Whitechapel Prison, Whitechapel, London

In it are confined those whose debts are above £2, and under £5. The Master's-side Prisoners have four sizeable chambers, fronting the road; i.e. two on each story. They pay two shillings and six-pence a week; and lie two in a bed; two beds in a room. The Common side Debtors are in two long rooms in the Court-yard, near the Tap-room. Men in one room, women in the other: the Court yard in common. They hang out a begging-box from a little closet in the front of the House; and attend it in turn. It brings them only a few pence a day: and of this pittance none partake but those who at Entrance have paid the Keeper two shillings and six-pence; and treated the Prisoners with half a gallon of beer. The last time I was there no more than three had purchased this privilege.

The Prison is out of repair. The Keeper, George Garred, is an Officer: he pays Rent £20 to the Lady of the Manor; and keeps the Tap: Window-tax above £3. Fees £0 : 8: 1. No Table: but in November last I saw a paper hung up, on which was written as follows:

At the same time I saw another paper intitled Rules and Orders to be observed in this Prison. It is dated Aug. 6. 1776. The first Rule is "That every person who comes into this Prison as a Prisoner, shall pay for his Garnish two shillings and ten-pence halfpenny."

The Clauses of the Act against Spirituous Liquors are hung up.

At my first visit there were on the Common-side two Prisoners in hammocks, sick and very poor. No Chaplain. A compassionate Man, who is not a regular Clergyman, sometimes preaches to them on Sunday; and gives them some small relief.

Lady Townsend sends a Guinea twice a year, which her Servant distributes equally among the Prisoners.

As Debtors here are generally very poor, I was surprized to see once ten or twelve noisy men at skittles; but the Turnkey said they were only visitants. I found they were admitted here as at another public house.. No Prisoners were at play with them.

There are four rooms fronting the road, two on each story, about l5 feet by 13, and 8 feet high. If a Debtor sleeps in any of these rooms, he pays the Keeper, for the use of a bed, one shilling the first night, and six-pence per night afterwards. The court-yard is 40 feet by 20, in which is the men's day-room, 12 feet by 10. From the courtyard the ascent is by a wooden stair-case to a gallery, in which are two sleeping-rooms, and Women's day-room, of equal size with that below. These are free-wards.

By the Act, 1784, 21 George III. entitled, "An Act for diminishing the Fees payable, and altering the mode of proceeding, in the Court of Record, within the Manors of Stepney and Hackney, &c." imprisonment is fixed, "for a time not exceeding one week, for every pound of the total debt and costs." By virtue of this good Statute no Prisoners can be confined here more than five weeks.

The Court to which this Prison belongs does not proceed by Arrest, but by Summons; and no Prisoners are received, but in execution. The Costs are always 15s. in every suit. Before Lord Beauchamp's Act I was told that fifty had been confined here at a time; but since it passed, they have never exceeded three.