Town Gaol, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Chesterfield Gaol, For the hundred of Scarsdale, is the property of the duke of Portland; to whom, or to his steward, the gaoler pays £18 : 12 : 0 a year. Only one room with a cellar under it; to which the prisoners occasionally descend through a hole in the floor. The cellar had not been cleaned for many months. The prison door had not been opened for several weeks, when I was there first. There were four prisoners, who told me they were almost starved: one of them said, with tears in his eyes, "he had not eaten a morsel that day;" it was afternoon. Their meagre sickly countenances confirmed what they said. They had borrowed a book of Dr. Manton's; one of them was reading it to the rest. Each of them had a wife; and they had in the whole thirteen children, cast on their respective parishes. Two had their groats from the creditors; and out of that pittance they relieved the other two. No allowance: no straw: no firing: water a halfpenny for about three gallons, put in (as other things are) at the window. Gaoler a bailiff; lives distant. I found in this prison a strong bedstead, which had been compassionately left by a poor prisoner, that it might be some relief to his unhappy successors.

Gaoler, Thomas Shepherd, who lives in the House; and is Deputy to Mr. George Gosling, as Bailiff. Salary, none. Fees, one shilling on the Discharge of each Prisoner.

1805, Oct. 11th, Debtor, One.

Allowance, none whatever.

This Gaol, for Debtors within the Hundred of Scarsdale, is the property of the Duke of Devonshire, who lets it to Mr. Gosling, together with the Tolls of the Market, at 18l. 12s. per annum. It stands under the Town Hall, and consists of two rooms on the ground-floor, which open into a close passage, 25 feet long and 5 feet wide, lighted and ventilated by two iron-grated semicircular windows. The Men's room is 18 feet by 15; the Women's 25 feet by 14, which last has a copper in it; and both have iron-grated windows opening to the Street.

If the Debtor find his own bed and bedding, he pays nothing : but there are some rooms in the House, to which the Deputy Keeper furnishes bedding at 1s. 6d. and 2s. per week, for those who are able to pay.