Ecclesall Debtors' Gaol

[Bayleaf]

This article first appeared in the Transactions of The Hunter Archaeological Society and is reproduced here by kind permission of the Society.

ECCLESALL DEBTORS' GAOL

By G. F. USHERWOOD.

On the 7th July, 1825, a letter from the Home Office was addressed to the officiating minister, Ecclesall, requesting that Mr. Secretary Peel be informed

"whether (there) is any Prison at Ecclesall, and if so, what is the nature of it, and the number of Prisoners it is capable of containing."

The Rev: Matthew Preston, the minister of Ecclesall Chapel, replied on the 13th July, 1825, stating there was in the chapelry a

"jail for the confinement of debtors committed in execution for small debts under £5 for the manor of Ecclesall"

and he gave details of the accommodation which he obtained from the bailiff.

The particulars given by the bailiff to Mr. Preston are as follows :-

"Demensions of Ecclesall Court House, and Prison: One Court Room to hear and determine Causes Amounting to Five Pounds, seven yards by eight yards long.

One Room to receive and pay money therein, four yards by four.

Three Rooms underneath the Court house as prison for debtors capable of containing fourteen Prisoners, one of which is six yards by seven, the other two is three yards by seven.

The yard for the Prisoners to walk is thirty five yards round. There is one Pump in the yd. which is oft dry in the summer season.

The Gaoler house contains two low rooms and three chambers, the above is the Property of Earl Fitzwilliam, Lord of the Manor of Ecclesall in the County of York.

A peice of land at back of the Prison twelve yards by twenty five yd long.

I am Sir your obedient Servant, JAMES GREENWOOD Bailiff.

1825 July 12th."

Acts of Parliament were passed in 1755-56 and in 1808 for regulating the proceedings in personal actions in the Courts Baron of the Manors of Sheffield and Ecclesall in the County of York. Under the act of 1808, a body, consisting of the lords and the stewards of the two manors, the Yorkshire members of Parliament, the vicar of Sheffield and the minister of Ecclesall, the master cutler, the capital church burgess, the town collector or regent, the magistrates in and within fifteen miles of Sheffield and no less than 100 named persons, was appointed as

"commissioners for the recovery of debts not exceeding five pounds within the said manors of Sheffield and Ecclesall, and within the limits of the courts belonging to the said manors of Sheffield and Ecclesall respectively; and the said commissioners and their successors are hereby constituted courts of justice by the name of the courts of requests for the manor of Sheffield in the county of York and the court of request for the manor of Ecclesall in the county of York."

The keepers of the respective common gaols or prisons belonging to each manor were required to receive and take into custody every person committed, or ordered to stand committed, by not less than three commissioners; present in either of the courts.

The 1808 act covers 31 printed foolscap pages.

On the 16th August, 1844, seven prisoners were liberated from Ecclesall gaol under the act for abolishing imprisonment for debt under £20, and on the 11th August, 1847, the court of request was suppressed, and a county court established in Sheffield.*

The factory on the south side of Thomas Street, about midway between Moore Street and The Moor, is said to be the gaol building. The well mentioned by the bailiff was probably the well on the east side of Thomas Street, nearer Button Lane than the factory, which was filled up on the 13th December, 1938. It was about fifty feet deep, with a brick barrel about five feet diameter, and the water level was about twenty-five feet below the surface.

*Furniss, Fifty Years Municipal Record, pp. 80 and 86.

[Guest Jeremy]

Thanks for another interesting article.

Somewhere around here perhaps?... (from map 272)

[RichardB]

Further evidence :

James Greenwood, Bailiff of the Manor and Court of Ecclesall and Gaoler, Bishop Street (White's 1833)

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Thank you, Bayleaf.

[Guest Jeremy]

Sometimes I find that I have been looking at something for years without seeing what's there! Unfortunately I don't have a better scan of this but the debtors' gaol is clearly marked on the 1823 John Leather map...

It's the building numbered 46, which in the legend is described as "Jail for Debtors Ecclesall Bierlow"

Jeremy

[Guest Jeremy]

From Picture Sheffield:

Ecclesall Gaol and Court of Requests, Tudor Street Moor (later became Thomas Street)s12450

Ecclesall Gaol and Court of Requests, Tudor Street Moor (later became Thomas Street)s12452

[Guest Jeremy]

More from Picture Sheffield (search Ecclesall Gaol):

Plan from auctioneer's notice of sale, and actual jail key from Ecclesall Gaol and Court of Requests, Tudor Street Moor (later became Thomas Street)

Exterior 1

Exterior 2

[Guest Jeremy]

From The Sessional Papers Printed by Order of the House of Lords, 1843:

Debtors' Gaol For The Manor Of Ecclesall, Sheffield.

Upon entering the portion of this prison occupied by the male prisoners, I observed two flags hung out from the windows of the wards, and was informed that a contested election for garnish-master was going on, there being two candidates for the office.

The want of proper regulation and control over the prisoners is most manifest in this establishment. The practice of exacting garnish is carried to a great excess. I found the following notices relating to this abominable extortion posted up in one of. the day-rooms:—

"Take Notice.

"That Joseph Brammer, file-forger, left this prison on the 5th of December, 1842, 1s. 1 1/2d. in debt for garnish.

"Works at John Hill's, Yonge-street.

"Notice is hereby given to all people, nations, and languages, that Joseph Bradbury left this prison or gaol, viz., Ecclesall, without paying the customary fee of three shillings and sixpence, leaving his hat and coat, which was sold by public roup for eightpence halfpenny, it having being kept fourteen days from the time he left on the 21 July, 1843, leaving a balance due for bed and lodgins of the sum of two shillings and ninepence halfpenny.

"File-Grinder."

I extract the following from the rules made by the prisoners for their own government, as illustrative of the moral condition of this prison:—

"Rule 9.

"No person is allowed to play at cards during meal times, nor before seven in the morning, nor after eleven at night, unless agreeable to the whole room, or forfeit one shilling; and any prisoner giving false notice, to forfeit one shilling.

"Rule 11.

"Any prisoner volunteering from one room to another to pay 6d. to the room that he volunteers to, and the gifts of attorneys to go to the room they are given to.

"Rule 14.

"Any person coming into this, and taking the benefit of the Insolvent Act, shall pay eight shillings garnish, and take the duty of nancv.

"Rule 17.

"Any man working in this prison, and considered by the majority of prisoners to be a regular worker, shall pay sixpence a-week extra-work money.

"Rule 20.

"If there be any familiarity between man and wife, and another prisoner make mention of the same, he shall be fined one shilling.

"Rule 23.

"There shall be a call-bird, who shall have threepence a-week for it, and there shall be sixpence left in the garnish-box every week.

"General Rule for Garnish.

"All persons coming into this prison, to pay three shillings and sixpence, and in default of payment shall deliver up his hat and coat to the garnish-master, who shall keep them seven days, and if not paid in this time, the property shall be sold. If a prisoner goes out the day he comes in, he must pay two shillings garnish."

I add the following extracts from the book kept by the garnish-master:—

"July 29. Balance in hand ..... 1s. 0d.

July 31. Received for a coat .... 0s. 6d.

July 31. For a hat .... 0s. 2d.

Aug. 1. T. J., for garnish . .... 2s. 4d.

Aug. 3. T. A., ditto .... 3s. 6d.

Aug. 5. W. W., ditto .... 3s. 6d."

The keeper states,—

"That on one occasion a short time since the prisoners detained a prisoner by force after he received his discharge for not paying the garnish, and did not release him until he, the keeper, assured them he would call in assistance to compel them. That the prisoner, before quitting, was obliged to come to an arrangement with them, and subsequently paid, the demand of 3s. dd.., although only in the prison for two days and a night. The prisoners are not provided with bedding, coals, or light, but that those who are destitute receive from the Court 2s. a-week for their maintenance. That all the prisoners, 21 in number, are receiving it, with but one exception, a man who can discharge his debt if he pleases, who receives his food from his friends. Divine service is occasionally performed by the curate of St. James's in the evening, at which the prisoners behave with propriety. He has no means of controlling the prisoners, or punishing them for misconduct. That the enforcing of rules and regulations made by authority would be attended with the best effect. There are about 200 executions in hand; that he has suspended the execution of warrants against females until the new ward is ready for their reception."

A Return of the Number of Prisoners confined in the Debtors' Gaol for the Manor of Ecclesall, in the West Riding of the County of York.

In gaol this 12th of August, male prisoners, 21.

From August 12, 1842, to August 12, 1843,—

Male prisoners ........ 215

Female prisoners 2.

Total . .217

In consequence of the recommendations contained in former reports, I have the satisfaction of stating that a very considerable improvement has been made in the accommodation for prisoners. The great object of complete separation between males and females has been attained by the erection of a ward for the latter. The walls have also been raised, a supply of good water provided, and the custody of the prisoners rendered more secure.

I recommend that rules for the government of the prison should be drawn up, in accordance with the 3rd and 4th of Victoria, cap. 25, sec. 2, and submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. That a regulated quantity of food be issued instead of a money allowance. That the prohibition of the exaction of garnish in any shape, and also that of gambling, be strictly enforced. That no prisoner be allowed more than one pint of beer daily. That Divine service be regularly performed on the Sabbath, and the keeper, in the absence of a minister of the Established Church, read the usual prayers to the prisoners. That an allowance of coals be granted, the rooms be lighted with gas, and that all fires and lights be extinguished at a fixed hour. That in cases of complete destitution, bedding be also provided. That a strong room be provided for the punishment of refractory prisoners.

I am satisfied that the giving effect to these recommendations in both the gaols for the Courts of Requests at Sheffield would be attended with considerable moral results, but even if over sanguine in this particular, they would at least remove the obloquy which cannot fail attaching itself to such disorderly and ill-regulated establishments.

[Bayleaf]

Looking at Jeremy's map, I guess the site of the old gaol is now occupied by the Inland Revenue offices. Plus ca change....! :rolleyes:

[Guest Jeremy]

Looking at Jeremy's map, I guess the site of the old gaol is now occupied by the Inland Revenue offices. Plus ca change....!

I had placed it as being under Wickes. Something like the white box in this image (courtesy of Google Earth):

[Bayleaf]

I had placed it as being under Wickes. Something like the white box in this image (courtesy of Google Earth):

That looks right Jeremy. I don't know why but I had it firmly fixed in my mind that it was on Young Street, even though everything says otherwise. It's an age thing! Still, it would make a nice co-incidence!