County Bridewell, Horsley, Gloucestershire

Keeper, William Stokes. Salary, 50l. and one third of the Prisoners" earnings.

Chaplain, Rev. Anthony Keck. Salary, 20l.
Duty, Sunday, Prayers and Sermon: also on Good Friday, and Christmas Day.

Surgeon, Mr. William Fry. Salary 10l.

Number of Prisoners, 1806, Sept. l8th. Eleven.

Allowance, one pound and half of best wheaten bread per day, sent in loaves of that weight from the Baker's. Also one ounce and half of oatmeal, and one quarter of an ounce of salt, made into a quart of gruel, for breakfast.

On Sunday, Dinner, one pound of meat, and a pound of potatoes. Weights and Scales are provided by the County; and every Prisoner weighs his own loaf, if he chooses.

This Bridewell was erected in 1788; and its boundary-wall encloses about an acre of ground. The space between the open palisades is 16 yards in front, eighteen feet deep; and the remainder is judiciously converted into a convenient garden, for the growth of vegetables.

Debtors, from the Court of Requests for the Manor and Seven Hundreds of Cirencester, are sent hither for sums not exceeding forty shillings; and the Creditor is bound to allow the Prisoner threepence a day during confinement.

There are six court-yards to this house; two in front; at each end one smaller, and two behind. The entrance-gate to the Prison is the Turnkey's lodge. On the right hand is the reception-room, and above it a room for depositing the Prisoners' apparel, till their discharge; also a warm and a cold bath. Every Prisoner, on commitment, is undressed and washed: a complete suit of County clothing is then substituted for their own; with two caps added, of black worsted, for the day, and a woollen one for the night.

In the house are two Infirmary rooms. On the left-hand of the entrance is the Turnkey's sitting-room, and over it his sleeping apartment. The approach to the Prison is by a flight of steps, on each side of which is a little gardenplot. The Keeper's house is in the centre, and projects about two yards from each wing of the building.

On the ground-floor, in front, are the Magistrates' Committee-Room, and the Keeper's office; and behind them two kitchens, a pantry, and a store-room.

The Chapel is in the centre of the building; and here the several classes and sexes are very properly kept separate.

There are two day-rooms also on the ground-floor. for the several classes of Male Prisoners, with a small stove in each, and stone seats: each room has a well, supplied with a hand-bason, and a cup of cast-iron, attached to the wall by a chain. Net-towels, soap, and combs are very decently provided for the use of the Prisoners.

Here are likewise, on the ground-floor, twelve working-cells in each wing, of 7 feet by 6, and 9 feet high to the crown of the arch. On the first story, eight sleeping, and four solitary, cells to each wing; and on the second story, twelve sleeping-cells, two solitary, and two for the refractory, in both wings. Each sleeping-cell is fitted up with a perforated cast-iron bedstead, straw mattress, a hair-in-sacking bed, a pair of sheets changed monthly, two blankets, a rug, a woollen night-cap, small shelf, and clothes-peg. The size of the cells, each 8 feet 5 inches by 6 feet, and 9 feet high.

Besides the cells before described, there are also, in each wing, four other sleeping-cells, to which the ascent is by a ladder from a day-cell below. The day-room or hall for Males, is about 30 feet square, with a large sky-light at top. The sleeping-cells above open into a stone gallery, 2 feet 6 inches wide. All the cells have a double door; the inner, of wood, the outer one, iron-grated.

The number of lodging-cells for Prisoners is sixty; and the greatest number confined at one time, thirty-seven.

Each class of Prisoners is allowed a peck of coals per day, in cold weather. Their chief employment is cutting of logwood and fustick across the grain, for the use of dyers; and they have one third of their earnings.

The sewers of this well-arranged Prison are judiciously placed. It is worthy of remark, that of twelve hundred Prisoners, committed within the course of eighteen years, no one has died here: nor has there been in it any specific or contagious disease

Construction.—This prison is excellently situated; it has a boundary wall, and is not overlooked from any quarter. The total number of male yards, including the tread-mill yard, is three. There is also one yard for females. There are three day-rooms. The supply of water is good. The cells are light and well ventilated, and not unsuited for confinement during some hours of the day. The female cells are some of them very ill-placed: they form a range running round an extensive hall, into which most of the cells open. This hall is surrounded by galleries, like those of the older inns in the city of London: into these galleries the cells chiefly open. Communication is consequently extremely easy at night. The total number of cells of all kinds is 92. Of these are—

The remaining cells are chiefly sleeping cells for male prisoners. There are a wash-house, a laundry, two dark cells for the men, and one dark cell for the women: those for the men are not secure. There are separate cells for 80 prisoners. One of the privies is in bad repair.

Management.—Untried prisoners remain here only for a few days, previously to being sent to Gloucester. All the prisoners sleep at present in separate beds. The system observed here at present is to shut up the prisoners in day cells when not at hard labour, and when not in the exercise yard, and to give them another separate cell at night. Silence has not as yet been ordered, nor, indeed, can it be really enforced without the assistance of another turnkey. There is only one turnkey, properly so called, and the miller, who occasionally acts in that capacity. Tobacco is forbidden. The prisoners who work at the tread-wheel have half an hour for breakfast, and one hour for dinner; during this time they can take some air in the yards. Those not at hard labour are allowed to take exercise during two hours daily, at two different times. The female debtors are placed with the other female prisoners. Prisoners sentenced at the sessions are whipped here sometimes. A man comes from Tetbury to execute the sentence: the surgeon is always present. About five whippings have taken place during the last 12 months. On Sundays the prisoners are locked up in their day cells during the chief part of the day. In summer the prisoners are unlocked at six o'clock, and are locked up at seven: in winter they are unlocked at sun-rise, and are locked up at sunset. Combs are allowed here, and a coarse sort of towel. There were no punishments inflicted here during the last quarter. When prisoners are placed in a dark cell for offences committed within the prison, they receive only bread and water; but when they are sentenced by the court to solitary confinement, they obtain the usual diet.

The whole prison is clean and neat. Very few prisoners are sent hither from the assizes; they mostly come from the quarter sessions.

Diet.—Prisoners confined for want of sureties and fines are allowed to receive food from without. The bread allowed is of the best quality: it cost 2½d. a-loaf last quarter and during the present quarter. The diet consists of bread, potatoes, and gruel. One pound and a half of bread, one pound and a half of potatoes, and three half-pints of gruel, are the daily allowance.

The poor debtors receive 3d. a-day for their support. There has been no change in the diet for the last eight years. Half an ounce of salt daily is allowed to each prisoner.

Labour.—The turnkey is not always present during the hours of labour, which is a serious evil: it may be corrected by the engagement, of an additional turnkey.

The tread-wheel is the chief means of supplying hard labour; and breaking stones is sometimes practised here as hard labour.

The usual periods of labour are enumerated in the table of tread-wheel labour presently to follow.

The women make shoes, their own shifts, caps, &c., and mend for all. The women also wash all the men's clothing.

The cooking is done by the matron, with a female prisoner to assist.

Letters.—Are all read by the gaoler.

Visits.—Are only admitted by an order from, the committing magistrate. The turnkey is always present.

The greatest number recollected to have been here at any one time is 87.

The lowest number of prisoners during the last 12 months has been 19.

Statistics of the Married and Single.—Of the prisoners now in the gaol, 10 men are married; 1 Woman is married.

Escapes.—The head turnkey, who has been here eight years and a half, has known only Horsley. two instances in which prisoners have made their way outside the walls; one was retaken; both were men. He is not aware of any other attempt.

Suicide.—No attempt has been ascertained to have taken place during the last eight years and a half.

Fire.—No alarm from fire has been experienced during the above-mentioned period.

Bedding.—Each prisoner has a hair mattress, one blanket, one coverlet with a blanket sewn inside, and sheets. The sheets are washed monthly; but sheets are misplaced in a prison, except in cases of illness. The bedding is abundant.

Clothing.—For the men, consists of a nightcap, jacket, trowsers, shirt, stockings, shoes, and waistcoat. For the women, it comprises a cap, jacket, stockings, shoes, shift, and petticoat. For the convicts the dress is party-coloured. The clothing is not so ample in store as the bedding, but more is ordered.

Exercise.—Prisoners who work at the tread-wheel have an additional daily period of exercise allowed them of half an hour at breakfast time and half an hour at dinner time. Prisoners who are not sentenced to hard labour, are permitted to take two hours exercise daily in the yard, not all at once, but at two different times of the day.

Care of the Sick, Disease, and Mortality.—The surgeon visits twice a-week, and more frequently if sent for he lives at Tetbury, which is at the distance of about five miles. No malignant cholera was witnessed here during its epidemic progress. During eight years one woman has lain-in here. During eight years only two deaths have occurred here; one was of an old man, aged 72; the other of a child, aged 12 months. There has been no death at all for the last five years. There is one lunatic now in confinement here.

Religious and other Instruction.—The chaplain lives near Tetbury, at a distance of three miles and a half. He has no other duty besides that of chaplain to this establishment. He comes hither twice a-week, on Sundays and Wednesdays; on Sundays he delivers service twice; always preaches one sermon, and sometimes two sermons on that day; on Wednesdays he reads prayers to and admonishes the prisoners; he visits the prisoners in their cells, and also takes them into a private room for the purpose of exhortation.