County Bridewell, Spilsby, Lincolnshire

This new prison has been built for the Lindsey division of the county. The buildings are arranged on the radiating plan. There are sixteen day-rooms and eight airing-yards, and about sixty sleeping-cells. Two tread-wheels have been put up, which will employ thirty-six prisoners: at present the labour is not applied to any profitable purpose. The females are employed in washing and sewing, under the superintendence of a matron. The dietary is the same as at Louth prison. A chaplain attends to read prayers on Wednesday and Friday, and twice on Sunday, when he also preaches a sermon. It is stated that already, the benefits arising from proper classification and discipline have been witnessed in the reformation of several individuals, who have undergone their sentences of confinement in this prison.

The prison with sessions-house adjoining is situate close to the market-town of Spilsby, and on the high road to Louth. The exterior front displays a fine Doric portico leading to the sessions-house, with a screen of white brick, on each side, pierced with two arched gateways, the entrances to the prison, forming a façade much more imposing in appearance than the buildings to which they are accessories. It is encircled by a boundary wall of brick with several loose courses at the top, and the area is about 220 ft. by 202. The public entry to the prison is on the left of the sessions-house, with turnkey's lodge adjoining. At the back of the sessions-house is a building of two stories, containing several apartments and two airing yards, with water-closets in each. It is partly appropriated as a bath-room, surgery and kitchen, for the magistrates at sessions. It was originally intended for an infirmary, and contains most ample accommodation. The prison consists of a central building, and three wings with pavilions at the ends. The keeper's dwelling contains cellarage in the basement; ground floor offices, 2 sitting rooms and kitchen; first floor, 4 chambers; second floor, chapel. The chapel is a square of 42 ft. 8 in., and 14 ft. in height. It is divided into 6 pens for male prisoners, the fronts to the pulpit, fitted with open iron rails. The females and debtors sit in pews on the right and left of the clergyman. The wings have each 3 stories, with 16 cells and 4 day rooms on each landing. The cells are 6 ft. 3 in. by 8 ft., and 8 ft. high; the day rooms 13 ft. 8 in. by 13 ft.; partition between each celt 14 in. The doors of the cells are of iron; the window of each cell is closed with an iron shutter, except those appropriated to the debtors, which are glazed. There are 8 paved airing yards with water laid on, and enclosed by walls with open iron rails at the ends, and privies in each. The drainage is indifferent. This prison is built on a similar inconvenient plan to that of Louth; the staircases to the cells adjoin the keeper's dwelling, and the day-rooms are in the second and third floors, from which the men have to be brought down to the yards for all purposes. Pipes for the supply of water are laid on to all the stories of the building; but as the reservoir is only on a level with the second floor, it is rather difficult to understand how the fluid is ever to reach the third, at a height of several feet above. The prison is seldom or ever fully occupied, the infirmary is quite useless, and a quantity of ivy growing about it would, for the preservation of the building, be better away. The keeper applies several of the untenanted cells as bed-rooms, &c., for the use of his family. Twenty-five thousand pounds were borrowed in Exchequer bills to defray the expenses of constructing this prison and sessions-house, which will not be entirely repaid until 1847.

Diet..—Five pence a day is allowed the keeper, for supplying the following dietary: One pound of meat without bone per week to each prisoner, stewed down into soup, and each prisoner has one pint of the soup for dinner six days in the week; and one pint of oatmeal gruel one day for dinner, one pound of potatoes per day each with salt; breakfast and supper, one pint of milk or oatmeal gruel: eight pounds of wheaten bread per week to each prisoner that labours at the tread-mill, and six pounds of bread per week to all other prisoners; the whole of which is provided by the county. The bread is of a coarser quality than ordinary.

Bedding.—Iron bedsteads, mats, straw palliasse, 2 blankets and rug.

Clothing.—Convicted, fustian frocks and trowsers, drab and blue. Misdemeanants, suit of plain fustian. No clothing allowed to the females.

Fuel.—Coals allowed all the year round.

Cleanliness.—The prison clean. Soap and towels allowed.

Health.—The surgeon attends twice a week, and inspects the whole of the prisoners, independently of his attendance upon cases of sickness. The prisoners are not all seen by him, before they are classed. He is present at the infliction of corporal punishment. Eruptive disease is very common among the vagrants, diarrhoea is not unfrequent, occasionally degenerating into light dysentery. He states that he considers the diet has a tendency to produce this disease, being of too liquid a nature, and containing but a small quantity of meat. The quality of food used by the labouring class in Lincolnshire is much higher than the generality of English counties. The influenza prevailed to a very great degree in the winter. Until the year 1837 there has been only one death in the prison, in the present there have been four.

"P. T. died December 23th, 1836. He was a scrofulous subject, and the cause of his death was inflammation of the lungs, and disease of the mesenteric glands.

" J. B. died February 17th, 1837. The cause of his death was haemoptysis and abscess of the lungs.

"A. S. died February 23rd, 1837. The cause of his death was hepatitis, combined with hydrothorax.

" J. S. died February 2Sth, 1837-The cause of his death was hepatitis, combined with ascites. The whole of these patients were suffering from organic disease long before they entered the prison. The epidemic called the influenza prevailing at the same time with the confinement hastened their end. The two last named prisoners were father and son; the confinement had a decided effect in hastening the progress of the disease in both. They did not complain. The boy's body was considerably swelled when he came in: he appeared to me in that state, that inhere had been any interference by active measures, except to alleviate his sufferings, it would have accelerated his decease. He was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. The boy made no complaint. I was ill at the time, and another practitioner was attending for me."

Moral and Religious Instruction.—The chaplain performs two services, with one sermon on Sundays, and prayers on Wednesdays, and Friday mornings; visits the sick as occasion may require; supplies the prisoners with religious books and tracts, and changes them once a week. The books are supplied at the expense of the Division. Administers the Sacrament four times a year to such as present themselves; the average number of communicants between 5 and 6. No system of instruction carried on. It has occasionally happened that there has been a prisoner here who was capable of teaching, and he has been so employed. The chaplain " considers it would be better they should be so occupied, than as at present, idling in the day-rooms. Some express a desire to be instructed, perhaps the generality of them: they are generally very ignorant, but particularly so on religious subjects. Never had an instance of a prisoner asking to see a minister of his particular persuasion. A Roman Catholic committed as a vagrant during the last week refused a book on the grounds of its being a Protestant one: we had no other to give him.

The matron says, "The female prisoners are not instructed, but when any prisoners have been able, they have taught the others. Several children have learned to read by these means. The chaplain occasionally visits them; perhaps on an average once a month, and if sick, every day. They express a desire to be taught, and are chiefly of the agricultural class." All the officers attend Divine service. The keeper reports when prisoners are in solitary confinement, that the chaplain may visit them. No private character book is kept. The chaplain's engagement with the magistrates was that he should perform the same duties as the chaplain at the House of Correction at Louth. On his appointment there, he went over to ascertain what they were. The chaplain's journal contains entries of duties performed, as "Read the morning and evening services, and preached a sermon." The following is a catalogue, of the books in circulation.

A Catalogue of Books in the House of Correction, Spilsby.

1. A Bible and Testament in each day-room.
2. Enfield's Speaker.
3. Clarke's Letters on Moral Geography.
4. Letters to the Young on Early Piety.
5. Kirk White's Remains.
6. Religious Tracts.
7. The Young Christian's Cyclopmdia.
8. Bishop Wilson's Duties of Christianity.
9. Various vols. of Sermons by Clergymen of the Church of England.
10. Bishop of Chester's Christian Institutes.
11. Goldsmith's Abridgment of the History of England.
12. Mrs. Trimmer's School Books.
13. Jamieson's General History.
14. Essay on Early Rising.
15. The Infidel Reclaimed.
16. Abridgment of the Holy Scriptures.
17. Companion to the Altar.
18. Mrs. Trimmer's Tales.
19. Anson's Voyages.
20. Bishop Horne's Commentary on the Psalms.
21. Paley's Evidences of Christianity.
22. Letters from a Mother to her Daughter.
23. Spelling Book.
24. Potts's Discourses on Confirmation.
25. Bishop Wilson on the Practice of Christianity.
26. Wavell's Practical Lectures on the Old Testament.
27. New Manual of Devotions.
28. Nelson's Festivals.
29. Bishop Wilson's Sermons.
30. Lyttleton on the Apostleship of St. Paul.
31. Book of Utility.
32. Voyages to America.
33. Pious Country Parishioner.
34. Macloit's Natural History.

Labour.—The tread-wheels are placed at the extremities of two yards, inclosed with open iron railings. The prisoners receive a penny a-day for their labour upon discharge.

The females are employed in washing for the officers and male prisoners, and mending and making clothing.

Offences and Punishments.—The usual offences are disorderly conduct and attempts at escape, punished by solitary confinement. Whipping is by order of Sessions; it is of no severity, 60 lashes the greatest number inflicted, the skin not broken.

Scourge.—Handle 15 inches in length, with 9 lashes of heavy whipcord, each 19 inches long, with 4 knots in each.

Irons.—For convicts, 5 lbs.; refractory prisoners, 15 lbs.

Visits.—Prisoners are permitted to receive visits the first Monday in the month, by order of a magistrate. There is no convenient place set apart for this purpose; both parties go to the open rails at the ends of the airing yards, and strangers may thus communicate with all the prisoners in the class. Tobacco is frequently attempted to be passed in this way.

The mill is employed in grinding for the public and the keeper. The charges are 5s. 4d. per quarter for wheat; beans, barley, and oats, 2s. 8d.; and for crushing malt, 8d. The keeper states,—"Sometimes I gain, and sometimes lose, by the supply of provisions at 5d. a-head per day. The mill sometimes loses, and sometimes gains for me; and if I had not the means of purchasing stock, when corn was low, I should have lost. I am allowed 40l. a-year for a turnkey, and 30l, for a miller. The sum is so small that I am obliged to economize: I consider I lose by the miller in the article of board."

General Discipline.—The system of prison government here carried on is that of classification and unchecked association in the day-rooms. The officers say,—"It is impossible for us, on account of other duties, always to attend the mill. The prisoners' conversation is very bad, swearing, and all sorts of bad language are made use of. They-frequently talk of a night, before going out, or at Sessions' time. They shout to each other; they can-talk from cell to cell." The male prisoners are taken to work occasionally outside the prison, to mowing the grass and cleaning. In May, 1836, a prisoner escaped from the turnkey while thus employed, and was not retaken until 9 months afterwards. The prisoners not able to work at the mill are employed in the garden, and one employed as sweeper cleans the keeper's knives and forks, boots, shoes, &c. There has been one attempt at escape the present year (1837); a boy found a bit of iron used for breaking coals, and with it had removed several bricks out of the wall of his sleeping cell, but was discovered. One of the turnkeys states,—" That they get in tobacco; I found 2½ ounces on the keeper's servant, a boy now lying very ill in the prison, he having attempted to poison himself with arsenic, which he purchased." The chaplain inquired of him his motive. He said, "He did not like to live in prison; why, he did not know. Was not ill treated, but did not like to stop a year in prison." He had not been a week before he ran away, and was taken before the magistrates, and sentenced to 14 days' confinement, and was placed with the misdemeanants. The tobacco was not found on him until after he was taken ill; after some hesitation, he said he had got it for one of the prisoners. He was dangerously ill for a time. The solitary confinement by sentence of Court never exceeds 14 days; it is carried into effect by putting the prisoner alone in a day-room during the day, and removing him to his ordinary sleeping cell at night.

The vagrants are not placed in separate cells at night, but sleep in a day-room: on the day of inspection seven were thus together in a single room, and there had been an instance of as many as 12, several single sleeping cells being at the same time unoccupied. The debtors (from courts for the recovery of small debts) are not allowed to associate with the other prisoners, but boys are occasionally placed in the same ward, to preserve them from contamination. I found 3 in confinement on the day of inspection; 2 for stealing fruit, and the third for stealing a horse. On the female side, 4 females were sleeping in 2 beds, which was thus explained by the matron: that one was subject to fits, and not safe to be left without a companion; another verging on idiotcy, who would never sleep alone, and when put by herself, is up the whole night, incessantly knocking at the doors and disturbing the whole prison; the present making the fourth time of her having been imprisoned. The keeper says,—"The vagrants throw themselves into prison to get cured of diseases, and for a shelter in bad weather. Their conversation and behaviour are worse than any other class of prisoners. Many of them are thieves, who have committed offences in the south and west of England, and come down to hide themselves in the marshes, and are taken up for acts. of vagrancy. Has been himself the means of detecting cases of this kind. The misdemeanants are exclusively agricultural labourers. The beer-shops are the cause of a great many coming here. Four-fifths of them declare, that but for the beer-shops they would not have been in. Only 1 female has been transported from hence during 6 years. This was a girl about 18 years of age, and it made, for the time, a great impression upon the prisoners. There are no rules: I go according to the Act of Parliament as near as I can, and in accordance with the discipline enforced in the House of Correction at Louth, as the older prison. My instructions were, to inquire how the other prison was managed, and to follow it."

I recommend, as at Louth, that the practice of paying convicted prisoners for working at the tread-wheel be abolished; that the vagrants and all other prisoners sleep, as far as practicable, in separate cells; that the discipline be increased in intensity by the enforcement of silence; that the means of instruction be provided; that the dangerous practice of working the prisoners outside the walls be discontinued; that partitions be placed on the wheels; that the supplying the prisoners with food by the keeper cease; that a set of rules and regulations for the government of the prison be drawn up and submitted to the Secretary of State for approval.

Keeper.—Age 55; appointed 1826; salary 150l., coals, candles, washing, garden, and plot of ground outside; a guinea a day is allowed the keeper for his attendance at the assizes, and 10s. 6d. at the sessions, independent of mileage for conveying prisoners.

Matron.—Appointed 1826; salary 20l.; wife of the keeper.

Turnkey.—Age33; appointed 1833; wages 14s. a week, coals; married; resides in the lodge; read and write.

Miller and Turnkey.—Age 19; appointed 1837; wages 11l. 10A*. annually, and board; resides in the prison.

Chaplain.—Appointed 1827; salary 100l.; holds a curacy, with a single duty to perform on Sundays, at a distance of five miles from Spilsby; is also master of the Grammar-school; resides close to the prison.

Surgeon.—Appointed 1827; 30l. for medicines and attendance.