The inspectors visited Newgate Prison, first the 'Chapel Yard' rooms. In some rooms
were 50 prisoners.
"Here were associated together the convicted and the untried, the felon and and
the misdemeanant, the sane and the insane, the old and young offenderall the
classes, which are required by the the Gaol Act to be kept distinct, ("care being
taken that prisoners of those classes do not intermix with each other,") are here
confounded together; and, as if to increase the evil, and to show a greater
contempt for the law, there is also added the insane.
In ward No.10 we found that the wardsman, a convicted prisoner, owned all the
bedding, crockery ware, the knives, forks, kettles and saucepans, for the use of which
each prisoner pays him 2s.6d. per week. The above-mentioned articles are pur
chased for the purpose by the wardsman, upon his appointment to his situation.
who was wardsman until a few days ago in this ward (No. 10), paid on his
appointment, £3.10s. The present wardsman, has as yet paid nothing; but if he
continues his situation he will do so, and will receive from the prisoners the usual pay.
In this ward, in consequence of the high demand of money for extra accom
modations, such as are considered the most decent and respectable of the prisoners
are usually placed; and it appeared to us, that as many as were able to pay the sum
required, readily found admission to it
We also found several books: amongst them Guthrie's Grammar, a song book, the
Keepsake Annual for 1836, and the by 18 plates, published by Stockdale,
1827. This last is a book of a most disgusting nature, and the plates are obscene and
indecent in the extreme. It was claimed as his property by a prisoner namedand
was kept in the cupboard without any attempt at concealment. We also met with
large bundles of papers, which on examinafion proved to be rough draughts of briefs
for the use of prisoners' counsel; and were informed by one or two of the principal
turnkeys, that the wardsman of No.l 0, Chapel Yard, and also the wardsman of the
Master's Side Yard, are permitted by the prison authorities to draw briefs for the
defence of prisoners, bofh male and female, and to receive 5s. for each brief.
Though it is said that only one person is allowed by the prison regulations to visit any
prisoner on the visiting days, yet, in addition to our having seen several friends at one
time visiting the same prisoners, we find that there are several modes of evading this
rule; for, as all fhe prisones have access to the yard during the visiting hours, any one
prisoner may see the friends of all the rest; and under the pretence of seeing different
prisoners, a number of friends may contrive to hold unrestricted intercourse with any
one prisoner. Visitors are searched at the outer lodge; men by a male officer, and
women by a female, who are always in attendance for that purpose. But from the
number of visitors, which on some days amounts to 100 or 150, the shortness of the
time for search of so many, the disagreeable nature of the duty, the impossibility of its
being effectively performed, and the result of our inquiries among prisoners and
officers, we are satisfied that various improper and dangerous articles, such as cards,
tobacco, watch-soring saws and fine files, to aid attempts to escape, pocket fire
arms, powder and balls, might with ease be intro-duced to a considerable and
alarming extent.
