A little farther on, it washed the walls of Cold Bath Fields Prison,
the _House of Correction_, and we get a view of it in Hone's "Table
Book,"[41] p. 75. Here he says, "In 1825, this was the first open
view, nearest London, of the ancient River Fleet: it was taken during
the building of the high arched walls connected with the House of
Correction, Cold Bath Fields, close to which prison the river ran,
as here seen. At that time, the newly erected walls communicated a
peculiarly picturesque effect to the stream flowing within their
confines."
This "House of Correction" was indebted for its birth to the famous
John Howard, who had made an European tour, not to mention a home one,
inquisitorially inspecting prisons. We all know the result of his
labours; how he exposed abuses fearlessly, and made men's hearts soften
somewhat towards those incarcerated.
[Illustration: THE ANCIENT RIVER FLEET, AT CLERKENWELL, 1825.]
Howard, writing in 1789, held that capital punishment should be
abolished except for _murder_, _setting houses on fire_, and for
_house breaking, attended with acts of cruelty_. And speaking of his
Penitentiaries, he says:
"To these houses, however, I would have none but old, hardened
offenders, and those who have, as the laws now stand, forfeited their
lives by robbery, house breaking, and similar Crimes, should be
committed; or, in short, those Criminals who are to be confined for a
long term or for life....
"The _Penitentiary houses_, I would have _built_, in a great measure,
_by the convicts_. I will suppose that a power is obtained from
Parliament to employ such of them as are now at work on the Thames,
or some of those who are in the county gaols, under sentence of
transportation, as may be thought most expedient. In the first place,
let the surrounding wall, intended for full security against escapes,
be completed, and proper lodges for the gate keepers. Let temporary
buildings, of the nature of barracks, be erected in some part of this
enclosure which would be wanted the least, till the whole is finished."
This was a portion of his scheme, and he suggested that it should be
located, where it was afterwards built, in Cold Bath Fields--because
the situation was healthy, that good water could be obtained from the
White Conduit, as the Charter House no longer required that source of
supply, it being well served by the New River Company--that labour was
cheap--and so was food, especially the coarse meat from the shambles at
Islington.
The prisoners were to have separate cells, so as to prevent the
promiscuous herding of all, which had previously produced such
mischievous results, and these cells were to be light and airy. The
convicts of both sexes were to _work_, and their food was to be
apportioned to the work they had to do. Also--a very great step in
the right direction--they were all to wear a prison uniform. Howard,
philanthropist as he was, was very far from lenient to the rogue. He
was fully aware of the value of _work_, and specially provided that
his rogues, in their reformation, should pass through the purifying
process of hard labour. In later times, the way of transgressors was
hard in that place, and it became a terror to evildoers, being known by
the name of the _English Bastile_--which, however, amongst its patrons,
was diminished, until it finally was abbreviated into "the Steel" by
which name it was known until its abolition.[42]
This cognomen was so well known, that, in 1799, a book was written
by "A Middlesex Magistrate" entitled "The Secrets of the English
Bastile disclosed"--which was a favourable story of the management
of the prison in Cold Bath Fields. Still, it was the subject of a
Parliamentary inquiry, as we find in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for
1798-9, under date of Dec. 31, 1798, p. 398, that, in the House of
Commons, Sir Francis Burdett gave notice of his intention of moving, at
some future day, for a report relative to the system practised in the
prison, called the House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields, with regard
to the persons therein confined.
In the "Parliamentary History of England," vol. xxxiv. p. 566, we learn
that on Mar. 6, 1799, Mr. W. Dundas moved that a Select Committee be
appointed to inquire into the state of his Majesty's prison in Cold
Bath Fields, Clerkenwell, and report the same, as it shall appear to
them, together with their opinion thereupon, to the House; and a
Committee was appointed accordingly. Unfortunately, the pages of what,
afterwards, become _Hansard's_, do not record the result.
But in the _Annual Register_ for the same year on Dec. 21st there
was a long report respecting it during a debate on the suspension of
the Habeas Corpus Act. Mr. Courtenay said, that, "having visited the
prisons, he found the prisoners without fire, and without candles,
denied every kind of society, exposed to the cold and the rain, allowed
to breathe the air out of their cells only for an hour, denied every
comfort, every innocent amusement, excluded from all intercourse with
each other, and, each night locked up from all the rest of the world.
He supposed it was scarcely necessary to inform the House, that the
prison of which he had been speaking, was that in Cold Bath Fields,
known by the name of the Bastille." There was a lot more nonsense
of the same type talked by other M.P.'s and, it is needless to say,
that the exaggerated statements were anent a political prisoner--who
afterwards suffered death for treason. And in the remainder of the
debate even the very foundation for the libel was destroyed. It is a
curious fact, that people have an idea that political prisoners, who
have done as much harm to the commonweal as they have the possibility
of doing, are to be treated daintily, and with every consideration for
their extremely sensitive feelings. We, perhaps, in these latter days,
may read a profitable lesson in the suppression of treason, from the
proper carrying out of the sentences legally imposed upon those who
resist the law out of pure malice (legal).
In the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1796, is the following letter to--
_Dec. 10, 1795._
Mr. URBAN.--Your respect for the memory of Mr. Howard, will
induce you to insert the inclosed view of the House of
Correction for the County of Middlesex, formed principally on
his judicious suggestions. It is situated on the North side of
London, between Cold Bath Fields, and Gray's Inn Lane. The spot
on which it is erected having been naturally swampy, and long
used for a public lay-stall, it was found prudent to lay the
foundation so deep, and pile it so securely, that it is supposed
there are as many bricks laid underground as appear to sight.
What is more to the purpose, the internal regulations of this
place of security are believed to be perfectly well adapted to
the salutary purposes to which the building is appropriated.
"Yours, &c., "EUGENIO."
Still Cold Bath Fields Prison had an evil name--in all probability,
because prisoners there, were treated as if they had sinned against
the social canons, and were not persons to be coaxed and _petted_ into
behaviour such as would enable them to rank among their more honest
fellows, and in this way wrote Coleridge and Southey in "The Devil's
Walk," which was suggested by the _pseudo Christos_ BROTHERS who as
these gentlemen wrote:--[43]
"He walked into London leisurely,
The streets were dirty and dim:
But there he saw Brothers, the Prophet,
And Brothers the Prophet saw him."
Well, in the Devil's rambles he came across Cold Bath Fields
Prison--which, as I have said, was not beloved of the criminal class,
and, simply, as I think, for the sake of saying something smart, and
not that they ever had experienced incarceration, or is there any
evidence that they had even seen the prison, they write:
"As he passed through Cold Bath Fields he look'd
At a solitary Cell;
And he was well-pleased, for it gave him a hint
For improving the prisons of Hell.
He saw a turnkey tie a thief's hands
With a cordial try and a jerk;
Nimbly, quoth he, a man's fingers move
When his heart is in his work.
He saw the same turnkey unfettering a man
With little expedition;
And he chuckled to think of his dear slave trade,
And the long debates, and delays that were made
Concerning its abolition."
There is very little doubt, however, that, in the closing year of
last, and the commencing one of this, century, the conduct of the
Governor--a man named Aris--was open to very grave censure. People
outside imagined that all sorts of evils were being perpetrated within
its walls, and, either through laxity, or too great severity, of
discipline, something nigh akin to mutiny occurred in the prison in
July, 1800--which was promptly stopped by the presence of a company
of the Clerkenwell Volunteers. In August of the same year, there was
another outbreak in the prison, the occupants shouting "Murder," and
that they were being starved, in tones loud enough to be heard outside,
and, once more the Volunteers were the active agents in enforcing law
and order. This latter "seething of the pot" lasted a few days, and it
culminated in the discharge of the obnoxious Governor Aris.
There is nothing noteworthy to chronicle of this prison from that
date,[44] all prison details being, necessarily, unsavoury--and this
particular one was not watered with rose water. It was a place of
hard work, and not likely to impress the unproductive class, with a
wish to be permanent inhabitants thereof. Yet, as this present year
witnessed its demolition, something more must be said respecting it.
In the _Globe_ newspaper of January 1, 1887, is this short paragraph:
"Notices were yesterday posted on the walls of Coldbath Fields Prison,
intimating that it is for sale. Tenders are invited for the site, and
all buildings, &c., contained within the boundary walls. The prison
covers an area of eight acres and three quarters."
There ought to be some record of its dying days, for the demolition of
a prison in a large community of people, like ours in London, must mean
one of two things, either a diminution of crime, or, that the prison is
not suitable to the requirements of the age.
The Ninth Report of the Commissioners of Prisons, for the Year ended
March 31, 1886, speaking of Pentonville Prison, says:
"In November, 1885, the majority of the prisoners confined in Coldbath
Fields Prison were transferred to this Prison; and since that date, the
remainder have also been removed here, that prison being now vacated,
and in charge of a warder acting as caretaker.
"The tread-wheel[45] has been taken down at Coldbath Fields Prison, and
is in process of re-erection here.
"The behaviour of the officers has been good, with the exception of
four, discharged by order of the Prison Commissioners.
"The conduct of the prisoners has been generally good.
"The materials and provisions supplied by the Contractors have been
good, and have given satisfaction.
"To meet the requirements of the local prison service, a room is being
completed for the convenience of the members of the Visiting Committee
who attend here, also a room for the daily collection of prisoners to
see the medical officer, and other purposes, as well as various minor
alterations found necessary since the transfer.
"A bakehouse has been completed, and is in working order, supplying
bread to all metropolitan prisons.
"The routine and discipline have been carried out in the same general
manner as heretofore.
"The industrial labour continues to be attended with satisfactory
results; the greater portion is still devoted to supplying the wants of
other prisons or Government establishments instead of the market.
"Uniform clothing for officers is cut out here for all local prisons,
and made up for a considerable number of the smaller prisons, also
prisoners' clothing and bedding, hospital slippers for the Admiralty,
as well as a large number of Cases and other articles for the General
Post Office have been supplied.
"The duties of the Chaplain's department have been performed
uninterruptedly during the year, morning prayers have been said daily,
and Divine Service has been performed on Sundays, Good Friday, and
Christmas day, in the morning and afternoon, with a sermon at both
services. The Holy Communion has been celebrated from time to time on
Sundays and on the great Sunday Festivals. The hospital has been daily
visited; special attention has been paid to the prisoners confined in
the punishment Cells, and constant opportunity has been offered to all
of private instruction and advice. Books from the prisoners' library
have been issued to all who are entitled to receive them, all prisoners
who cannot pass standard three, as set forth by the Education Committee
have been admitted to school instruction.
"School books and slates and pencils are issued to prisoners in their
cells.
"The medical officer states that the health of the prisoners at
Coldbath Fields, and since the transfer to this prison, has been good.
One case of smallpox occurred at Coldbath Fields; as the prisoner had
been some months in gaol, it was clear that he had caught the disease,
either from a warder, or from some prisoner recently received; he had
been a cleaner in the rotunda, and, of course, had been coming into
contact with warders and prisoners alike, in the busiest part of the
prison, the presumption is that the disease had been carried by the
uniform of some warder. There were five cases of erysipelas at Coldbath
Fields, and one at this prison, at the former place the cases came from
all parts of the prison, new and old. The air shafts were thoroughly
swept and limewashed, and disinfected as far as could be reached, and
there is no doubt that it checked the disease.
"The dietary has been satisfactory during the year, and the new pattern
clothing a great improvement.
"Every precaution is taken in classing prisoners for labour suited to
their age, physique and health.
"The sanitary arrangements are most carefully supervised; the
ventilation in the cells is very good."
* * * * *
I offer no apology for intruding this report of Prison life, which,
if one took the trouble to look up the yearly reports, he would find
they are all couched in almost identical language.[46] I simply give it
for the consideration of my readers--who, with myself, do not belong
to the criminal classes--to show them how those who have preyed upon
them, and have deservedly merited punishment, meet with treatment such
as the indigent and industrious poor, when, fallen upon evil times,
can not obtain, and the sooner these pampered criminals feel, through
their flesh--either by the whip, hard labour, or hunger--that the
wages of sin are not paid at a higher rate than that procurable by
honest labour, the probability is that the community at large would be
considerably benefited, and the criminal classes would be in a great
measure deprived of clubs to which there is neither entrance fee,
nor annual subscription, in which everything of the best quality is
found them free of charge, and the health of their precious carcases
specially looked after, and gratuitously attended to.
[Footnote 41: See next page.]
[Footnote 42: J. T. Smith in his "Vagabondiana," ed.
1815-1817, p. 51, alludes thus to the prison: "Perhaps the
only waggery in public-house customs now remaining, is in the
tap room of the Appletree, opposite to Cold Bath Fields
Prison. There are a pair of hand cuffs fastened to the wires
as bell-pulls, and the orders given by some of the company,
when they wish their friends to ring, are, to 'Agitate the
Conductor.'"]
[Footnote 43: "After this I was in a vision, having the angel
of God near me, and saw Satan walking leisurely into London"
("Brothers' Prophecies," part i. p. 41).]
[Footnote 44: I have met with a Newspaper Cutting, with no
clue to its authenticity or date. "DREADFUL RAVAGES OF THE
INFLUENZA IN THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.--Yesterday afternoon,
Inquests were holden by William Baker, Esq., one of the
Coroners for the County of Middlesex, at the House of
Correction, Coldbath Fields, on no less than five individuals,
namely, Peter Griffiths, Michael Hughes, James Jones, Thomas
Lillie, and Ann Connard, all of whom had died from the effects
of the present prevalent epidemic, or influenza, and who were
inmates of that prison, and had been sentenced to different
periods of imprisonment. It is a fact that, for the last two
months, more prisoners have died in this prison, principally
from the effects of influenza, than had died there during the
whole of the preceding year." Possibly the poor Fleet River,
at that time hardly degraded to the level of the Sewer--which
now it is--may have had something to do with the unsanitary
condition of the prison.--J. A.]
[Footnote 45: Adopted at Coldbath Fields Prison, July, 1822.]
[Footnote 46: Let any one compare, for instance, reports for
1884 and 1886.]
[Illustration]