Borough of Scarborough Gaol Sessions. 1854. Leather binding - 1854

Scarborough Borough. Yorkshire, 1854. Fine. 22 34 4. Brown leather binding with red title plate and gilt title on the front board. Marbled endpapers.

A truly fascinating read

This is the original gaol copy of the >Borough of Scarborough Gaol Sessions of 1854. The book is in great condition with 100's of very legible handwritten entries. A superb snapshot of mid Victorian English life.

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Until the nineteenth century, most prisons in England and Wales were administered locally and were not the responsibility of the central government. They were used primarily for the correction of minor offenders and to hold suspects awaiting trial or punishment. Lists of prisoners may be found in many local records, but usually consist of little more than names and information about offence and sentence. In the nineteenth century, the use of imprisonment as a punishment expanded massively, and the central government became much more involved in the ownership and administration of prisons, beginning with Millbank (1816), Parkhurst (1838), Pentonville (1842) and Portland (1848). Additionally, from the late eighteenth century, the state began to keep growing amounts of personal information about criminals, and so large numbers of prison registers began to be kept, which could include detailed biographical information and (later in the century) photographs, and help to trace the movements of prisoners between institutions.

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Old Prison, Dean Road, Scarborough

Grade II Listed jail by William Baldwin Stewart and Alexander Taylor. Designed for 36 male, 12 female and 4 debtor prisoners, the foundation stone was laid by October 1865 with the 'roofing supper' in February 1866. Capacity was later increased to 79. At a cost of £12,000 it replaced the 1843 Castle Road prison but was only open for 12 years, closing in 1878 with only 17 committed that year compared to 298 in 1868. The new 'escape proof' prison was breached within the week, the 15ft wall scaled by one prisoner with an improvised rope. Now used by the Scarborough Borough Council as a depot/nursery the female link building was demolished many years ago.

TRANSCRIPT

At the Michaelmas Gaol Sessions held the 26th day of September 1854 Present: J. V. Sharpin - Esquire the Mayor

1. I. Byron, George Knowles, John Wharton & T. Pinnell - Esquires

Read the Minutes of the last Gaol Sessions. Read the Visiting Justices Quarterly Report as follows: Visiting Justices Room Sep. 25th 1854. The Report of the Visiting Justices of the Borough of Scarbro to the Justices of the said Borough in the Michaelmas Gaol Sessions assembled on Tuesday the 26th day of September. The Visiting Justices Report that the commitments during the past Quarter have been seven Males & five Females. Total 12. The greatest number at one time in custody has been six males & three females. Total 9. Our cost for diet during the Quarter has been less by 3/4 per day, than the previous Quarter as which has been 6½ each Prisoner. We are happy to say we have no prisoners for trial this Sessions. The Chaplains Report is very satisfactory. We find the prison clean and in good order. We have not rec'd the Gaol Surgeons report he being unwell. We cannot close the Report without congratulating the Justices of the Borough of Scarbro on the light number of commitments compared with previous years the present number being only 57 and on referring to the year 1837 we find 98. John, V Sharpin. Mayor, John Wharton and Thos. Pinnell. Resolved that the same be received & adopted and that the thanks of the Court be given to the Visiting Justices and that they be requested to continue their services until the next sessions. Read the Surgeon's Quarterly Report as follows: Surgeon's Report to the Justices of the Borough of Scarborough in Michaelmas Gaol Sessions assembled on Tuesday the 26th day of September 1834. Gentlemen, The report I have to make on this occasion is merely nominal & I can only refer you to the annual statement which I have this day submitted to your consideration. Since the last quarterly meeting I have only had to treat four cases of disease & these were of a mild character. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your most obedient Servant, William Taylor. Summary of Disease Debility ......1 Venereal disease ......1 Ulcer ......1 Gonorrhoea ......1 Total 4 Read the Surgeon's Annual Report as follows: Surgeon's Report to the Justices of the Borough of Scarborough, in Michaelmas Gaol Sessions assembled on Tuesday the 26th day of September 1854. Gentlemen, Annual Report This being the yearly Report I beg to append a short Abstract of the diseases under which the Prisoners have been laboring. In the quarterly communications I have noticed from time to time circumstances which might properly become the subjects of remark by the Surgeon. I have had to visit the Gaol very often during the year & if you see from the Journal that 207 visits are recorded, these were not required from any severity of disease but mostly in accordance with Prison regulations - solitary confinement has increased the number of visits & I take the present opportunity of again stating that in my belief this sentence if carried out to the letter will in many cases leave a Prisoner in a worse condition as far as bodily health is concerned than at the time of committal. I have prescribed for 31 Prisoners for various complaints & out of this number 22 were more or less diseased when I first examined them. The number out of health appears large in proportion to the entire committals during the past twelve months. Diet & regimen exercise a favourable influence on disease in the Gaol, except in the case of solitary confinement. Trampers and others committed for short periods leave the Gaol in a condition much improved. I have the honour to be Gentlemen. Your obedient, Servant William Taylor Summary of disease Organs of respiration & circulation – 5 " of digestion & mucous surfaces – 6 " of genito-urinary organs – 7 " of skin & cutaneous tissues – 10 " of disease of uncertain seat – 8 " hernia – 1 " injury – 5 Total 42 The Justices of the Borough of Scarborough ( MORE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST )