Mr: George Dance< no role > This name instance is in set 4335.
the Clerk
of the City's Works being
Examined Say'd that he had been acquainted
with the State of the Prison of Newgate
for
30. years past having been often there on account
of Repairswithin Time.
parts over Gate most
light
That the two Fronts of the Gaol over the
Gate way have been built since the Fire
of London
but that the rest of the prison is
very old and the Walls in many places
much decayed and damp-That he
thinks Newgate was Originally very
ill constructed being a parcel of Little
Divisions many of them without light
or Air-That it is close and as he believes
unwholesome for prisoners-That in some
of the largest Rooms there is only one light
and that very gloomy and that the Stair
Cases are dark and they are obliged to
Use links to go up and down them
That in most of the Wards there are prices
in
in which the Soil is Conveyed through Waden
Pipes which are frequently cheaked and they
are very offensive and in the present Situation
of the Gaol cannot be made better, for that if new
Pipes were laid they would soon be in the same
Condition-That the whole Gaol is very
incommodious and bad Except the press yard
where there is an Area Fifty feet Long
and 7. wide Surrounded with Buildings
50. feet high and that there cannot come
much Air to such a place.
that if he shod. be employed & it would have an effect on his Evid.
Mr. Richard Akerman< no role > This name instance is in set 4413.
being further Examined
Say'd that Newgate is a very Old Building
and that the Walls are in many places
Decayed damp and Spunay, and impregnated
with bad Stenches that he does not apprehend in the present State of Newgate
that he can keep it clean unless there was a proper area the walls are is very damp spungy & rottey [..] and thinks that the Gaol grows worse & worse tis his [..] to keep it healthy-That there is no free
passage for the Air through the Wards, That
the Wards for Felons and the Common
side Debtors are [..] dark that they are obliged
to use Links and Burners in the day Time
to