except as to George Taylor, William Jenkins, William Brandom and John Potter in the Quarter ending Easter who for their misconduct were placed in irons and continued so confined by order of the Visiting Justices until the following March Assizes and for further misconduct Brandom was punished by one weeks confinement in the Refractory Cell and Potter by one day in his own cell, and as to James Waylett who was caught in an attempt to escape for which he was put into irons. The Chaplain at the Easter Session reported that as to the general character of the prisoners the two leading attributes as usual were drunkeness and ignorance and as to their general conduct it had been orderly with the very marked exception of that of William Jenkins and George Taylor before trial, these two prisoners were remarkably depraved and debased; and during the last fortnight they were in the Gaol both by word and deed made such an exhibition of themselves as was truly disgraceful. There continued on the part of the majority of prisoners a great desire for instruction they appeared grateful when that desire was gratified. At Midsummer Sessions the Chaplain reported that the progress made by some in the Scriptural knowledge was considerable and when instruction was given both in and out of Chapel almost all evinced at least an apparent interest. The exception was nearly confined to the three young men convicted at the preceding Assizes of uttering counterfeit coin who mot only set no value on instruction but positively disliked it and would much rather be absent when it was given. That he did not know that he ever met with three human beings so depraved and reckless as they were. That the characteristics mentally and morally of those who successfully constituted his charge were so much alike and had so often been mentioned in former reports that a repetition of them seemed to him unnecessary. At Michaelmas Sessions the Chaplain reported that the condition of the prisoners generally varied with their occupation and position in society. The Artisans of mechanics (especially those from large towns) not only could read and write and had some acquaintance with arithmetic but had also mastered the contents of some books mostly of an injurious tendency. The common Labourer, on the other hand, either could not read and write at all, or if he could was generally without understanding of what he read. At the Midsummer Quarter Sessions the Visiting Justice reported that they had introduced to the House Of Correction a system of general employment affording the Prisoner s instruction in making nets and stockings. The Visiting Justices reported that on the admission of prisoners into the Gaol no search of their persons was usually made. That knives, money and tobacco were consequently introduced into the prison. That one of the Turnkeys had connived at the introduction of tobacco, smoking in the Gaol was a common occurence, Unbolting of cells had frequently been left to one of the prisoners. Communication between the prisoners of separate classes had taken place. Some prisoners on two or three occasions had obtained access to the garden and consequently had it in their power to hold communication with the women of which they availed themselves. The inattention of the Turnkey William Skinner was most reprehensible, knives, pipes, tobacco and money had escaped his detection. Fanny Church who was convicted of felony and sentenced to seven years transportation was unable to be removed with the other convicts to Millbank Prison. Subsequently the Surgeon certified his opinion that she was of unsound mind and the Secretary of State issued his warrant fir her removal to the County Lunatic Asylum where she was then confined. One prisoner James Waylett, (mentioned in the Gaolers Report) had been placed in irons for climbing the fence of his day yard this in itself might not appear of sufficient importance to be brought under the Notice of the Court had it not been detected that there was a plan in contemplation amongst some of the prisoners to attempt an escape of which Waylett appeared to have been the leader. The Gaoler was in possession of a paper which the Turnkey received from William Stimson a prisoner in the same Yard with Waylett clearly indicating an intention on the part of some of the prisoners therein alluded to attempt an escape. It appeared that the communication referred to was written on the back of the title page of a prayer book which had been torn out for the purpose and given to Stimson who was to have delivered it to Waylett's companions through the window of a cell used as a writing room for the prisoners and looking into the yard No 2 where Wayletts companions were confined, the Gaoler having given leave to Stimson to write to his friends. Johannah Webb convicted of felony at the last Quarter Sessions having become insane was removed by a Warrant of the Secretary of State to the County Lunatic Asylum where she was then confined.

item

Tregenza, John,
Banfield, James,
Short, C,
Maclear, George,
Taylor, George,
Jenkins, William,
Brandom, William,
Potter, John,
Waylett, James,
Skinner, William,
Church, Fanny,
Webb, Johanna

BEDFORD, Bedford Prison, County Gaol, House of Correction, magistrate, general justices of the peace, chaplain, surgeon, imprisonment, crime, punishment, health, illness, disease, literacy, EDUCATION, employment, stockings, turnkey, escape from prisons