Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

soners.

The new buildings, containing one hundred and sixty cells, are occupied by the male convicted prisoners. All the prisoners are employed, principally in twisting and twining cotton yarn, and weaving and winding weft, &c.

LANARK.-Burgh Gaol.

THIS prison is situated in the centre of the burgh. It consists of four rooms, three of which have fire-places. One of these is used for debtors. The room without a fire-place is used for the temporary confinement of vagrants or outrageous prisoners. There is no yard, nor airing-ground. The keeper does not reside at the gaol. Prisoners can communicate from the windows with persons in the street, and spirituous liquors have in that way been frequently introduced. The gaol is stated to be quite insufficient in point of size, accommodation, security, and repair. The number of commitments in 1829 was twentysix, eight of whom were debtors, and there were four female criminals. The greatest number in confinement at one time was eight; five criminals and three debtors.

HAMILTON.-Burgh Gaol.

THIS old fabric was erected in 1642. It contains five rooms, two of which have fire-places: two of the rooms are damp and unwholesome, having no window or aperture for ventilation. Females are generally confined in the courtball, which is attached to the gaol. None of the rooms are considered secure, but the keeper does not reside in the prison.

The number of prisoners committed during the last two years, was one hundred and thirty-seven; of these eighty-one were debtors. The greatest number in confinement at one time was eighteen, and six of these were debtors.

CALTON.-Burgh Gaol and Bridewell.

THIS prison was erected in 1820. It contains twelve rooms, each nine feet by eight feet, and eight feet high. The gaol is divided into two flats or stories, each of which comprises four rooms. One room on each story has a fire-place. There is a back yard, twenty-eight feet by twelve feet. There are no apartments for the keeper.

The number of prisoners committed for the year ending 30th of September, 1829, was sixty-eight males, and eighty-five females, for criminal offences; but none of these were detained beyond thirty days. The greatest number in confinement at one time was eight.

RUTHERGLEN.— Burgh Gaol.

THIS prison contains two rooms for debtors, three cells for criminals, and a lock-up-room for night charges. Two of the cells have no windows. Criminal prisoners are seldom confined here for more than a day, and never after conviction. The gaoler resides in another part of the building. There is no yard. During the last two years, twenty males and one female were committed for debt. Only seven prisoners were confined on criminal warrants. The greatest number of prisoners at one time was five.

LINLITHGOWSHIRE.-NAIRNSHIRE.

ANDERSTON.—Burgh Gaol.

101

This prison was erected in 1826. It contains a day-room for male prisoners, and two lock-up-cells, which communicate with the same, but have no windows; there are also four small cells, and a day-room, for females. There is no airing-yard. A serjeant of the police remains on duty in the gaol at night. No debtors are confined here. The number of commitments in the last two years, was, for breaches of the peace, forty males and eight females; and for petty thefts, eight males and fourteen females. In general the prisoners are only committed for short periods. The greatest number at one time was three.

GORBALS.-Burgh Gaol.

THIS prison was erected in 1826, together with the police-office which is adjoining. There are three flats, or stories, each of which contains a day-room and three cells. Each day-room has a fire place and water-closet. There is an airing-ground behind, but the prisoners are not allowed access to it. The superintendant of the police acts as keeper, and resides in the building adjoining. The number of prisoners who were brought to the police-office during the last two years was 3867 males and 1157 females; but not one in fifty of these were committed to the gaol. No debtors are confined here, and all prisoners for serious offences are sent to Glasgow.

A small gaol has lately been built in the burgh of Airdrie. There are also small prisons, or lock-up-housés, in the respective baronies of Biggar, Douglas, Carnwrath, and Strathaven.

LINLITHGOWSHIRE.

LINLITHGOW.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

THIS prison consists of four rooms and two cells; the cells have no windows. There is no yard; but the prisoners may walk in a covered area, twenty-four feet by seventeen feet, and fourteen feet high, which has grated openings in the front wall. The keeper resides within the gaol. The number of commitments in 1829 was forty-five; of these sixteen were debtors, and there were nine females. The greatest number of prisoners at one time was twelve, five of whom were debtors.

The burgh gaol at Queensferry consists of one room, fifteen feet by thirteen feet and a half, and seven feet high, on the ground-floor of the town-house, having an entrance from the street: there is no window, nor fire-place, in this room. It is used only for locking up petty offenders for a short time. Debtors, and prisoners for serious offences, are sent to the county gaol, which is nine miles distanf.

NAIRNSHIRE.

NAIRN.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

THIS small prison was erected in 1818. It forms part of the town-hall. There are two rooms for debtors, with fire-places; and two large arched cells for

102 ORKNEYSHIRE.-PEEBLESSHIRE-PERTHSHIRE.

criminal prisoners. The windows of the debtors rooms are next the street. There is no yard, and no apartment for the keeper. The number of prisoners committed in 1829 was twenty-two; of these ten were debtors; and there were two females. The greatest number in confinement at one time was seven; three of these were debtors.

ORKNEYSHIRE.

KIRKWALL.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

THIS is a small defective prison, which requires to be rebuilt on a more eligible site. It was built in 1744; and comprises two rooms on the ground-floor about twelve feet square, which communicate together. There are also two cells, about twelve feet by eight feet, without any fire-place or window. The apartments usually occupied by debtors are on the attic story, over the county court; they consist of two large rooms, with fire-places, and a small room used as a water-closet. There is no airing-court. The keeper does not reside in the prison. The number of prisoners committed in 1828 was twelve males and two females; four of these were debtors. The greatest number in confinement at one time was three; and one was a debtor.

PEEBLESSHIRE.

PEEBLES-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

THIS is a modern and substantial built house, consisting of two stories. The lower floor contains the keeper's and turnkey's apartments: the upper floor contains a large room for debtors, and another room for criminals; there is also a smaller room for convicted prisoners, without a fire-place: all these rooms are arched with stone. The present gaol is insufficient, as it does not provide for the separate accommodation of prisoners; such as debtors, females, and prisoners before and after conviction. No airing-ground has been inclosed, but there is a large space in front, and also behind the gaol, which might be thus appropriated. The number of commitments during the last two years was fortyseven; of these two only were debtors; seven were females. The greatest number at one time in the same period was eleven; two of these were females.

PERTHSHIRE.

PERTH.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

THIS prison was erected in 1815, at a considerable expense. It is of stone, and consists of two separate buildings, one of which contains the debtors' apartments, and the other the criminals' wards. There are five rooms for civil debtors, and four rooms for crown debtors. The criminals' department contains a dayroom and ten cells for male prisoners, and four rooms for the females. There also two rooms for the sick. All the rooms are arched with stone. There is a house for the keeper; and also a turnkey's room, and an examination room, with five

police-cells for night-charges, near the entrance. There are four airing-courts, which are overlooked from the keeper's house. The number of commitments in the last year was 171 male criminals, and thirty-three female criminals, forty-two debtors, and forty-two offenders against the revenue laws. The greatest number at one time was fifteen debtors; nineteen male and thirteen female criminals. Although this prison is of modern construction, it does not contain a chapel, or place of worship; and no chaplain has been regularly appointed.

The burgh gaol at Culross contains two rooms; one for debtors, eighteen feet by thirteen; and one for criminals, nineteen feet by eighteen. The windows are next the street, and prisoners can communicate with persons from without. There is no yard. The keeper resides in the gaol. The number of commitments last year was twenty-three, six of whom were debtors; and there were three female criminals. The greatest number at one time in confinement was two debtors and one criminal. Prisoners charged with heinous offences are sent to the county gaol.

There is a lock-up-house at Dunblane, and also one at Dunkeld, which are used for the temporary confinement of vagrants, or petty offenders.

RENFREWSHIRE.

PAISLEY.-County Gaol and House of Correction.

January, 1830.

THIS prison was built in 1820. It consists of two ranges of buildings, one of which contains the gaol, and the other the house of correction. The keeper's house is in front, and overlooks the airing-yard: the county courts are also in front of the prison. The gaol-department comprises nineteen rooms for criminal prisoners, and fifteen rooms for debtors. The sleeping-cells are arched, and all the apartments are warmed by heated air conveyed in metal pipes. There are two arcades which open into the airing-court. The house of correction is a similar range of building, and contains forty-four rooms and cells for prisoners after conviction. The chapel is used jointly by all the prisoners.

The number of commitments to the gaol during the year 1828, was 436; of these 224 were male debtors, and four female debtors; 175 male criminals, and thirty-three female criminals. The greatest number in confinement at one time was nineteen criminals and eighteen debtors.

GREENOCK.-Burgh Gaol..

THIS prison was built in 1810. The keeper's apartments are on the groundfloor, with a general kitchen, and store rooms, for provisions and materials, in the centre; the two wings contain twelve cells for male criminals. The first floor also contains twelve cells, with a large work-room in the centre; six of these cells are appropriated for female criminals. The second floor contains four rooms for debtors, with a large day-room in the centre; and six cells for criminals under sentence, or offenders of the worst description; two of these cells are lined all round with iron. There is a court-yard, in which the gaol stands, but as this is not considered secure, prisoners are not allowed to take exercise therein. The number of commitments in 1829 was, male criminals 199; female criminals thirty-five; debtors thirty-nine; vagrants twenty-three: total 296. The greatest number in confinement at one time was five debtors and fifty-four criminals.

PORT-GLASGOW.-Gaol.

THIS prison forms the upper part of the town-house, erected in 1815. It contains a room for debtors, fifteen feet by twelve feet; and five cells for criminals, without fire-places. The keeper has two rooms below, where there is also a lock-up-house. There is no yard, nor court. The number of commitments in 1829 was seventeen; two of these were debtors; and there were two female criminals. The greatest number at one time was one debtor and three criminals.

The burgh gaol at Renfrew was erected in 1690. It consists of one large room for debtors, and two smaller rooms for criminals. There is no residence for the keeper, and no yard. In 1828 only one prisoner was committed, a male debtor.

ROSSSHIRE.

TAIN.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

THIS prison consists of two distinct buildings, which adjoin each other. The old part, erected in 1630, consists of a square tower, five stories high, having a room on each floor, about fifteen feet square, with a flat on the top. These rooms are occupied by criminals. The new part, erected in 1826, is over the court-room, and is appropriated for debtors. It contains five rooms, all on the same floor; and there is a long passage or lobby, four feet wide, in which the prisoners can exercise. The keeper does not reside in the gaol, but it is in contemplation to provide apartments for that officer; also to construct seven additional rooms for the better accomodation of the prisoners, and to inclose an airingground, which is much wanted. The number of commitments during the last two years was fifty-nine males and thirteen females; of these twelve males and one female were debtors. The greatest number in confinement at one time was thirteen; of this number three were debtors.

DINGWALL.-Burgh Gaol.

THIS prison was built in 1733. It consists of three rooms, two of which are on the ground-story, but are not floored; the upper room, about eighteen feet by seventeen feet, is occupied by debtors. In consequence of the bad and confined state of this gaol, female prisoners have been placed in the council chamber, which is under the same roof. The prison is very insecure, and offenders have frequently escaped, but the keeper does not reside in it. There is no yard, nor court. The number of prisoners committed in 1829 was fifty-eight; of there four were debtors, and forty-seven were for offences against the revenue: nine were females. The greatest number at one time in confinement was nineteen; two of these were debtors, and fourteen were revenue delinquents.

Dingwall is the central town of Western Ross, which contains twenty-two parishes, and a population of about 52,000, equal to five-sixths of the whole county. It is satisfactory to report, that the magistrates have directed plans to be made for a new prison, in this important burgh. The present gaol is stated to be unfit for habitation.

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »