County Bridewell, Odiham, Hampshire

Only one day-room (12 feet 3 inches by 11 feet 3). A lodging-room for men; and one for women (11 feet 8 inches by 7 feet, and 6 feet 10 inches high). Another room, which is the largest, the keeper uses for a brew -house, dairy, &c. There are two lodging -rooms for those that pay 2s. 6d. a week. Some additions have lately been made to the keeper's house, but none for the benefit of prisoners. Keeper was a sheriff's officer: salary, £ 15: fees, 6s. 8d. no table. No licence. Allowance about a pound of bread a day: no straw: no employment. Clauses of act against spirituous liquors not hung up. An offensive dunghill in the court, and the prison not clean.

No alteration. Only one day -room for men and women. No employment. Allowance, three halfpennyworth of fine bread (weight 17oz.). No fuel nor bedding allowed by the county. Prison not white washed-these five years. Keeper a sheriff's officer; his salary £15. The large room in the centre still kept for a brew-house.

1788, July 11, Prisoners, one Man and one Woman.

Keeper, William Brown, a Sheriff's-Officer. Salary, 25l. Fees, 6s. 8d. No Table. Surgeon, Mr. Shibbear. Salary, none. Makes a Bill. Number of Prisoners, 1802, March 20th, 0. l803,Oct. 25th, 3. Allowance, 17oz. of bread per day.

This Bridewell is at the back of the Keeper's house, and separated from it by a court-yard, 55 feet by 28, with a pump and sewer in it.

Here is only one day-room, of 12 feet 3 inches by 11 feet 3. On the ground floor a sleeping-room for Men, and one of 11 feet 8 inches by 7 feet, and 6 feet 10 inches high, for Women; with each a double iron-grated window, and loose straw on the floors. No firing allowed.

There is a large room in the centre of the building, which the Keeper has converted into his brewhouse, dairy, &c. In the house are two rooms for those who can pay 2s. 6d. a week. No Rules and Orders. No employment. Prison dirty.

Construction.—This small building contains—

One room, used as a chapel, properly belongs to the keeper. The Bridewell stands detached, but with two cottages adjoining. It is not overlooked by any neighbouring houses, but stands in a thoroughfare.

The floor of the cells is of wood. There are no bedsteads.

There are pumps and a privy in each yard.

Management.—This prison is very neat, clean, well-conducted, and well-arranged on a small scale.

At the time of my visit none were sleeping in single cells, and none in double cells; more than three were sleeping in none. None were sleeping two in a bed. Sometimes five, six, or seven have slept in one cell.

In very severe winters there is a fire in the male day-room, and for the women all the year round.

The custom is to maintain silence. No smoking nor snuff is allowed.

No means exist for introducing separate confinement. A cell is sometimes darkened by putting up a shutter. The behaviour of the prisoners is pretty good.

Three months is the longest time that any prisoner can be committed hither. There have been three prisoners committed hither for three months since the keeper was appointed. Two months, one month, fourteen days, three or six weeks are the usual terms of imprisonment. No money is given to discharged prisoners.

The present keeper has been here about five years. Before his time this building does not appear to have been used as a Bridewell, but only as a lock-up house.

On my visit he was absent to see his brother at Winchester, who was very ill. A turnkey from the Winchester County House of Correction was here to supply his place. The Magistrates' leave had been obtained for this arrangement. The keeper is to officiate for his brother at the Winchester House of Correction for a few days. He went away a week ago.

The following are the salaries of the officers:—

This account of the salary of the keeper and matron does not correspond with the county treasurer's return above.

The keeper is not a police officer.

One attempt has been made to escape, but the man did not get outside. No suicide or fire has ever occurred.

Religious and other Instruction.—-Divine service is performed twice on Sundays with a lecture each time; prayers are also read on Wednesdays and Fridays. The chaplain, who is rector of the parish, converses with the prisoners after chapel. A curtain separates the females from the men during divine service. Books are supplied.

Number of Committals.

From October 7, 1834, to October 3, 1838, 294 was the total number admitted.

For the year ending September 30, 1838, 86 men; 16 women; 102 total.

Treatment of the Sick, Disease, and Mortality.—There is no infirmary and no salaried surgeon. The keeper's own surgeon attends, and, in addition to medicines, orders a little meat, broth, and barley-water when necessary. His annual bill has never amounted to 2l.

There have been no deaths for five years. On my visit, no one was taking medicine. Itch and catarrh are the usual complaints: there has never been any serious illness.

No woman has lain in here.

Stock.—Twenty-one beds, each of which consists of a straw mattress, two blankets, and a rug; twelve shirts; two shifts; no shoes.

Diet.—1¾lbs. of seconds bread, which costs 1s. 5d. per gallon, a quantity which is 1 lb. less than four loaves; 4 oz. oatmeal daily, 2 oz. in the morning, and 2 oz. at night. The gruel is made from this oatmeal by the matron. Nearly one quart of gruel is given to the prisoners at night, and the same in the morning. Salt is allowed ad libitum. Half-a-pound of meat is also given weekly to each prisoner, weighed before cooking; the prisoners have also the broth in which the meat has been boiled.

The diet is the same for men, women, boys, and girls.

No food is allowed to be sent in from the friends, except before conviction.

Description and ordinary number of Inmates.—On my visit I found four men and no women. Three of the men were agricultural labourers, and one of the three was a poacher. The fourth was a chimney-sweeper.

Several poachers are sent hither. There are many more prisoners in winter than in summer. The Bridewell has been empty twice, both times during the summer and harvest; once for three days, once for three weeks.

Greatest number of women ever here at one time, five. Greatest number of prisoners at once has been seventeen men and two women, during the winter of 1837-8; several were from the railroad, and several for leaving poor-houses.

Labour.—The hard labour is supplied by a well-constructed crank. The crank can hold twelve at once, three on each arm, on opposite sides. It was made at Midhurst by Mr. Chorley. It has a dial-plate with hands, like a clock, showing the number of revolutions. The labour is applied to no productive purpose.

The women wash, mend, and make whenever there is any occasion.

Suggestions towards Improvement.

1. The room used as a chapel is small and inconvenient. The women are obliged to be put on the staircase for want of room.

2. An increased supply of clothes is wanted; the present stock is very deficient both for males and females.

3. More cells are wanted, which might be made out of the loft above the present cells.

Inspection.—The Magistrates hold a bench in the town once a fortnight, and usually some one or other of them visits the Bridewell every week.