Middlesex Sessions:
Sessions Papers - Justices' Working Documents
SM | PS

April 1765

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These are very few.

The latter but seldom.

Thats an advantage to the Keeper
who is well pd. when it happens.
by the Crown.

'Tis the constant usage to Comit to
these out Prisons, all but desperate
offenders.

This certainly fact.

And for Felonies except desperate

According to Order of Court of Aldermen

as Sheriff of Middx

The City are entitled by express Grant
but by compact It's nominees (the Sheriffs)
may have them possibly.

And this was the true ground of the Order
of 1726. therefore as Keepers are now paid
by Salary. very proper to try the experimt.
of removing them to the Sessions at once.

No Distinction in Table between Felon's & other
Malefactors for Trespasses and its well known
they always till 1732 payd Fees alike-and still
pay fees for going into Masters side or preferable
part of Gaol which may account for the comon
side being neglected, & becoming Leath some
Q. if this rent being given up wod. not be a means
of bettering the whole Gaol.

Most undoubtedly 'tis a part of Gaol or to
what purpose did the statute give power to
enlarge Gaols?

Q. if not Chamber Rent besides?

Persons comd. to any Gaol in the Kingdom
brought up by Ha Cor to be bailed continued
discharged by Court of Kings Bench are Com [..]
to Newgate

The Houses of Parliamt. comit to Newgate [..]
Secrys of State also.

Almost every Session are orders to keeper
Carry offenders into other Counties

Justices of the County comit to Newgate
Newprison & Clerkenwell Bridewell .

The Westmr Justices comitte Tothill Fields & Gate house &
Three to One more than to Newgate and are
removed 6 Days before Session 7.8 [..]

Never heard Middx contributed to repair's
of Newgate

Justices of Middx comit to Clerkenwell Bride
and New Prison for Misdemrs. 9

Sheriffs of London take security from Keep [..] 9

Fines Amerciants. & recogn in Middx belong [..]
to Crown-Sheriffs of London Sieze for Crown

Sheriffs are untitled to effects in London

If Prisoners not received to Newgate
Gaoler loses his Fees.

Admits prisoners have been permitted to [..]
in Compters till Tryal &-sometimes & Compli [..]
to Keeper of Newgate of 1 Gna.10

Dont know of Demand of Fees for Felony, for
Misdemeanours entitled.10

Keeper pays rent of 30 or £40. for Press
yard, to City.11

City pay Keeper £200. P Ann.12

Prisoners are in Press yard tho' not pa [..]
of the Gaol.

No person has a right without agreeing with
Keep for his Fee; of £3:6s:8d12

By 6 Geo. Cap 19. Justices Comitt petty Felons
as well as Trespasses & Vagrants to the
Houses of Correction which by reason of 5 Hen 4.
and subsequent Statutes could not do.

Middx is exempted by reason of a saving to Gaols of
Inheritance (which Newgate is) nor have the County
power to repair as the law now stands it being the
City's Freehold. vid 11. & 12 w3. 19.

vid. antea

If every Gaoler deliver'd in Calender in time
the Court might be sufficiently informed and
might have the Custody of Prisoners in due
time which is all the law requires.

Mar 22d.

Account is mark'd (12.)

Account mark'd (1) contains 9 yrs & about three Qrs.
the Amount is 7809. whereof near a sixth part are
Debtors, the average of the whole is under [..] 800. P ann.
The Allegation is near 1000 P ann.

This number however alarming is not so very
great for by the Goal Calendar of the Gatehouse
alone (which is as closely confined) it appears
upwards of 160 prisoners were comitted between
the Sessions in Janry & April 1765. [..] which is 23 more than
to newgate .

The Majority are acqd. or discharged
by proclamation

The average of Criminals is about 650
P Ann.

Those acqd. & discharged may remain 9 days
upon an average.

Those Convicted & Sentenced to Death, Transportn.
Branding or Whipping may remain 6 Weeks

Allowing Middx to Send 3 to one, makes
about 488. P ann 1 moiety of which remain
6 Weeks and the other only about 9 Days.
and supposing the order vacated twould at most
be but 4 or 5 Days. and with respect to the
Convicts would make a considerable difference
in favour of the Citywhich shews it a very
Impolitic Order

With regard to transports the Mercht . generally
takes 'em away at the back of 2d. Session, so that
about half the number don't remain in Gaol
which above a fortnight so that if 'tis alledged
that some wait 2 or 3 Months it still remains
at about 6 Weeks average as before observed
or at most 2 Months.

If London prisoners are not above 1/3
these removals but unconsiderable.

Thinks every Pson for felony ought to be [..]
to County Gaoltheres an Act in Harny 5. [..]

Bel every County [..] obliged to repair or
rebuild their County Gaol-no law to exempt Middx 14

Original Reason for Order of 1726. for the
better Admrn of Justice, that Gaoler might make 14
Calendar.

Order made that Gaoler might have custody
of all the Prisoners for Informator of Gaol
Delivery. (19 Mar. sevl. Accots. produced) 15

Mr Montague produced (for the City) an Accot.
of Expence of pulling down the 6 Gates. 21

Mr. Akerman pduced accot. of the number of
prisonery from 1755 to 1765.

Calendars take in the whole number deliver'd
Stet each Session.

Stet 8 Sessions every yearprisrs. an brot [..]
before pursuant to Order
Many are acqd. & dischad.
Some of those acqd. may stay 8. 10. or 12 Days
Two or 3 in a Session sent back to other Priso [..]
who are tried at Hicks Hall for Misdemr

There are prisoners discharged by Proclamation [..]
for want of Prosecution.

Proportion of Middx prisrs to London is
between 3 & 4 to one

Calculation form'd from all the Calendars
of the other Gaols, & those brot. from other
parts of Kingdom

Many Prisoner are brot. from the
other Prisons in Middx

Dont stay above 10 or 12 Days, and the [..]
likewise from the Comptens23

At the close of Session many prisoners upon
Orders-some to be transported-some
respited-some under sentence of Dent [..]
some to be Imprisoned and some to be
sent to different Counties.

London prisoners brot. from Compters [..]
those in Middx from other Gaols.




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