grants, and one female felon. Fifty of these prisoners were under seventeen years of age. Although this is a house of correction, and for a description of offenders who require strict discipline, yet no hard labour or employment of any kind is enforced. The consequence is, that re-committals are frequent; and last year they amounted in number to twenty-five. The prison contains three day-rooms, two rooms formerly used as work-rooms for beating hemp, and two yards; but none of these are under inspection, as the keeper's house is across a public footway. There are sixteen sleeping-cells, but 37 prisoners were confined at one time in the last year. There are no separate apartments for prisoners when sick. Divine service is performed once a week. Each prisoner is allowed 1 lb. of bread daily. STAFFORDSHIRE. STAFFORD. County Gaol and House of Correction. April 1824. THIS prison stands in an airy and elevated situation, at a short distance from the town of Stafford. The boundary-wall encloses a quadrangular plot of ground, about 400 feet in front, containing three acres. The prison was erected in 1793 for one establishment, the whole being connected and under the same roof. The buildings, which are of brick, project from each other at right angles, so as to form three middle or internal courts, which are by these means enclosed within high walls. The governor's house is opposite the entrance, having a neat enclosed garden in front. Behind, is the central court, which conducts to the principal departments of the prison: this court is only accessible to the prisoners when they are conveyed to or from the different classes. The matron's house is on the opposite side of this court. The other two courts, which are spacious, form part of the prisoners' airing-yards. The other airing-yards are placed on the outside of the main building, and are enclosed so as to leave a road or passage-way round the prison, between the boundary-wall and the airingyards. There are no means of central inspection over the prison; but from this surrounding passage the governor and officers are enabled to inspect the prisoners while in the yards with great facility, the external enclosure of the yards being formed of iron railing which has been lately put up, instead of the wooden paling which formed the original barrier. At the time of this visit, the prisoners were actively employed in covering the surface of the yards with broken stones, on the improved system of road-making. The yards in the rear, occupied by the women, have a tolerable degree of inspection from the matron's house they are now enclosed with brick-walls, next to the surrounding passage, to prevent communication with the male officers. An octangular turnkey's lodge is placed in the rear passage, which affords inspection over the adjoining yards of the male prisoners. It is proposed to erect two additional lodges next to the surrounding passage, for turnkeys' residences, in order to render the external boundaries of the prison more secure. The prison buildings, which are three stories high, comprise several double ranges of cells (each cell about 9 feet by 8 feet,) opening into a middle gallery, or passage: this arrangement prevents that perfect separation of the classes, which may be obtained by distinct buildings or subdivisions. The principal day-rooms are at the extremity of each passage, and consequently cannot be inspected without going to their respective entrances. On one side of the governor's house is a good kitchen and offices, with separate yard; and on the other side is the taskmaster's residence, adjoining to which the debtors have a spacious airing-court, about 100 feet by 70, with arcades. The chapel is over the matron's house, and the prisoners have access to it by a gallery round the central court. In the chapel the men and women cannot see each other, the front of the women's sittings being enclosed with cloth blinds. Next to the surrounding passage are several work-shops, for untried prisoners, and also the hospital, with an airing-yard attached. The male prisoners weave cloth and linen, blankets, rugs, and ticken. In the dye-house a fulling-mill, worked by handcranks, employs four men at a time at hard labour. A cylinderwheel, of 16 feet diameter, is used for pumping water into a large tank; two men at a time working separately on the inside of the wheel. The convicted male felons are employed in solitary cells, heading pins. Other prisoners make shoes and clothes for the service of the prison. The necessary repairs of the buildings are also performed by the prisoners, and it is intended to employ them in the new erections which are in contemplation. The house-of-correction prisoners are employed at two treadwheels, in a separate building, on the gaol side of the prison, but these prisoners are not at present well classed or inspected. The mill-house is attached, and also the bake-house: corn is ground here, and the bread baked is for the service of the prison, and for the county lunatic asylum. Twenty-two prisoners are usually employed at the tread-wheels. The female prisoners are provided with constant employment, under the superintendence of the matron and a female assistant. The house-of-correction women wash the prison linen and clothes. Some are occupied in the kitchen to prepare the food, and others work in their day-rooms, at spinning, knitting stockings, making and mending the prison clothing, &c. The amount of earnings, from Michaelmas 1822 to Michaelmas 1823, was £677. 5s. 1d., one-sixth of which is allowed to the prisoners. The present classification is as follows: In order to establish a more perfect division between the gaol and house of correction, it is proposed to make considerable alterations in the prison. The present mill-house and bakehouse are to be removed, and additional buildings are to be erected for the separate confinement of the house-of-correction prisoners. It is also intended to erect additional tread-wheels, for the employment of convicts sentenced to hard labour. The chaplain attends at the prison every day, and superintends the schools for the men and boys. On Sundays he performs divine service, and reads prayers every Wednesday and Friday. The conduct and appearance of the prisoners on this visit was very satisfactory and becoming. They seemed to be in good health, clean, silent, and orderly. The debtors were the only persons who indicated a disposition not to make the best use of their time, being engaged at some idle games in their airingcourt. The other parts of the prison presented a scene of quiet and active occupation, in various kinds of labour, the daily routine of which must have the best effects, by establishing habits of obedience and industry. The prison-buildings were in a state of perfect cleanliness, and the arrangements throughout reflect great credit on the governor. The system of solitary confinement, in working cells, to which the convicted felons are subjected, is said to have been productive of excellent results. The number of prisoners in confinement at this time was as follows: : Males. Under sentence of death, but reprieved.... 13 Under sentence of imprisonment 622 Females. 3 6 3 59 9 At Michaelmas 1822, the number of prisoners was 233; and at Michaelmas 1823, 197. The greatest number at one time last year was 247. LICHFIELD. City Gaol and House of Correction. Jan. 1824. THIS prison is under the jurisdiction of the corporation of Lichfield, comprising, in addition to the city, the county of Lichfield, about twelve miles in circumference, and including a population of more than 6,000 persons. The number of prisoners is in general but small. Last year the number of commitments was only 23; and the greatest number of prisoners at one time 10; viz. three male and three female felons, two male and two female misdemeanants. The building does not admit of proper classification. There are eleven rooms and cells, and three yards, but these are not under inspection. A handmill has been recently put up, for grinding corn; there was before no means of employment. There is no regular attendance of a chaplain. Prisoners are supplied with Bibles and Prayer-books. Bedding is provided, and clothing is furnished when necessary. The weekly allowance of food costs 3s. 6d. per head. In the Report made by the justices, at the Michaelmas sessions 1823, it was stated, that it would be a great hardship to the inhabitants of the city to enlarge the prison, at their expense, so as to adapt it to the regulations required by the new Act; and that the average number of prisoners therein does not require the same; there being, at some periods, no prisoners in the gaol for months together: and, for the same reasons, the appointment of a regular chaplain and surgeon, at a fixed salary, would impose a heavy and unnecessary burden, the occasions for the surgeon being only temporary. In the subsequent Act of 5 Geo. 4, this prison has been exempted from the general provisions of the Gaol Act. SUFFOLK. BURY. County Gaol and House of Correction. Oct. 1824. This prison now contains accommodation for fourteen classes of offenders, seven for males and seven for females. To each class is appropriated a separate department, comprising a dayroom, work-room, and airing-yard. The principle of the construction of this gaol, which affords complete inspection over the several departments, has been fully described in the former Reports of the Society, since the publication of which there has been no material alteration in the buildings. Four tread-wheels are in daily operation. Some of the prisoners work as shoemakers and tailors, for the service of the prison. The women wash, mend, and make up the linen, &c. The |