[an error occurred while processing this directive] County Bridewell, Little Ilford, Essex
Ancestry UK

County Bridewell, Little Ilford, Essex

In 1828-31, a new County Bridewell, or House of Correction, was erected on the north side of Romford Road, Little Ilford. It replaced a previous establishment in Barking. The new building, designed by Thomas Hopper, had a detached radial layout, with four wings arranged around but separate from a central 'hub' building.

The prison site is shown on the 1863 map below.

County Bridewell site, Little Ilford, c.1863.

The prison adopted the 'silent' system, where inmates were allowed to associate but communication with one another was, in theory at least, forbidden.

In 1837, the Inspectors of Prisons presented an extensive report on the prison, particularly examining its enforcement of the silent regime:

1. Site, Construction, &c.

This is a House of Correction for the county of Essex, and here are also confined prisoners for trial at the assizes and sessions for the county, and the central criminal court. It is situated three-quarters of a mile from the town of Ilford, on the London road. It is a new brick building on the radiating plan, and was completed in the year 1831, at the cost of about £7,000. It appears in a good state of repair and is fire-proof, with the exception of the chapel. It is surrounded by an inner wall of the height of 18 feet, and an outer boundary wall of the height of 23 feet. The Keeper's house stands at the entrance, and on each side of it, adjoining the boundary wall, are the prison bakehouse, brewhouse, washhouse, and other offices. The position of these buildings tends to the insecurity of the prison; for, on the 2d of January 1833, James King, a convicted felon, got out of the infirmary at night, and, by mounting the roof of the brewhouse, escaped over the boundary wall. This is, however, stated to have been the only escape. The prison comprises ten wards, besides the male and female infirmaries. Five of the wards have day rooms of the dimensions of 14 feet by 13 feet each. The number and dimensions of the sleeping cells are:—

26 cells, 8 feet long by 6½ feet wide.
  2 do. 11 feet 3 inches do. by 8 feet do.
11 do. 12 feet 8 inches do. by 61 feet do.
  3 do. 14 feet do. by 13 feet do.

42
  6 rooms in the infirmaries.

48 Total number of sleeping apartments

The height of the sleeping cells varies from 8 feet 2 inches to 9 feet. The thickness of the partition walls is about 14 inches.

The number of sleeping, apartment's is therefore not sufficient for the separation by night of the ordinary number of prisoners. The greatest number in confinement at one time was.

Year ending Michaelmas 183466
Do.     183548
Do.     183653

And at the time of our inspection, there were in custody 62. There being no hard labour in the House of Correction at Newport, prisoners are often committed hither from Epping, Harlow, and other places on that side of the county, which was not contemplated when this prison was built.

The cells are close and need ventilation. The windows in general will not open, and many of them are broken and out of repair.

The yards may be inspected from the windows of the Turnkey's house and chapel, which Inspection.' stand in the centre of the building. There are holes in the cell-doors with external sliding shutters, most of which are out of order. Beyond these very limited means there can be no private inspection.

The prison stands on a gravelly soil, and we found it dry and tolerably clean. It does not overlook, nor is it overlooked by, any other building. The locality is considered healthy.

2. Discipline, Management, &c.

From the increased number of male prisoners, it has been found necessary to appropriate to them the wards Nos. 1,2, 3, and 4, intended for females, and to place the latter, who seldom exceed three or four, together in the infirmary, without regard to classification. We found in one room in the female infirmary three women, none of them sick, one of whom was a convicted felon, another summarily convicted for turnip stealing, and the third a vagrant. In the day-room of ward No. 2 we also found an unclassified assemblage of male prisoners, viz.: one committed for trial, one convicted felon, and two summarily convicted. The reason assigned, however, for the mixture in the latter instance was, that these prisoners were recovering from indisposition, and were placed in this, as a convalescent room, for the benefit of a fire. In the day-room of No. 8 we found a convicted felon picking oakum, a prisoner committed that morning for trial on a charge of felony, a misdemeanant (a stage coachman) for negligent driving, and a Crown debtor for an Excise penalty. These were nominally in confinement in separate cells: they were then assembled for the purpose of being shaved. Prisoners are usually separated by night, to the extent that the number of separate cells will permit; and they are also confined in their cells by day, except during treadwheel labour, divine service, exercise, or instruction. Day-rooms are not generally used as such, except by order of the surgeon, for prisoners requiring the warmth of a fire; and the prisoners take their meals in their cells. Those employed in oakum picking, or at the crank-wheel, or having no employment, consequently pass the greater part of the day in their cells. It is the rule also for prisoners committed for trial or examination to remain during the day in their sleeping-cells, with the liberty of exercise in the yard at appointed times. On Sundays all the prisoners are locked up the greater part of the day. We found that in a room, in ward No. 5, six had slept the previous night in two beds, three in a bed; one of them was a notorious character, named D., who had been three times in prison, and who, the wardsman doubted not, had corrupted others; and that, in a cell in the same ward, two prisoners, viz., J. R., aged 21, and H. H., aged 14, had been sleeping together for five nights in one bed, without any other prisoner in the cell, contrary to the Gaol Act The bed was upon a raised stone, and the boy, H., said that the other prisoner used to pull the clothes off him. The same boy also said that he had previously slept two in a bed, in a cell in ward No. 9, with a prisoner named G., aged about 19. In ward No. 6 we found that four prisoners had slept the previous night in one room, three of them in one bed on the floor; also that two prisoners, viz., W. R., aged 18, and D. B., aged 14, had been sleeping together in a cell, without any other person, for upwards of a month. The former was convicted of stealing rope, the latter of house-breaking. In ward No. 8 five prisoners had slept in one room the previous night, four of them in the same bed, on the floor; and it was stated to us that as many as five had lately slept together here in one bed for a week. In one of the rooms of the male infirmary, three sick prisoners had slept the previous night in one bed.

According to the evidence of several prisoners, those sleeping in the same room are apt to "lark," as it is termed; to talk of their former adventures; sometimes to arrange to meet each other after discharge; and bad language is stated to be by no means uncommon. A Turnkey watches outside at night; but neither the Keeper nor Turnkeys are in the habit of Regularly visiting cells at night. The untried prisoners in custody at the time of our visit were thus disposed of:—

One for the sessions was in his cell in ward No. 1; another prisoner for the sessions also slept in this ward, but was removed during the day-time to the day-room of No. 2, for the benefit of the fire, where he was with others; one just brought in for trial at the assizes was, with others, in the day-room of No. 8; a boy under examination for felony, was in his cell, in No. 9; one for trial at the sessions, and another for the assizes, were in their cells in No. 10, with the doors open, so that there was no impediment to their associating with each other. Thus, although we were informed that it was the rule to separate the untried, it is not so in practice, and the way in which the prisoners were dispersed about the prison in different wards was very irregular.

The 33d of the Provisional Rules declares, that "if any convicted prisoner shall endeavour to converse, or to hold intercourse with any of his fellow-prisoners, or any other person, he shall be deemed guilty of a disobedience of the rules of the prison, and be treated accordingly." The prisoners notwithstanding continually converse on the wheel, and have also opportunities of talking whilst at washing (which they do four at a time in the yard); in going to and from the cells to take their meals; and in going to and from chapel. As the treadwheels will not hold more than 28 persons at a time, there is, in general, a considerable proportion of prisoners off the wheel, who take opportunities of talking to each other whilst standing about the yards, as they are not compelled to keep certain distances from each other. We found a number of prisoners in the treadwheel yard No. 5, talking together on the stairs in their way from their cells, where they had been dining, into the yards. They are not forbidden from looking round, so that all those on the wheel turn their heads, if any one enters the yard. The necessity for several prisoners sleeping together, of course would frustrate the effect of silence by day, however rigidly enforced; but the discipline, in this respect, is so lax, that the rule above cited is continually violated. The Keeper, indeed, stated that he had punished 28 prisoners in the course of the year 1836 for improper conversation, by making them work at the crank-wheel in a solitary cell; but this is to be understood not for the mere act of speaking, but for noise or disorderly language. The subjoined extracts from evidence given by prisoners and officers show that conversation prevails to a considerable extent.

"I sleep with others; six in the room, and three in a bed. We lie and talk for a little time. We sometimes talk in the passages going to and from the wheel; we sometimes talk on the wheel; we ask each other what they came into prison for, and so on; some of them sing in the bed-room; we talk at washing in the yard. I have been once punished by having my bread and cheese stopped; it was for talking on the chapel stairs."

"I have slept five nights in a bed with J. R., and no other person in the cell; he pulls all the clothes off me; we sleep in one bed on a raised stone; my back was bare last night; no Turnkey came into the cell. When I first came in, I slept in No. 9 with a young man, G.; afterwards a little boy slept with me, and then I came here. I have been in Coldbath Fields prison; they are very strict there, much more so than here, for we often talk; we do not tell of each other. Some of them ask me how long I have got, and such questions."

"I have reported only one boy for disobeying orders. It is quite impossible to prevent talking, unless I report the whole wheel. The prisoners are mostly acquainted; they whisper as well as talk on the wheel; no doubt they talk at night, but not from cell to cell. Those who sleep together are apt to 'lark.' One of the six who sleep together is named D—tt; he has been three times in prison: I have no doubt he corrupts others. Many agree to meet on leaving prison. They dread separation, especially when their provisions are shortened. They send to their friends by other prisoners who are going out."

"I have slept a month or five weeks with W. R. in one bed, without any other prisoner in the cell; he is for stealing rope: I am for housebreaking. We talk together; we tell riddles to each other. I know the names of all the prisoners in this yard; W. R. told me their names. This is the felons' yard. We are not allowed to talk, but some do talk notwithstanding."

" I have generally slept in a bed with two others, and have slept with three others. We talk to each other. Solitary confinement is a much greater punishment than the treadwheel."

"I often catch the prisoners talking both on and off the wheel, but I have seldom reported, not once a week; I threaten them. I have been threatened by prisoners. A prisoner has wanted to fight me, and has stripped to fight. My duty is confined to hours of work on the wheel. The prisoners have no difficulty in communicating, though they have not time to say much. They appoint to meet each other on leaving, and send messages by each other to their friends: they are allowed to look round on the wheel. Those who have been in other prisons corrupt others. I am Schoolmaster. I think the boys are corrupted by other prisoners, for I find them more refractory after a time than at first. I have heard bad language in leaving the wheel and in going to the cells. We have several London thieves here."

"I am in and out of the yards as often as I can, but I am employed in baking two-thirds of the day. I often find the prisoners talking, and call out to them. I know they communicate both on and off the wheel. The other day in the wheel-yard I heard a prisoner call another a d—d fool, but I could not find out who it was: there have been instances of former prisoners meeting others at the gate on their discharge."

This evidence is not very consistent with the statement in the Gaol Returns for this prison for 1835, that "the Silence System is most strictly enforced."

We did not find that the male and female prisoners were in the habit of communicating; but the male turnkey takes the provisions to the female yard, without the presence of a female officer. He does not indeed enter the yard, but pours the gruel into the women's pots at the gate, and puts the bread through the bars, so that when the women come down to the gate for their food their is an opportunity of intercourse. The Turnkey also sometimes puts the usual questions to the female prisoners upon their admission, without the presence of the matron or her female servant.

The hard labour consists of the treadwheels in two yards, one of Richmond's crank machines for work in solitude, and the picking of junk into oakum, also in solitude. The treadwheel labour varies from seven to ten hours, according to the season, and from 10,080 to 14,400 feet of ascent. Oakum-pickers are required to pick from three to four pounds a-day: this kind of work is preferred to the treadwheel, as being less laborious.

The following is the Keeper's Return of prisoners employed as wardsmen and in menial services at the time of inspection:—

RETURN of all Prisoners now employed in Menial or Domestic Services, &c., 11th February,1837.
J.W.silence man.
J.C.     "
J, N.Tailoring and cleaning.
W. T. (convicted of felony)Gruel man and cleaning.
B. E.Cleaning and gardening.
J. H,Wood-cutting and cleaning.
C. S.Mat-making.
J. W.Whitewashing.

The women are employed in washing, needle-work, and oakum-picking; but the number of female prisoners is often insufficient for the service of the prison, and the Keeper, therefore, occasionally obtains a removal of females from Chelmsford Gaol, by applying to the Clerk of the peace; whereupon the Court of Quarter Sessions sentences certain females,upon conviction, to this House of Correction.

The Provisional Rules, Nos. 18 to 24, relating to the admission of visitors and letters, appear to be observed. The Turnkey is always present, and searches the visitor in case of suspicion. A list of visitors is kept. Notwithstanding the precautions taken, visitors are said sometimes to gain admission improperly, under pretence of relationship.

The prisoners' money and other articles are taken from them, and accounted for pursuant to the third Provisional Rule. The untried are allowed to have any money belonging to them by instalments of 2s. 6d. per week, which are paid to the Turnkey, and he procures the required supplies. It does not appear that the Turnkey derives any advantage from such purchases at the expense of the prisoners; but the impropriety of a Turnkey being so employed is obvious.

Newspapers are prohibited by the 36th Provisional Rule, and do not appear to be introduced; nor books, except by authority of the Chaplain.

Tobacco is prohibited by the 37th Rule. Prisoners are, however, very prone to secrete tobacco on all parts of their bodies; so as, if possible, to evade search on. their admission. There does not appear to be any gaming carried on, so far as we could ascertain.

3. Religious and other Instruction.

The Chaplain, the Rev. C. Lodge, resides at Ilford, and is 70 years of age. He has other duty at a neighbouring chapel. On the day of our inspection he did not attend, and divine service was not performed. The Keeper said he presumed the reason for his non-attendance was because the weather was rainy, or from indisposition, and that it had occasionally happened before that he had omitted to attend, without having appointed any other person to read prayers for him. Divine service is performed twice on Sundays, with one sermon. On the week-days the Chaplain attends to read prayers at uncertain times, varying from nine to twelve o'clock. After service he usually catechizes the boys, and visits those prisoners in solitary confinement who do not attend chapel. He remains in the prison from half an hour to an hour. The Holy Communion has not been administered for more than two years. The Chaplain's Journal is not in accordance with the 14th Provisional Rule, in regard to Chaplains, as it consists merely of one entry for the whole quarter, in this way: "Services regularly performed during the quarter according to the Rules and Regulations." It is signed, however, by the Chairman of the Sessions. No Character Book is kept. The Keeper and one Turnkey attend chapel regularly, but the Matron is occasionally prevented by weak health. The seats of the Keeper and Matron in the chapel are so placed that they cannot see the whole of the prisoners.

The books are selected by the Chaplain, and consist of Bibles, Prayer Books, and a few tracts of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

The boys receive instruction daily in one of the day-rooms, from twelve to two o'clock. There is usually a class of five or six. The Schoolmaster is a convicted felon, who is also wardsman of ward No. 6. The boys are taught reading and spelling, and learn the Church Catechism and Collects.

The effect of this instruction is by no means reformatory, for the Schoolmaster states that he finds the boys more refractory after some time than at first, a circumstance which he attributes to their being corrupted by other prisoners.

4. Health.

The Surgeon resides at Ilford, and attends twice or three times a-week, and oftener when required. He is not, however, sent for immediately on the prisoner's arrival, and consequently thee prisoner is passed into the ward without surgical examination,—an improper and dangerous practice. The Surgeon visits prisoners under punishment, as well as others, upon report of sickness, but not otherwise.

Six male prisoners were sick in the infirmary at the time of our visit, besides several who were in a state of recovery from the prevailing epidemic. There is no regulation as to silence in the infirmaries, except in so far as the 33d Provisional Rule may be construed to require it. Silence, however, is not observed.

The cases of slight indisposition, in the year ending Michaelmas, 1836, were 16 per cent upon the total number in confinement in that year; the infirmary cases 1.66 per cent., and the deaths none. No death has occurred in the prison since it was occupied. The most prevalent disease has been scrofula, or purpura hæmorrhagica, showing itself by swelled gums and spots and pains in the legs, in the same way as at Springfield Gaol, where it is more particularly noticed. There is, we think, little doubt that this disease is attributable to treadwheel labour, enforced for too long terms, together with an insufficient and little varying diet.

The dietary of this prison consists of 24 oz. of bread and three pints of gruel per diem, with the addition to prisoners at the treadwheel of 4 oz. of bread and 2 oz. of cheese, on every day they work, and with the further addition, at the expiration of three months, of a pint of meat soup, three times a-week. The Provisional Rules, one of which prescribes the diet, are affixed in the several wards for the prisoners' inspection.

Some of the untried prisoners maintain themselves, or purchase articles in addition to the gaol allowance, pursuant to the Provisional Rules, to the extent of 2s. 6d. per week. They are permitted to have a pint of beer per day, which the Turnkey brings from a public-house. There is one woollen prison-dress for both summer and winter. The only variety is, that the felon's dress is striped yellow. The prisoners are occasionally, though not often, punished for destroying their dress. The clothing and bedding are both purchased in London, and the annual cost of both together is stated at 1l. 13s. 5d. The supply of bedding was not sufficient for the number in custody at the time of inspection, and some of the straw mattresses were in a bad state. The bedding is aired in the yards in the summer, but not in the winter. The prisoners are not bathed on their admission in winter, but only in summer. They wash daily, several together in the yards. The combs were in a dirty state. The whole of the linen is washed in the prison. The rooms and cells were not very clean, not being regularly washed in winter, but in the summer they are said to be washed daily. The prison is lime-washed twice a-year, usually by the prisoners.

5. Prison Punishments.

The following is a Return made by the Keeper:—

ILFORD.
RETURN of all Punishments for Offences within the Prison, in the course of the year 1836, whether for breach of silence, or otherwise, stating by whose authority.
J. B.For breaking a quartby Keeper.
G. J.Stealing bread"
T. B.Refusing to work"
J. C.Ill behaviour in chapel"
R. G.Stealing from a prisoner"

This will appear to be a very small number for an annual population of some 340 prisoners; but, in addition to the above Return, it appears that 28 prisoners have been punished by making them work at the crank-wheel, and others by shortening their diet, of which no account can be obtained. Whipping is performed with a cat-of-nine-tails, in the presence of the Keeper, Surgeon, and convicted prisoners, two dozen being the ordinary number of lashes.

6. Officers.

The Keeper has had the management of this prison since its erection, and was formerly Keeper of the old prison at Barking. He visits all parts of the prison daily, but seldom the cells at night.

The Matron is the wife of the Keeper. She superintends the female prisoners regularly, unless prevented by illness, when her female servant attends them. The greatest number of females in this prison has been 11.

Both the Turnkeys reside in the prison, and keep watch alternately by night, outside the wards. The Turnkeys are employed by turns in baking, which occupies their time a considerable part of the day.

The books kept in the prison are specified in the subjoined list:—Visitors' book, chaplain and medical officers' journals, chaplain and medical officers' appearance books, keeper's description book, keeper's journal and index book, account book, turnkeys' receiving book, turnkeys' journal, daily journal of the disposal of prisoners, list of prisoners for re-examination, book for periods of detention, weighing book, book for extra allowances for food for prisoners at the mill.

7. Miscellaneous.

The committals to this prison have lately been on the increase. The number in custody was,—

11th February, 183541
"      183647
"      183762

The total number committed was, however,—

Year ending Michaelmas, 1834411
"      1835320
"      1836339

The population consists principally of summary convictions, which appear as misdemeanours in the subjoined account.

Prisoners in Ilford Gaol, 1 February, 1837
 Females.Males.Total.
Further examination.101
Convicted felons10111
Want of sureties101
Misdemeanants42244
Trial at Sessions303
Trial at Assize101
Private still101
 —————————
 59362

The number of re-committals is very considerable. In the year ending Michaelmas, 1836, it is returned at 273, being no less than 80 per cent. upon the whole number committed in that year.

The number of offenders under the age of 17 is returned at 47 in the last-mentioned year, being about 14 per cent. upon the whole number committed. This proportion is much above the average. The Keeper states the increase of juvenile offenders to arise from the number of committals for petty trespasses and offences against the game laws.

It is not the practice to give passes to discharged prisoners, but they receive small sums of money in proportion to the distances they have to travel.

The 6d. per diem allowed for deserters by the War Office is paid to the prisoner, who finds himself with it. The Keeper remembers two instances of deserters committed to prison, as such, on their own confession; but who afterwards turned out not to be such. Of the one case he could not turn to the particulars, but in the other, the prisoner's name was William Mathison, who was discharged by order from the War Office, dated 18th September, 1832, as not belonging to the 93d regiment, from which he pretended to have deserted, The inducement to these impositions was the extra diet obtained with the 6d. per diem.

With the nationalisation of the prison system, the prison was closed in 1878. The buildings were subsequently demolished and the houses Worcester Road and Gloucester Road erected on the site

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

  • Essex Record Office, Wharf Road Chelmsford CM2 6YT. Holdings are mainly administrative, e.g. Accounts, staff appointments and dismissals, dietaries and labour accounts, and correspondence on prison conditions and prisoners.
  • The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Has a wide variety of crime and prison records going back to the 1770s, including calendars of prisoners, prison registers and criminal registers.
  • Find My Past has digitized many of the National Archives' prison records, including prisoner-of-war records, plus a variety of local records including Manchester, York and Plymouth. More information.
  • Prison-related records on Ancestry UK include Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951, and local records from London, Swansea, Gloucesterhire and West Yorkshire. More information.
  • The Genealogist also has a number of National Archives' prison records. More information.

Bibliography

  • Prison Oracle - resources those involved in present-day UK prisons.
  • GOV.UK - UK Government's information on sentencing, probation and support for families.