Now! Then! Unappetising conditions in the police cells and the old lock-up at Halifax

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HALIFAX. POLICE LOCK-UPS
(Inspected December 1, 1843.)
[…]
Dimensions of Cells.
1. 4 feet 10 inches by 8 feet 11 inches
2. 5 feet by 8 feet 11 inches.
3. 5 feet 2 inches by 8 feet 11 inches.
[All 6 feet 11 inches high. Passage dimensions.]
Women’s room 15 feet 6 inches by 17 feet, height 9 feet 8 inches.

The deputy constable states:

During the chartist riots 24 prisoners were confined in the three cells for three days. On the 24th of June, 15 prisoners were confined in the three cells, and two in the women’s room, and remained until the 26th. Sometimes prisoners are remanded, and remain in the lock-ups a week. The number of prisoners confined from Saturday to Monday average four or five. They are allowed two pounds of bread and two quarts of coffee per diem.

These cells are under the care of the police, but are inconveniently situated at the end of a yard beyond their immediate supervision. They formed a part of the old workhouse, and adjoin some buildings still occupied as almshouses; another portion of the workhouse has been appropriated as a nightly refuge for vagrants; this was in a very clean and creditable state. A vagrant was lying there who had died of typhus on the morning of my visit. I cannot express myself in too strong terms upon the wretched accommodation for prisoners in these lock-ups. They are defective in size, light, ventilation, and in the most common requisites; and they are to suffice for the temporary detention of all persons charged with offences out of a population of, I believe, 24,000 souls. It will scarcely be credited that, according to the evidence of the deputy constable, during the riots of June, 1842, 15 prisoners were confined in these cells, three in each for three days, of which the dimensions of the smallest are 4 feet 10 by 8 feet ll, and 6 feet 11 in height; the area of the largest but 5 feet 2 by 8 feet 11 and 6 feet 11 in height.

The only prisoner on the day of inspection was a person charged with robbery, and under remand; he had complained of the want of accommodation, and had been allowed to sit in the constable’s room during the day, upon paying for a person to watch over his security from escape. I have felt it my duty to report these lock-ups specially to the Secretary of State.

HALIFAX. THE LOCK-UP

In another part of the town of Halifax is an old building used as a receptacle for the fire- engines, within which is a cell known by the name of the Dungeon, and which, I understood, was disused, it being wholly unfit for the receptacle of human beings. Having expressed a wish to see the interior, the police constable found the keys, and upon entering, to my surprise, we stumbled in the dark over what proved to be a boy. Upon procuring a light and interrogating him, he stated that

He was 12 years of age, that he had been taken before the magistrates yesterday, and sentenced to imprisonment in the House of Correction at Wakefield, and that the constable had put him in there at three o’clock the day before, after leaving the court. He had a dinner before he came in, given him by the constable; and tea and coffee and a penny tea-cake, and a bit of one this morning. Could not sleep, it was so cold.

The condition of this place was most wretched; the only bedding a quantity of dirty longleft straw and an old rug; quite dark, and without ventilation; no convenience of any description whatever for natural wants, and a heap of old excrement lay in the corner. I immediately represented the case to the justices, and they expressed themselves quite ignorant of the circumstances of the boy being there, supposing he had been conveyed the day previously to Wakefield, according to their positive directions. The constable was called before them, and he stated

His reason for placing the boy there was, that he thought there might be more prisoners for him to take to Wakefield the next day.

I have every reason to believe no such occurrence will again take place, and that this dungeon will not be used as a place of confinement under any circumstances in future.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

They examined several other institutions in Halifax on the same day, but I have cherrypicked the worst. It would be interesting to read reports on follow-up inspections under the Prisons Act 1835.

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Original

HALIFAX. POLICE LOCK-UPS
(Inspected December 1, 1843.)
[…]
Dimensions of Cells.
1. 4 feet 10 inches by 8 feet 11 inches
2. 5 feet by 8 feet 11 inches.
3. 5 feet 2 inches by 8 feet 11 inches.
[All 6 feet 11 inches high. Passage dimensions.]
Women’s room 15 feet 6 inches by 17 feet, height 9 feet 8 inches.

The deputy constable states:

During the chartist riots 24 prisoners were confined in the three cells for three days. On the 24th of June, 15 prisoners were confined in the three cells, and two in the women’s room, and remained until the 26th. Sometimes prisoners are remanded, and remain in the lock-ups a week. The number of prisoners confined from Saturday to Monday average four or five. They are allowed two pounds of bread and two quarts of coffee per diem.

These cells are under the care of the police, but are inconveniently situated at the end of a yard beyond their immediate supervision. They formed a part of the old workhouse, and adjoin some buildings still occupied as almshouses; another portion of the workhouse has been appropriated as a nightly refuge for vagrants; this was in a very clean and creditable state. A vagrant was lying there who had died of typhus on the morning of my visit. I cannot express myself in too strong terms upon the wretched accommodation for prisoners in these lock-ups. They are defective in size, light, ventilation, and in the most common requisites; and they are to suffice for the temporary detention of all persons charged with offences out of a population of, I believe, 24,000 souls. It will scarcely be credited that, according to the evidence of the deputy constable, during the riots of June, 1842, 15 prisoners were confined in these cells, three in each for three days, of which the dimensions of the smallest are 4 feet 10 by 8 feet ll, and 6 feet 11 in height; the area of the largest but 5 feet 2 by 8 feet 11 and 6 feet 11 in height.

The only prisoner on the day of inspection was a person charged with robbery, and under remand; he had complained of the want of accommodation, and had been allowed to sit in the constable’s room during the day, upon paying for a person to watch over his security from escape. I have felt it my duty to report these lock-ups specially to the Secretary of State.

HALIFAX. THE LOCK-UP

In another part of the town of Halifax is an old building used as a receptacle for the fire- engines, within which is a cell known by the name of the Dungeon, and which, I understood, was disused, it being wholly unfit for the receptacle of human beings. Having expressed a wish to see the interior, the police constable found the keys, and upon entering, to my surprise, we stumbled in the dark over what proved to be a boy. Upon procuring a light and interrogating him, he stated that

He was 12 years of age, that he had been taken before the magistrates yesterday, and sentenced to imprisonment in the House of Correction at Wakefield, and that the constable had put him in there at three o’clock the day before, after leaving the court. He had a dinner before he came in, given him by the constable; and tea and coffee and a penny tea-cake, and a bit of one this morning. Could not sleep, it was so cold.

The condition of this place was most wretched; the only bedding a quantity of dirty longleft straw and an old rug; quite dark, and without ventilation; no convenience of any description whatever for natural wants, and a heap of old excrement lay in the corner. I immediately represented the case to the justices, and they expressed themselves quite ignorant of the circumstances of the boy being there, supposing he had been conveyed the day previously to Wakefield, according to their positive directions. The constable was called before them, and he stated

His reason for placing the boy there was, that he thought there might be more prisoners for him to take to Wakefield the next day.

I have every reason to believe no such occurrence will again take place, and that this dungeon will not be used as a place of confinement under any circumstances in future.

732 words.