Parish Bridewell, Liverpool, Lancashire

This prison was built in 1776, on an eminence adjoining the work-house, near the town. The men and women have separate rooms, courts, & c. The women have six rooms below, and the same number above: the men have four rooms below, and four above. These are 12 feet by 10, and 8 feet 9 inches high; are furnished with bedsteads, blankets and coverlets; but are too close, having no window, only an aperture in the door about 9 inches square, and another near the cieling. They have a work-room, 20 feet by 16 feet 9 inches. Near this room in the men's court is a pump, to which the women are tied every week and receive discipline. In this court is also a bath, with a new and singular contrivance. At one end of it was a standard for a long pole, at the extremity of which was fastened a chair. In this all the females (not the males) at their entrance, after a few questions, were placed, with a flannel shift on, and underwent a thorough ducking, thrice repeated — an use of a bath, which I dare say the legislature never thought of, when in their late act they ordered baths with a view to cleanliness and preserving the health of prisoners; not for the exercise of a wanton and dangerous kind of severity. But I was glad to find this use of the bath has been discontinued since my visit in 1779. The severe weekly discipline of the women in the men's court is still continued. This prison is kept remarkably clean by the matron. All the prisoners were employed in picking oakum. The clauses against spirituous liquors are hung up. Allowance, two-pennyworth of bread a day. Keeper's salary, £30. Matron, £10. Turnkey, 6s, a week, an apartment and firing.

The keeper's apartments having no view into either of the courts, may be one reason that both sexes were locked up. All the men were in heavy irons, and seven out of eight women were chained to the floors, and in bed at noon on Sunday, having had no fire for several days. The next day, two being thus chained, at my desire, they were released and set to picking oakum.

Keeper, Henry Widdowes. Salary, 84l. with firing and candle; and a Turnkey, at 10s. per week, who also has fuel for his apartment.

Chaplain, none; nor any religious attentions whatever.

Surgeon, when wanted, sent from the Dispensary.

Number of Prisoners,
1802, Oct. 14th, 76. 1805, Oct. 25th, 39. 1809, Nov. 13th, 62.

Allowance, to Convicts, sixpence per day: to other Prisoners, a three-penny loaf, and one pennyworth of potatoes.

This Prison was built in I776, on an eminence adjoining to the Work-house. The Men and Women have separate rooms and court-yards.

For the Men, here are four rooms below, and four above; for the Women, six rooms, both below and above. They are each 12 feet by 10, and nearly 9 feet high; all supplied with three bedsteads, straw-in-sacking beds, two blankets, and coverlets. They are all, however, too close; having no windows, but only an aperture in the doors, about 9 inches square, and an iron plate near the ceiling, perforated with five small holes. At the end of the passage is a room for the refractory, of 7 feet by 4 feet 10, which is totally dark, and without ventilation.

In the Men's court-yard is a work-shop, which originally was of 20 feet by 17 feet 9, but since divided into two; where Men and Boys were employed in picking oakum. Their average earnings were two-pence half penny per day; but now there is seldom any employment, and Prisoners are allowed no share of their earnings.

At a subsequent visit I found that one room from the Men's-side, and another from the Women's, had been taken away, and added to the Work-house. The Act and Clauses both properly hung up.