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From: Alison Causton <>
Subject: [ARMAGH] Armagh Guardian: News - KIDD - Armagh Gaol - 3 June 1845
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 18:12:02 -0400


Armagh Guardian: News - Armagh Gaol, Report of the Inspectors General -
KIDD, ROBINSON - 3 June 1845
=====
The following article was transcribed from The Armagh Guardian (3 June
1845; microfilm), by permission of The British Library.

=====
REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS-GENERAL OF
PRISONS.--ARMAGH COUNTY GAOL, &c.
--------------------------------
Table showing the total cost of each prisoner, per annum, in the
various Gaols of Ireland, in the year 1844.

Antrim, £15 10 0
Do. Belfast, 14 9 5-1/2
Armagh, 9 17 8
Carlow, 15 19 0
Cavan, 15 9 1
Clare, 14 19 2-1/1
Cork, Co., 15 10 10-1/2
Cork City, 18 15 2
Donegal, 17 10 9
Down, 12 8 2
Dublin Co., 20 2 5-1/2
Dublin City, Newgate, 39 1 2-1/2
Do. Richmond Bridewell, 17 9 4
Do. Grangegorman Pen, 16 2 9
Fermanagh, 11 12 7-1/2
Galway, 13 4 10
Galway Town, 18 17 9-1/2
Kerry, 18 19 1-1/2
Kildare Naas, 26 13 2-1/2
Do. Athy, 24 7 5-1/2
Kilkenny, 14 15 0-1/2
Kilkenny City, £24 9 11-1/2
King's County, 15 5 1
Leitrim, 21 9 8-1/2
Limerick County, 16 6 8
Limerick City, 14 12 8
Londonderry, 17 14 11-1/2
Longford, 11 13 11
Louth, 19 3 3-1/2
Do. Drogheda, 20 5 0
Mayo, 12 13 6-1/2
Meath, 21 10 11
Monaghan, 15 4 10
Queen's County, 10 15 10
Roscommon, 18 5 0
Sligo, 19 12 8-1/2
Tipperary, Nenagh, 18 10 2
Do. Clonmel, 16 9 5
Tyrone, 15 7 11
Waterford, 15 3 4
Waterford City, 24 14 1
Westmeath, 15 10 11-1/2
Wexford, 16 18 9-1/2
Wicklow, 16 4 7

The following extract from the "Report" reflects great cre-
dit on the officers of our county prison :--

COUNTY ARMAGH GAOL, AT ARMAGH.
It is gratifying at length to be able to report that this County
gaol is about to be enlarged. The sum of £5,000 has been
presented for the purpose; and the plans have been prepared
by Mr. Murray, the architect ; and it only remains for the
Grand Jury, at the Spring Assizes, to ratify the proceedings,
and appoint building Commissioners to commence this necessary
work. Our annual reports, for many years, have consisted of
a painful repetition of the total want of accommodation for any
system of discipline calculated to reform prisoners, or to execute
punishment. It is only necessary to report the single fact that
there are only 18 cells for dormitories in the entire prison, for
a daily average of 136 prisoners, to satisfy the County that
the present expenditure is absolutely necessary, and could not
longer be delayed. It was and is utterly impossible for the
best officers to carry on any creditable system with the present
accommodation; and the clean and orderly state of the prison,
notwithstanding the congregated and unclassified numbers as-
sembled at meals and work, is only to be attributed to the care
and zealous inspection of the Local Inspector, Dr. Kidd, and
the attention of all the officers, resident and non-resident, to
their various duties.
STATE OF CRIME.--Crime has diminished in this County,
as in most others, within the last year. There were only 111
prisoners confined on the day of my inspection, viz. :
Males, 88
Females, 23
---
111

Forty-one of these were debtors, chiefly for small sums.
ACCOMMODATION.--The provision made for classification,
employment, and separation, is so utterly deficient that it is
unnecessary to go into detail, as the Grand Jury have presented
£5,000 to remedy the evils arising from this defect, by erecting
a considerable addition to the present buildings; and I propose
communicating with the architect, with the view of making this
small sum available to remedy the chief defects.
EMPLOYMENT.--The only employment for the male prisoners
is the tread-wheel, and stone-breaking for the roads, in two
large sheds ; and it is valuable as a relief from idleness, and
acts as a punishment, and thus prevents the prison being a
desirable residence for the depraved and idle. At a future
period I hope to see the younger criminals taught trades, and
otherwise morally improved by separation and instruction.
SCHOOL.--A good school is conducted under the care of a
master, who is also store-keeper; and on examining the registry,
I find many are taught to read who were ignorant.
FEMALE CLASS.--The female classes are conducted under
the care of a matron and assistant, and as far as the confined
accommodation admits of, they are attended to, receive in-
struction in reading, and are employed in spinning and washing.
OFFICERS.--The Governor and resident and non-resident
officers are all zealous in the performance of their duty, without
which this County Gaol would necessarily be a scene of con-
fusion, from the total absence of sufficient accommodation in
cells to separate all at night, and the ill-disposed and unruly by
day. To the zealous attention of Doctor Kidd, the Local In-
spector, we are indebted much for the good order that prevails,
and for the remedies he provides when difficulties occur. The
Chaplains visit regularly, and attend to their flocks on Sunday;
and the turnkeys appear to me to be qualified and well selected.
HOSPITAL.--There is a good Hospital, and the males and
females are separated in it, and well attended to, under the
care of Doctor Robinson, the Surgeon of the County Infirmary,
whose zealous attention to the care of the sick in this crowded
prison is manifest from the absence of contagious diseases and
from there not being more than the ordinary number of patients
for the average number in prison.
DIET.--The diet of prisoners is good in quality and suf-
ficient in quantity, and is provided at an unusually moderate
price. It will this year not exceed 2-1/2d per head per day. The
usual mode in other gaols of the prisoners eating their food in
their cells, cannot be complied with here, from the want of
cells, at present ; but I attended at meal hours, and much
order and regularity prevailed, notwithstanding the numbers
assembled. Contracts are made by the Board of Superinten-
dence for all articles of consumption, and no rations are allowed
to any officer except the matron.
BOOKS AND ACCOUNTS.--I minutely examined the books,
registers, and accounts, and they are correctly kept and
made up half yearly. The check on the issue of all stores and
provisions is properly preserved, and I do not think that any
fraud exists.
CLOTHING.--There is no regular prison dress, and those only
who are in great need are clothed by the County. This defect
=====

This reprint is intended SOLELY for the non-commercial use of family
historians, with the sincere hope that a Lister may find the content
useful. **Please refer any questions arising from this article to the
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