February 1795:

Quere 2dWhether the Prisoners are properly maintained
respecting the Articles of Prison Allowance Beds
Cloathing and Cleanliness.?

AnswerThe Prison Allowance which have also been extended to the
Convicts since the Two pence's were withdrawn and discontinued are as
follows.

[mark] At present 36 Men and 27
Women receive Soup and
Beef and the remainder is
divided amongst those who
work best and are most
orderby: About 14 Men and
10 Women receive a partial
support from their Friends.

1st1 pound of Bread a day which Costs at present£0..0s..2d

2d [mark] 1 pint of Soup thickened with Potatoes and Onions and
enriched by Bones of Beef} £0..0s..0¼d

3d½ pound of Potatoes, costs wholesale£0..0s..0¼d
4th½ pound of Boiled Beef boiled in the Soup0..0..1¾d
5thExpence of Coals for Cooking£0..0s..0¾d

£0..0s..4½d

The total daily expence of feeding each Prisoner amounts as near as,
possible to 4½ each.

It is here proper to remark how salutary this cheap and wholesome
Regimen has been to the health of the Prisoners; while in Newgate
almost the whole Prisoners are stated to have been infected with obstructed
perspirations and Colds scarce a Person in the New Bridewell has been
seized with any Cough or the appearance of bold during the late severe
weather: The Soup during the Winter has been made and issued every
day in place of 4 days in the week as formerly; but this does not increase
the expence to the County as it is made somewhat weaker. - From the
appearance of the Prisoners it is evident that it is not only a very
wholesome food but also sufficiently nourishing to support them under a
moderate degree of labour, but the great distance of time between the Dinner
meal at 12 o Clock and the Breakfast at 9 next morning being 21 hours
occasions such a degree of hunger to Persons who labour that they snap up
the Loaf wholly the moment it is issued in the Morning and have not
Bread afterwardes during the whole of the day.