Stafford Gaol

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Victorian Crime and Punishment

 

Women's Prison, Stafford c1869-1871

In 1852 a new gaol for females, an infirmary for women and a laundry were built.

Cells measured either 9 ft x 8ft 6 inches or 7 ft x 6 ft. All cells were 8 ft 6 inches in height. There was usually more than one prisoner in each cell.  Cells were separated by iron railings allowing prisoners to see each other.  There was a 12 inch square 'trap door' in each cell door to enable warders to check on prisoners and to pass meals through.  Cell doors were not opened other than at stated times.  The prisoner could ring a bell in a case of emergency.

Equipment in each cell: small table, a metal washing basin, a close closet (introduced in 1882)], a small cupboard, containing drinking cups, salt cellar, dinner dishes, plates and spoons.  Two brushes were issued to each prisoner to keep the floor clean.

Men's Hospital, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

Prisoners slept in hammocks, slung from wall to wall. A coconut fibre mattress, a pair of sheets, 2 blankets and a rug were used with the hammock. The hammocks were folded away each morning.  A warder checked each cell daily.  Each cell had gas lighting and was heated.  Warm air came through a filter above the door of the cell. In 1886 one of the corn mills was converted into a prison hospital for the male prisoners.

Click here to see a plan of Stafford Gaol

Prison routine

Arrival
Prisoners went through a reception area.

Reception Yard, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

They were examined by the surgeon.  They had a cold and a hot bath; their clothes were fumigated in an oven and then put into a store room.  They were given grey prison clothes to wear.  Prisoners were given circular badges for identification. They were known only as a number from the day of admission to the day of dismissal.

Male and female prisoners were kept separate.  Stafford Gaol operated a 'separate system'. This meant that prisoners were kept apart. They spent their time in their cells except when working, exercising or attending services in the prison chapel.  When out of their cells, they were forbidden to talk or wore masks to prevent recognition.

Health
When a prisoner arrived at the gaol he or she was examined by a surgeon.  A surgeon visited each prisoner once weekly and could demand extra bedding, clothes and food for the prisoner when it was considered necessary. 

Exercise Yard, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

Exercise Exercise consisted of walking along a circular path.  The prisoners were not allowed to talk or look at each other.  A warder stood in the middle of the circle. Visitors Prisoners saw visitors in a visiting box. There was always a warder present to check that only verbal communication occurred. The prisoner was not allowed to look unhappy.

Religion
The Chaplain preached to the prisoners in both the morning and evening every Sunday, on Christmas Day and on Good Friday.

Chapel, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

Prayers were read every morning.  If the chaplain was not available, the turnkey read prayers to males; the matron read to females.  There was a Bible in each cell.  When in the Chapel women prisoners were in the gallery, hidden by cloth blinds.

Good conduct
A prisoner could gain 'good conduct marks'. This could result in few days being taken off their sentence or a small gratuity paid on departure.  During the second month, a 'good conduct' prisoner may receive more food, night school instruction and even schoolbooks in the cell.  During the third month the work may not be so hard and library books might be provided in the cell. After this period, the prisoner could be considered for some employment of trust within the prison, and could be allowed to write and receive a letter. The prisoner could also have a visitor for just over 20 minutes.

Daily routine

5.45 am:    Bell
6.00 am:    Prisoners are up, having made their bed or hammock and dressed
                  10 prisoners were chosen to draw up water for 1 hour
8.00 am:    Breakfast
9.00 am:    Work
1.00 pm:    Dinner
2.00 pm:    Work
5.30 pm:    Supper

Reading of the Bible, prayer book or other literature approved by the Chaplain was allowed.  Non-readers were given instruction by the schoolmaster until 7.00 pm.

7.00 pm:    Bell. Hammocks down
7.30 pm:    Men and women in bed
7.50 pm:    Gas lights turned out

Kitchen, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

Prisoners' diet           Female per day     Class 5 prisoners Bread 1 lb (sentence between 4 months and 1 year)  Potatoes 1 lb Oatmeal  8 oz Indian meal 8 oz Milk 1 pint Male per day Class 6 prisoners Bread  1 lb (sentence between 1 year and 3 years) Potatoes 1 lb Oatmeal 10 oz Indian meal         10 oz Milk 1 ½ pints

Breakfast - bread and gruel
Dinner - meat, potatoes, bread, soup, rice; slight variation from day to day
Supper - bread and gruel

Meat was boiled which made it hard to digest.

Prisoners at work
Hard Labour   Work described as 'hard labour' varied depending on your prisoner 'class'.

Treadwheel, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

The treadmill
In 1883 there were 8 treadmills at Stafford Gaol. 3 tread wheels accommodated 240 men for a period of 7 hours 20 minutes each day. They powered 3 corn mills and 1 watermill.

The treadmill was sometimes described as the 'endless ladder'. Men held on to a grip at the end of a chain whilst working the treadmill.  The steps on the treadmill were 8 to 10 inches apart. The steps were tiny and many men fell off the treadmill and got badly injured.  If there wasn't any corn to grind, men were made to tread air.

Each man worked a total of 4 hours 54 minutes on the wheel, resting for a total of 2 hours 26 minutes. They worked 4 bells, and rested 2 bells. They rested in the same compartment they worked in.

Click here to see an animation of the treadmill system

Prisoner's returning from labour, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

Winding the crank The crank was devised in 1840.   Some cranks drew up water; others were used for the sake of labour.  At Stafford Gaol the cranks were in the prison cells and there were about 8 cranks in a shed for men taken off the treadwheels and for cripples.  The normal number of revolutions a day was 14000.  As the crank got hotter it also got harder to turn. If the number of revolutions wasn't achieved, flogging or a missed meal were the usual punishments. Working the crank often caused a dropsical disease known as 'crank oedeme'.

Oakum picking
After 6 - 8 hours on the treadmill or crank, each prisoner had to unpick one pound of oakum in his cell.  The oakum was then weighed and if they was too much waste, the prisoner would be punished, either made to miss a meal and/or receive a flogging. (Oakum is loose fibre obtained by untwisting and picking old tarry ropes. The oakum was then used to seal the gaps between the planks on ships).

Other work done by the prisoners included:

Stone-breaking Yard, Stafford Gaol c1869-1871

Stone breaking, building, laundry, knitting stockings and caps, pin-heading, mending pans, working in the fulling mill, making clogs, making and repairing prisoners' clothes, baking, tailoring, cleaning, brush making, blacksmithing, shoemaking, carpentry and painting.

 

Last Modified: 14/08/2007 11:00:16
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