County Bridewell, Littledean, Gloucestershire

Keeper, Robert Gurin. Salary, 40l.; with a ton of coals to keep the Prison well aired, and 20l. for his attendance at each Quarter Session. Fees, none.

Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Jones. Salary, 20l. Duty, Prayers twice a week.

Surgeon, Mr. Phillips. He makes a Bill.

Number of Prisoners, 5th of Sept. 1806, Three.

Allowance, one pound and a half of good wheaten bread, from the Baker's, in loaves; several of which I saw weighed, and they were of full weight.

This Prison was first inhabited on the 18th of Nov. 1791. The boundary-wall encloses about an acre and three quarters of ground. The Turnkey's lodge is at the entrance-gate on the left, and over it his sleeping-room. On the right, a warm and cold bath, and a fumigating-room, where the Prisoners, on coming in, are washed; and if ragged, or offensively clad. County clothing is put on before they are admitted to the interior of the Prison, which stands in the centre of the area.

The approach to the Keeper's house is through a small garden, with a close wooden fence on each side. On the ground-floor, in front, are the Gaoler's office, and the Sessions-room; the latter opening into a neat Chapel, in the centre of the building, and separating the Gaoler's kitchen and wash-house, which command a view of the two court-yards behind.

The Prisoners are divided into classes, and have four courts, about 42 feet square,, a pump and sewer in each, with open wood palisades; which being 16 feet distant from the boundary-wall, the Keeper has within it a convenient kitchen garden for vegetables.

In front of the building, on each side of the Keeper's house, is a work-room, 18 feet by 7 feet 7, with stone seats in each, and a fire-place: also two day-cells, of 7 feet 6 by 5 feet 6, and 10 feet high, on one side; and three similar cells on the other. Above stairs are eleven sleeping-cells, and one for solitary confinement. These lead into a stone gallery, with open railing towards the front court-yards.

On each side of the Chapel; a passage on the ground-floor, 5 feet wide, separates the back work-rooms and five day-cells from those in front of the building; the same, likewise, on the upper-story, where the twelve back cells open into the passage. On this story are also two sleeping-rooms for the Keeper, two Infirmaries with glazed windows, and two bedsteads in each; a store-room for the Prisoners' apparel, and a small dispensary-room, with a fire-place, for the use of the Surgeon.

Every sleeping-cell has an iron-grating, with inside shutters, and is 8 feet long by 6, and 10 feet high to the crown of the arch; fitted up with a perforated cast-iron bedstead each, straw-mattress, a hair-stuffed bed, two blankets, two sheets, changed monthly; a coverlet lined with flannel, and a woollen night-cap.

An excellent reservoir in the garden affords a constant supply of water. Here is but little employment for the Prisoners; but if those of handicraft trades, taylors, shoemakers, &c. can procure it from without, and maintain themselves, they have the whole of their earnings; but if otherwise, one half only. Soap, towels, mops, pails, and brooms are allowed by the considerate Magistrates, to keep the Prisoners and Bridewell clean.

The number of Commitments, from the first opening of the Prison to the 9th August, 1S06, was one hundred and sixty.

Here are cells for lodging twenty-four Prisoners, and the greatest number confined at one time is six. Books are kept here, in which the Visiting-Magistrates, Chaplain, and Surgeon enter their respective Remarks. Prayer Books are allowed to the Prisoners, who in all respects are well attended to. The whole building is clean and well-ventilated, and the same excellent Rules and Regulations are here established and observed, as in all the other Gaols of this exemplary County of, Gloucester.

Construction.—There are four wards, four yards, and four day-rooms. In one class or ward are placed the men sentenced to hard labour; in another the men not sentenced to hard labour; in another, men for trial and for want of sureties; and in the last are the women. There are two lodges, one on each side of the gate; but they are so damp that they are not used for a residence. The prison in general is dry in the summer, and it is pretty well ventilated. It is not very secure. Here, as in other county prisons of Gloucestershire, there are day-cells as well as night-cells, but not sufficiently numerous to accommodate all the prisoners. All the sleeping-cells are built for one prisoner only; if the number of prisoners exceed 23, some are put into the hospital-ward, others into the day-rooms, but they are never put two together into the cells. The number of sleeping-cells is 23; the day-cells are eight in number. The cells have not glazed windows, but openings protected by iron bars and by wooden shutters, which are opened and closed at pleasure.

	Ft.  In.
The dimensions of the day-rooms are.	19 5 long.
"	7  8 wide.
The day-cells are	7  8 long.
"	7  5  wide.
The night-cells are	7  8 long.
"	5  8 wide.

There is one dark room and one bath.

The cells are not heated. Two infirmaries were originally prepared, one for males the other for females. One only is now kept up, and is used for either sex; while the other is used as a bed-room for the gaoler's family.

Management.—The keeper has been here about 22 years. Until about a year since the offenders admitted here were for comparatively slight cases; they formerly only came hither for and from the sessions, but now they receive some assize cases; at present two such are here, one for passing bad money, the other for forged notes. Escapes are, consequently, more likely to be attempted.

When a prisoner is not at hard labour, he is generally kept in his day-cell during four hours at a time; he usually takes his meals in the day-rooms; and during the rest of the day he takes exercise in the yards. One set is locked up while another is taking exercise. Those sentenced by court to solitary confinement are locked up during the whole day, except two hours for exercise.

Soap is not allowed, but a pound for each prisoner is generally charged every quarter. No fixed quantity of coals is ordered; they are only used in the day-rooms in winter.

Solitary confinement is sometimes practised for a month at a time.

Tobacco is not allowed. Silence is maintained in some degree.

The behaviour of the prisoners is generally pretty good.

No money is given here to prisoners on their discharge, which is a harsh measure, tending to restore a prisoner sometimes to his old means, ways, and associates. Enough should always be supplied to maintain a prisoner for two days, at least, in order that he may have time to seek an honest employment.

Diet.—Untried prisoners may receive food from without, and at the same time may also obtain the prison diet, l½lb. of the best bread is allowed daily to all (the present price of this loaf is 2¾d.); at the end of the first month all receive daily l½lb. of potatoes; and, at the same period, all receive daily 1¼ oz. of oatmeal, which will make about a quart of gruel. Those on hard labour receive the potatoes and oatmeal from their first admission. Half an ounce of salt is allowed daily to all. Prisoners in solitary confinement receive the full diet if they have been previously put upon it.

Salaries.
£.  s. d.
Chaplain	80  0  0
Surgeon (including medicines)	15  0  0
Gaoler (receives coals and candles, but finds paper, pens, and ink)	75  0  0
Matron	15  0  0
Turnkey (receives coals and candles)	40  0  0

Labour.—There is no particular work appointed for boys. The women are employed to wash, mend, and make shirts and shifts, and their own dresses. There is some occasional employment in shoemaking or tailoring. The hours for work are from eight in the morning till six, in the summer, and from nine to four, in the winter. The prisoners are locked up during summer at seven o'clock, and in winter at half-past four; they are unlocked at six in summer, and at sunrise in winter. The hard labour is the crank-mill. The crank is at present employed to split beans, or to grind barley or peas; but it is not in good repair, and is not now in use for grinding corn: it holds three men at once. The men break stones occasionally; and very rarely pick oakum; the last they have not done for three years.

Punishments.—There have been only four punishments from 24ih October 1835 to 1st July 1837. The punishment for women is sometimes confinement in a day cell, and feeding them upon bread and water only. Such cases are not always entered into the punishment register. The men are placed in a dark cell for three days, and receive only bread and water.

Recommittals.—Of the 15 prisoners now in the prison, two men have been committed hither once before, and one man five times.

Visits to prisoners under sentence can only be made by order of a visiting or committing magistrate. An officer is always present.

Letters.—All may be sent out and may enter, but are read by the gaoler.

Religious and other Instruction.—The chaplain does duty twice on Sundays, delivering one sermon. On Wednesdays he reads prayers, instructs the prisoners, and hears them read. He occasionally comes at other times to visit them. He administers the sacrament at stated times, and sometimes offers to deliver it to a prisoner besides, but has never been asked to deliver it but once during 10 years. He has met with three prisoners who had before received the sacrament. He generally finds the prisoners very ignorant of religious subjects. The chaplain lives about two miles and a-half from here. He has no other duty. About two years since the chaplain's salary was raised from 40l. to 80l.; before that time Divine service was performed only once on Sundays; but since that time he instructs the prisoners, who are much benefited, and behave more orderly; some have learnt to read, and others are greatly improved. No schoolmaster, receiving a salary, has ever been employed to instruct the prisoners. The cases which come in from the neighbourhood are usually trifling. There are several poachers in the winter, but now only one. There are four vagrants here at present. The chapel is cold and dark in winter; several doors open into it. It would be improved by being raised to the level of the gallery floor.

The chaplain recollects one case of permanent reformation of character in an individual who was discharged from the prison, and whom he had the means of observing for a long time subsequently. There are several books in the committee-room; but they are rather scanty in the cells and day-rooms.

Care of the Sick, Disease, and Mortality.—The surgeon resides at Newnham, about two miles off. He visits twice or thrice in the week; and if any particular case of illness occurs he comes every day. Ho is always present whenever a prisoner receives the punishment of whipping. He keeps a journal. On the day on which I visited this prison there were three prisoners receiving medicine. No one kept his bed with influenza in the spring. There were no deaths from malignant cholera; but there were three ill with it at the same time. There were no deaths in 1836, nor in 1837 up to my visit. Since the prison has been opened there have been only two deaths, one of which was by suicide. During 22 years there have been about two women who have lain in here; both survived. No insane prisoner is confined here at present.

Suicide.—During 15 years one prisoner committed suicide by hanging himself with the strings of his small clothes; he was found dead when the cell was unlocked in the morning.

Fire.—No alarm from this cause is recollected.

Escapes.—During 15 years one prisoner escaped, but was retaken; and in 22 years two prisoners escaped, both were retaken. Several have made similar attempts, but have not succeeded.

Since the period of my visit two prisoners are said to have escaped at night.

Bedding.—The allowance to each individual consists of two sheets, a rug with a blanket attached to it, two blankets, a hair mattress, and a straw mat below. The sheets are washed monthly.

Clothing.—None is given to the untried, unless they are destitute. The convicted receive a party-coloured dress: the men, a cap, jacket, trowsers, waistcoat, shirts, stockings, and clogs, (which last are made at home); the women, a cap, jacket, petticoats, shifts, stockings, aprons, stays, handkerchief, and clogs. The body linen is changed weekly.

General Statistics.

No. I.—Proportion of married and single now in the prison;—Of the 15 prisoners six male prisoners are married, and one female prisoner is married.

No. II.—Average number of prisoners is 13½.

No. III.—Number of admissions from the year 1791 to the year 1837:—From the opening of the prison on 18th November 1791 up to July 1837 the sum total of prisoners admitted has been 2,391. Prom 1791 to July 1815 the number admitted had been only 410.

No. IV.—The number of prisoners in gaol at the time of my visit, 1st July 1837, were two male prisoners for trial at the assizes and one female; 10 men who wore under sentence and two women. There are no debtors here. Total number of prisoners, 12 men and 3 women.

No. V.—Greatest number of prisoners confined here at once:—During 15 years the greatest number at one time has. been 32. During about three successive days of that space of time there has not been even one prisoner.

Suggestions towards Improvement. 1. To close up with wood the first six or eight bars on each side of the two yards, next to the entrance, in order to prevent the prisoners from seeing those who enter and go out.

2. To enjoin silence. The gaoler has never received any such order from the magistrates.

3. To give a small sum to prisoners on their discharge, in order to enable them to reach their home, or to support them during their search after employment for the period of two days.

4. A night-stool is wanted in the infirmary.

5. One infirmary is now not appropriated to its original purpose, but is used as a bed-room for the keeper's family. It would be advantageous to restore it to its destination, and, if necessary, to accommodate the keeper in some other way.

6. A better room would be desirable for the turnkey; he sleeps in the store-room, which is close, and otherwise unfit.

7. The supply of books should be improved.

8. The supply of combs is insufficient for cleanliness.

9. Some of the pumps appear out of repair.

10. Some new bedding is wanted.

11. The day-cells might be used as night-cells when there are more prisoners than there are night-cells.

12. A small tread-wheel would be useful; but in that case another turnkey would be necessary.

13. The lodges might be rendered drier by enlarging the windows, and thus admitting more light and air.

14. A considerable improvement might be effected by raising the floor of the chapel to a level with its present gallery, instead of being on the ground as now. The old seats would still be serviceable, more light and warmth would be obtained, and space would be gained on the ground-floor for a turnkey's room and a store-room. In case a store-room was thus gained, the old existing store-room might be used as an infirmary. At present the two infirmary rooms for males and females adjoin each other, with only a thin partition: it would be proper to separate these two rooms