Description Jailhouse Rules

Rules and Regulations of the Jail

I    The Jailor shall visit every ward and inspect ever occupied cell and see every prisoner twice in every twenty for house ivz: morning and evening.

II    The Male and Female shall be confined in seperate parts of the Prison so as to prevent them seeing, conversing, or holding any intercourse with each other.  The Prisoners shall be divided into distinct classes - care to be taken as far as possible that classes do not intermix with each other.  1st Debtors and Prisoners confined on Civil process or convicted of petty misdemeanours. 2nd Prisoners confined on a charge of Felony.  3rd Prisoners convicted of grave misdemeanours of Felony.

III   When Debtors wish to have separate rooms and can be accommodated the following rents shall be exacted and accounted for quarterly by the Jailor viz: from the 1st of May to 31st October $1.00 per week for each Debtor or if two occupy the same room 75 cts each per week.  From 1st of November to 30th of April including Fuel $1.50 per week or if tow occupy the same Room $1.00 each per week.

IV    Each room so rented shall be furnished with one Deal Table and four Chairs.

V     Every prisoner maintained at the public expense shall be allowed a sufficient quantity of plain wholesome food, to be regulated by the Justices in General Sessions.  The Jailor shall direct the Provissions allowed for Prisoners to be cooked and issued to them free of any charge or  renumeration for the same and shall otherwise obey the orders of the Sessions.

VI    Prisoners whether confined for debt or before trial for any expected offence shall be allowed to procure for themselves and receive at proper times any food, bedding, clothing or other such necessaries as may be reasonable and expedient - all such articles shall be examined by the Jailor in order that it may be accertained that they are not likely to communicate infection or facilitate escape.

VII   No Prisoner confined under sentenced of any Court or in pursuance, of a conviction before a Justice shall receive any food other than the Jail allowance except under special circumstances to be Judged of by one or more of the visiting Justice.

*written along side of front page - Dailey Diet Table as ordered by the Sessions For Debtors and Persons charged with Crime, 1 quart of soup with Potatoes, turnip and barley (lbs 1 1/2 Bread, lbs 1/2 Beef, 1 oz Barley)

VIII  Any Prisoner behaving riotously or disorderly in the Prison or may be quilty of breaking or damaging any part of the Prison or any of the tables, benches, or bedding shall be allowed only one half of the usual allowance of bread for such number of days as the Sheriff with the consent of one of the Visiting Justice may direct.

IX   Debtors who are turbulent and refuse to submit to the Rules of the Prison in the most effectual manner by the Sheriff or Jailor, and the case shall be immediately reported to the Visiting Justices who shall thereupon visit the Jail and enquire into the matter and grant relief or confirm the proceedings of the Sheriff or Jailor as shall appear to them to be right and proper.

X    The Prison door shall be locked at sunset throughout the year and no Visitor shall be admitted after that time nor before eight o'clock in the morning except for the relief of the sick or other emergeny and that for such time only as the Jailor may deem requiste.

XI   All lights in the hired apartments of Debtors shall be extinguished on or before 10 o'clock P.M.

XII  The friends of Prisoners having particular business shall have admittance and be allowed to hold communication with them under the following regulations 1st With debtors or those confined on civil process at reasonable and proper hours of the day and be allowed as much freedom from restraint as may be compatible with their security, 2nd Prisoners chared with Felony or under confinement after conviction for any Felony or misdemeanours only in the presence of the Jailor except the Visitor be the leage adviser of the prisoner. 3rd No letters or parcels shall be delivered to or transmitted from persons convicted of Felony or grave misdemeanours except by the express permission of one of the visiting Justices.

XIII  The prison shall be provided with suitable straw bedding and blankets or rugs and every prisoner shall shake and make up his bed and bedding snugly every morning at or before 8 o'clock in the summer and 9 o'clock in winter unless prevented by illness and no person shall receive his food, until he has complied with this rule.

XIV   The Walls and Entries of the Wards, Cells, Rooms and Passages used by the prisoners shall be scraped and lime washed at least twice a year.  The Rooms and Passages shall be washed and cleaned once a week or oftener in necessary and an adequate allowance of Water and Soap with Towels and Combs shall be furnished to the prisoners.

XV    No Wines or Spirituous or Fermented Liquors of any kind shall be admitted for the use of any prisoner under and pretence whatever unless by a written order of the Surgen specifying the quanity and for whose use.

XVI   No Gambling shall be permitted in the Jail.

XVII  On the death of a prisoner notice shall be giver by the Jailor forthwith to the Sheriff and to one of the Visiting Justices as well as to the Coriner of the District and the nearest relative of the deceased when practicable.

XVIII Neither the Jailor nor any person in trust for or employed by him shall have any benifit or advantage from the loan or letting of any article or any dealing what-so-ever to or with any prisoners except those Debtors who occupy hired rooms.

XIX   No prisoner shall be employed as Turnkey or Assistant Turnkey, Yardsman or in the decipline of the Jail or in the service of any office thereof but this Rule shall not be taken to prevent the employment of any Debtor in that part of the Jail in which he or she may be lawfully confined in any manner in which he or she may be willing to be employed and which will be consistent with his or her safe custody.

XX    The Surgen (whenever his services required) shall enter in the English language day by day in a Journal which shall be kept in the Jail the name of every sick Prisoner with the name of the disease and a description of the diet - wine or spirituous liquors which may be order for such person.

XXI    No Books or printed papers shall be admitted into the Jail but such as are of a moral or religious nature and approved by one or more of the Visiting Justices.

XXII   The Jailor shall be allowed to received from masters or owners of vessels who may have caused seamen to be imprisoned for desertion or from the masters of apprentices who shall be committed on their complaint compensation for their Diet and Keeping at the rate of 1S6d per day each which payments shall be handed over by him to the Clerk of the Peace.  The Diet to be the usual Jail allowance.  Provided however that if the said Masters or Owners think proper to furnish provisions efficient* for the use of said seaman or apprentice no charge will be made for their safe keeping.

XXIII  The Jailyard boundary and priviliges of Debtors shall extend as the Fences now or may stand around the Jail and this yard shall be within and part of the Rules of the Jail.

The Jailor shall keep Two Commitment Books one for Debtors and one for Criminals in which he shall daily insert a regular list of all parties committed whether for debt, charge of offence or punishment.  He shall also keep a Journal in which he shall daily record all matters connected with the Jail other than those above referred to.  These Books and Journals shall be laid before Justices at every General Qarter Sessions of the Pease to be signed by the Custos or presiding magistrate in proof of the same having been produced.  He shall also at the same time furnish a Duplicate return of all entries in the Commitment Books which return shall be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Peace.

The Commitment Books shall be rules and headed in the following form

No -Name  -Crime   -By whom   -Date of          -Date of    -By whom     -No of    -Term of                                         Committed  Commitment  Discharge  Discharged   Days      Sentences                                                                                                                               & Remarks

Debtors