EVIDENCE BEFORE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Public attention was so far aroused on the subject of prison discipline,
and the condition of criminals, that a Committee of the House of Commons
was appointed to examine into evidence respecting the prisons of the
metropolis. On the 27th of February, 1818, Mrs. Fry was examined by this
Committee, relative to her personal experiences of this work, and her
own labors in connection with it. The clear, calm statements made by her
before this Committee cast considerable light upon her doings, and the
principles upon which she acted. There is no exaggeration, no
braggadocio, no flourish of philanthropy,--simply a straightforward
story of quiet but persistent endeavors to lessen the human misery
within the walls of the prison at Newgate; for, hitherto, her efforts
had been confined to that jail.
"_Query_. You applied to the Committee of the Court of Aldermen?"
"_Ans_. Not at first; I thought it better to try the experiment for a
month, and then to ask them whether they would second us, and adopt our
measures as their own; we, therefore, assembled our women, read over our
rules, brought them work, knitting, and other things, and our
institution commenced; it has now been about ten months. Our rules have
certainly been occasionally broken, but very seldom; order has generally
been observed. I think I may say we have full power among them, for one
of them said it was more terrible to be brought up before me than before
the judge, though we use nothing but kindness. I have never punished a
woman during the whole time, or even proposed a punishment to them; and
yet I think it is impossible in a well-ordered house to have rules more
strictly attended to than they are, as far as I order them, or our
friends in general. With regard to our work, they have made nearly
twenty thousand articles of wearing apparel, the generality of which is
supplied by the slop-shops, which pay very little. Excepting three out
of this number that were missing, which we really do not think owing to
the women, we have never lost a single article. They knit from about
sixty to a hundred pairs of stockings and socks every month; they spin a
little. The earnings of work, we think, average about eighteenpence per
week for each person. This is generally spent in assisting them to live,
and helps to clothe them. For this purpose they subscribe out of their
small earnings of work about four pounds a month, and we subscribe about
eight, which keeps them covered and decent. Another very important point
is the excellent effects we have found to result from religious
education; our habit is constantly to read the Scriptures to them twice
a day. Many of them are taught, and some of them have been enabled to
read a little themselves; it has had an astonishing effect. I never saw
the Scriptures received in the same way, and to many of them they have
been entirely new, both the great system of religion and morality
contained in them; and it has been very satisfactory to observe the
effect upon their minds. When I have sometimes gone and said it was my
intention to read, they would flock up-stairs after me, as if it were a
great pleasure I had to afford them."
"You have confined yourself to reading the Scriptures, and pointing out
generally the moral lessons that might be derived from them?"
"Yes, generally so."
"Without inculcating any particular doctrine?"
"Nothing but the general Scripture doctrine; in short, they are not
capable of receiving any other."
"Nothing but the morals of the Scripture,--the duties towards God and
man?"
"That is all; we are very particular in endeavoring to keep close to
that. We consider, from the situation we fill, as it respects the
public, as well as the poor creatures themselves, that it would be
highly indecorous to press any particular doctrine of any kind, anything
beyond the fundamental doctrines of Scripture. We have had considerable
satisfaction in observing, not only the improved state of the women in
the prison, but we understand from the governor and clergyman at the
penitentiary, that those who have been under our care are very different
from those who come from other prisons. We also may state that when they
left Newgate to go to Botany Bay, such a thing was never known in the
prison before as the quietness and order with which they left it;
instead of tearing down everything, and burning it, it was impossible to
leave it more peaceably. And as a proof that their moral and religious
instruction have had some effect upon their minds, when those poor
creatures were going to Botany Bay, the little fund we allowed them to
collect for themselves, in a small box under our care, they entreated
might all be given to those that were going, those who remained saying
that they wished to give up their little share of the profit to the
others."
"Do you know anything of the room and accommodation for the women in
1815?"
"I do not; I did not visit it in that year."
"What was it in 1817?"
"Not nearly room enough. If we had room enough to class them, I think a
very great deal more might be accomplished. We labor very much in the
day, and we see the fruit of our labor: but if we could separate them in
the night, I do think that we could not calculate upon the effect which
would be produced."
"At present, those convicted for all offenses pass the day together?"
"Very much so; very much intermixed, old and young, hardened offenders
with those who have committed only a minor crime, or the first crime;
the very lowest of women with respectable married women and
maid-servants. It is more injurious than can be described, in its
effects and in its consequences. One little instance to prove how
beneficial it is to take care of the prisoners, is afforded by the case
of a poor woman, for whom we have obtained pardon (Lord Sidmouth having
been very kind to us whenever we have applied for the mitigation of
punishment since our committee has been formed). We taught her to knit
in the prison; she is now living respectably out of it, and in part
gains her livelihood by knitting. We generally endeavor to provide for
them in degree when they go out. One poor woman to whom we lent money,
comes every week to my house, and pays two shillings, as honestly and as
punctually as we could desire. We give part, and lend part, to accustom
them to habits of punctuality and honesty."
"Is that woman still in Newgate, whose husband was executed, and she
herself condemned to death, having eight children?"
"She is."
"Has not her character been very materially changed since she has been
under your care?"
"I heard her state to a gentleman going through the other day, that it
had been a very great blessing to her at Newgate, and I think there has
been a very great change in her. Her case is now before Lord Sidmouth,
but we could hardly ask for her immediate liberation."
"What reward, or hope of reward, do you hold out?"
"Rewards form one part of our plan. They not only have the earning of
their work, but we endeavor to stimulate them by a system of marks. We
divide our women into classes, with a monitor over every class, and our
matron at the head. It is the duty of every monitor to take up to the
matron every night an account of the conduct of her class, which is set
down; and if they have a certain number of what we call good marks at
the end of any fixed period, they have for rewards such prizes as we
think proper to give them--generally small articles of clothing, or
Bibles and Testaments."
"Be so good as to state, as nearly as you can, what proportion of the
women, without your assistance, would be in a state of extreme want?"
"It is difficult to say; but I think we average the number of eighty
tried women. Perhaps out of that number twenty may live very well,
twenty very badly, and the others are supported by their friends in some
degree. When I say twenty who live very well, I mention, perhaps, too
large a number--perhaps not above ten. I think their receiving support
from out-of-doors is most injurious, as it respects their moral
principles, and everything else, as it respects the welfare of the city.
There are some very poor people who will almost starve at home, and be
induced to do that which is wrong, in order to keep their poor relations
who are in prison. It is an unfair tax on such people; in addition to
which, it keeps up an evil communication, and, what is more, I believe
they often really encourage the crime by it for which they are put into
prison; for these very people, and especially the coiners and passers of
bank-notes, are supported by their associates in crime, so that it
really tends to keep up their bad practices."
"Do you know whether there is any clothing allowed by the city?"
"Not any. Whenever we have applied or mentioned anything about clothing,
we have always found that there was no other resource but our own,
excepting that the sheriffs used to clothe the prisoners occasionally.
Lately, nobody has clothed them but ourselves; except that the late
sheriffs sent us the other day a present of a few things to make up for
them."
"There is no regular clothing allowed?"
"It appears to me that there is none of any kind."
"Have you never had prisoners there who have suffered materially for
want of clothing?"
"I could describe such scenes as I should hardly think it delicate to
mention. We had a woman the other day, on the point of lying-in, brought
to bed not many hours after she came in. She had hardly a covering; no
stockings, and only a thin gown. Whilst we are there, we can never see a
woman in that state without immediately applying to our fund."
"When they come in they come naked, almost?"
"Yes, this woman came in, and we had to send her up almost every
article of clothing, and to clothe her baby. She could not be tried the
next sessions, but after she had been tried, and when she was
discharged, she went out comfortably clothed; and there are many such
instances."
"Has it not happened that when gentlemen have come in to see the prison,
you have been obliged to stand before the women who were in the prison
in a condition not fit to be seen?"
"Yes, I remember one instance in which I was obliged to stand before one
of the women to prevent her being seen. We sent down to the matron
immediately to get her clothes."
"How long had the woman been in jail?"
"Not long; for we do not, since we have been there, suffer them to be a
day without being clothed?"
"What is the average space allowed to each woman to lie upon, taking the
average number in the prison?"
"I cannot be accurate, not having measured; from eighteen inches to two
feet, I should think."
"By six feet?"
"Yes. I believe the moral discipline of a prison can never be complete
while they are allowed to sleep together in one room. If I may be
allowed to state it, I should prefer a prison where women were allowed
to work together in companies, under proper superintendence; to have
their meals together, and their recreation also; but I would always have
them separated in the night. I believe it would conduce to the health
both of body and mind. Their being in companies during the day, tends,
under proper regulations, to the advancement of principle and industry,
for it affords a stimulus. I should think solitary confinement proper
only in atrocious cases. I would divide every woman for a few weeks,
until I knew what they were, but I would afterwards regulate them as I
have before mentioned."
"Has gaming entirely ceased?"
"It has of late: they have once been found gaming since we had care of
the prison, but I called the women up when I found that some of them had
been playing at cards, and represented to them how much I objected to
it, and how evil I thought its consequence was, especially to them; at
the same time I stated that if there were cards in the prison, I should
consider it a proof of their regard if they would have the candor and
the kindness to bring me their packs. I did not expect they would do it,
for they would feel they had betrayed themselves by it; however, I was
sitting with the matron, and heard a gentle tap at the door, and in
came a trembling woman to tell me she had brought her pack of cards,
that she was not aware how wrong it was, and hoped I would do what I
liked with them. In a few minutes another came up, and in this way I had
five packs of cards burnt. I assured them that so far from its being
remembered against them, I should remember them in another way. I
brought them a present of clothing for what they had done, and one of
them, in a striking manner, said she hoped I would excuse her being so
forward, but, if she might say it, she felt exceedingly disappointed;
she little thought of having clothing given her, but she had hoped I
would give her a Bible, that she might read the Scriptures. This had
been one of the worst girls, and she had behaved so very badly upon her
trial that it was almost shameful. She conducted herself afterwards in
so amiable a manner, that her conduct was almost without a flaw. She is
now in the Penitentiary, and, I hope, will become a valuable member of
society."
"You have stated three things which to your mind are essential to the
reformation of a prison: first, religious instruction; secondly,
classification; thirdly, employment. Do you think that any reformation
can be accomplished without employment?"
"I should believe it impossible; we may instruct as we will, but if we
allow them their time, and they have nothing to do, they must naturally
return to their evil practices."
"How many removals of female prisoners have you had in the last year, in
Newgate; how many gone to Botany Bay?"
"Eighteen women; and thirty-seven to the Penitentiary."
"Can you state out of what number of convicts these have been in the
course of a year?"
"I do not think I can; but, of course, out of many hundreds."
"In fact, has there been only one regular removal within the last year?"
"But one. There is one very important thing which ought to be stated on
the subject of women taking care of women. It has been said that there
were three things which were requisite in forming a prison that would
really tend to the reformation of the women; but there is a fourth, viz:
that women should be taken care of entirely by women, and have no male
attendants, unless it be a medical man or any minister of religion. For
I am convinced that much harm arises from the communication, not only to
the women themselves, but to those who have the care of them."
"In the present arrangement is it not so with regard to the women?"
"It is very nearly so; but if I had a prison completely such as I
should like it, it would be a prison quite apart from the men's prison,
and into which neither turnkeys nor anyone else should enter but female
attendants and the Inspecting Committee of Ladies, except, indeed, such
gentlemen as come to look after their welfare."
"In what does the turnkey interfere now with the prison?"
"Very little; and yet there is a certain intercourse which it is
impossible for us to prevent. And it must be where there is a prison for
women and men, and there are various officers who are men in the prison;
it is impossible that they should be entirely separate. In the present
state of Newgate such a plan as I have in my mind respecting the proper
management of women prisoners cannot be put into execution. We must have
turnkeys and a governor to refer to; but I should like to have a prison
which had nothing to do with men, except those who attended them
spiritually or medically."
"Do you believe men to be as much excluded from all communication with
the women now as is possible in the present state of Newgate?"
"Yes, I think very nearly so. My idea with regard to the employment of
women is, that it should be a regular thing undertaken by Government,
considering (though, perhaps, I am not the person to speak of that) that
there are so many to provide for; there is the army and navy, and so
many things to provide for them; why should not the Government make use
of the prisoners? But I consider it of the utmost importance, and quite
indispensable for the conduct of these institutions, that the prisoners
should have part of the earnings of their work for their own use; a part
they might be allowed to take for tea, sugar, etc., but a part should be
laid by that there maybe some provision for them when they leave the
prison, without their returning to their immoral practices. This is the
case, I believe, in all prisons well regulated, both on the continent of
Europe and America. In a prison under proper regulation, where they had
very little communication with their friends, where they were
sufficiently well fed and clothed, constantly employed and instructed,
and taken care of by women, I have not the least doubt that wonders
would be performed, and that many of those, now the most profligate and
worst of characters, would turn out valuable members of society. After
having said what I have respecting the care of women, I will just add
that I believe that if there were a prison fitted up for us, which we
might visit as inspectors, if employment were found for our women,
little or no communication with the city, and room given to class them,
with female servants only, if there were a thousand of the most unruly
women they would be in excellent order in one week; of that I have not
the least doubt."
The natural consequence of this evidence was increased publicity and
increased usefulness; the first to Mrs. Fry's sorrow, and the second to
her great joy. Much as she desired to work in secret, it was not
possible; nor, all things considered, was it for the best that she
should do so. The prison reform which she desired to see carried out was
destined to cover, and indeed, required a larger area than she could
obtain. But the fame of her improvements at Newgate, the tales of lions
being turned into lambs, and sinners into saints, by the exertions of
this woman and her band of helpers, caught the ear and thrilled the
heart of the public. The excitement produced among the community
deepened and intensified as more of the work became revealed.
Representatives of every class in society visited the gloomy precincts
of Newgate, in order to see and hear for themselves how far these
wonders extended, while at every hospital and fashionable board the
theme was ever the same. At one time Mrs. Fry was at Newgate in company
with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other celebrities; while at
another time she appeared at the Mansion House, honored by royalty, the
"observed of all observers." The Queen of England, among others, was
anxious to see and converse with the woman who had with such quiet power
succeeded in solving a great social problem, and that where municipal
authorities had failed.
Mrs. Fry, although belonging to that religious community which takes not
off the hat to royalty, possessed loyal feelings. Therefore, when Queen
Charlotte commanded her to appear at the Mansion House, in order to be
formerly presented to her, with true womanly grace and respect she
hastened to obey. It was intended that the presentation should have
taken place in the drawing-room, but by some mistake Mrs. Fry was
conducted to the Egyptian Hall, where a number of school-children were
waiting to be examined. Mrs. Fry occupied a post near the platform; and
after a little time the Queen, now aged and infirm, perceived her. As
soon as the examination of the children was over she advanced to Mrs.
Fry. Her Majesty's small figure, her dress blazing with diamonds, her
courtesy and kindness as she spoke to the now celebrated Quakeress, who
stood outwardly calm in the costume of her creed, and just a little
flushed with the unwonted excitement, attracted universal homage.
Around stood several bishops, peers, and peeresses; the hall was filled
with spectators, while outside the crowd surged and swayed as crowds are
wont to do. For a few moments the two women spoke together; then the
strict rules of etiquette were overcome by the enthusiasm of the
assembly and a murmur of applause, followed by a ringing English cheer,
went up. This cheer was repeated by the crowd outside, again and again,
while the most worldly butterfly that ever buzzed and fluttered about a
court learnt that day that there was in goodness and benevolence
something better than fashion and nobler than rank. This was almost, if
not quite, Queen Charlotte's last public appearance; she very soon
afterwards passed to her rest, "old and full of days."
Ever true to her own womanly instincts, we find Mrs. Fry lamenting, in
her journal, that herself and the prison are becoming quite a show; yet,
on the other hand, she recognized the good of this inconvenience,
inasmuch as the work spread among all classes of society. Various
opinions were passed upon her, and on one occasion a serious
misunderstanding with Lord Sidmouth, respecting a case of capital
punishment, severely tried her constancy. Some carping critics found
fault, others were envious, others censorious and shallow; but neither
good report nor evil report moved her very greatly, although possibly at
times they were the subject of much inward struggle.
This question of Prison Reform at last reached Parliament. In June,
1818, the Marquis of Lansdowne moved an address to the Prince Regent,
asking an inquiry into the state of the prisons of the United Kingdom.
He made a remarkable speech, quoting facts relating to the miseries of
the jails, and concluded with a high eulogium on Mrs. Fry's labors among
the criminals of Newgate, giving her the title "Genius of Good." This
step drew public attention still more to the matter and prison-visiting
and prison reform became the order of the day. As public attention had
been aroused, and public sympathy had been gained for the cause, it is
not wonderful that beneficial legislative measures were at last carried.
Meanwhile the ladies continued their good work. It was one of the
cardinal points of their creed, that it was not good for the criminals
to have much intercourse with their friends outside. In past times
unlimited beer had been carried into Newgate; at least the quantity so
disposed of was only limited by the amount of ready cash or credit at
the disposal of the criminals and their friends. This had been stopped
with the happiest results, and now it seemed time to adopt some measures
which should secure some little additional comfort for the prisoners. In
order to effect this a sub-matron, or gate-keeper, was engaged, who
assisted in the duties at the lodge, and kept a small shop "between
gates," where tea, sugar, and other little comforts could be purchased
by the prisoners out of their prison earnings. This step was a
successful one, for with the decrease of temptation from without, came
an increase of comfort from within, provided they earned money and
obeyed rules. Plenty of work could be done, seeing that they all
required more or less clothing, while Botany Bay could take any number
of garments to be utilized for the members of the penal settlement
there.
Two months after Lord Lansdowne's motion was made in Parliament, Mrs.
Fry, together with Joseph John Gurney, his wife, and her own daughter,
Rachel, went into Scotland on a religious and philanthropic tour. The
chief object of this journey seems to have been the visitation of
Friends' Meetings in that part of the kingdom; but the prison enterprise
was by no means forgotten. In her journal she records visits to meetings
of Friends held at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Knowsley.
At the latter place they were guests of the Earl of Derby, and much
enjoyed the palatial hospitality which greeted them. They made a point
of visiting most of the jails and bridewells in the towns through which
they passed, finding in some of them horrors far surpassing anything
that Newgate could have shown them even in its unreformed days. At
Haddington four cells, allotted to prisoners of the tramp and criminal
class, were "very dark, excessively dirty, had clay floors, no
fire-places, straw in one corner for a bed, and in each of them a tub,
the receptacle for all filth." Iron bars were used upon the prisoners so
as to become instruments of torture. In one cell was a poor young man
who was a lunatic--whence nobody knew. He had been subject to the misery
and torture of Haddington jail for eighteen months, without once leaving
his cell for an airing. No clothes were allowed, no medical man attended
those who were incarcerated, and a chaplain never entered there, while
the prison itself was destitute of any airing-yard. The poor debtors,
whether they were few or many, were all confined in one small cell not
nine feet square, where one little bed served for all.
At Kinghorn, Fifeshire, a young laird had languished in a state of
madness for six years in the prison there, and had at last committed
suicide. Poor deranged human nature flew to death as a remedy against
torture. At Forfar, prisoners were chained to the bedstead; at Berwick,
to the walls of their cells; and at Newcastle to a ring in the floor.
The two most objectionable features in Scotch prisons, as appears from
Mr. Gurney's "Notes" of this tour, were the treatment of debtors, and
the cruelties used to lunatics. Both these classes of individuals were
confined as criminals, and treated with the utmost cruelty.
According to Scotch law, the jailer and magistrates who committed the
debtor became responsible for the debt, supposing the prisoner to have
effected his escape. Self-interest, therefore, prompted the adoption of
cruel measures to ensure the detention of the unfortunate debtor; while
helpless lunatics were wholly at the mercy of brutalized keepers who
were responsible to hardly any tribunal. Of the horrors of that dark,
terrible time within those prison-walls, few records appear; few cared
to probe the evil, or to propose a remedy. The archives of Eternity
alone contain the captive's cries, and the lamentations of tortured
lunatics. Only one Eye penetrated the dungeons; one Ear heard. Was not
Elizabeth Fry and her coadjutors doing a god-like work? And when she
raised the clarion cry that _Reformation_, not _Revenge_, was the object
of punishment, she shook these old castles of Giant Despair to their
foundations.