h Mr. Howard several times, over
the Tower Prison, and also with Mr. Nield, in 1803. As it then appeared
I will try to describe it.

The keeper of the Tower or Borough Gaol, which stood at the bottom of
Water-street in 1803, was Mr. Edward Frodsham, who was also
sergeant-at-mace. His salary was 130 pounds per annum. His fees were
4s. for criminal prisoners, and 4s. 6d. for debtors. The Rev. Edward
Monk was the chaplain. His salary was 31 pounds 10s. per annum; but his
ministrations did not appear to be very efficacious, as, on one occasion,
when Mr. Nield went to the prison chapel in company with two of the
borough magistrates, he found, out of one hundred and nine prisoners,
only six present at service. The sick were attended by a surgeon from
the Dispensary, in consideration of 12 guineas per annum, contributed by
the corporation to that most praiseworthy institution. There was a sort
of sick ward in the Tower, but it was a wretched place, being badly
ventilated and extremely dirty. When Mr. Nield and I visited the prison
in 1803, we did not find the slightest order or regulation. The
prisoners were not classed, nor indeed, separated; men and women, boys
and girls, debtor and felon, young and old, were all herded together,
meeting daily in the courtyards of the prison. The debtors certainly had
a yard to themselves, but they had free access to the felon's yard, and
mixed unrestrainedly with them. The prison allowance was a three-penny
loaf of 1lb. 3oz. to each prisoner daily. Convicts were allowed 6d. per
day. The mayor gave a dinner at Christmas to all the inmates. Firing
was found by the corporation throughout the building. There were
seventy-one debtors and thirty-nine felons confined on the occasion of
our visit. In one of the Towers there were seven rooms allotted to
debtors, and three in another tower, in what was called "the masters
side." The poorer debtors were allowed loose straw to lie upon. Those
who could afford to do so, paid ls. per week for the use of a bed
provided by the gaoler. The detaining creditor of debtors had to pay
"groating money," that is to say, 4d. per day for their maintenance. In
the chapel there was a gallery, close to which were five sleeping-rooms
for male debtors. The size of these cells was six feet by seven. Over
the Pilot Office in Water-street were two rooms appropriated to the use
of female debtors. One of these rooms contained three beds, the other
only