Town Gaol, Hastings, Sussex

It is a very small building in the middle of the town: from its situation, surrounded by buildings, it cannot be very airy; but I should think it was as healthy as any of the adjoining houses.

The men are kept separate from the women, which is the only separation of prisoners practicable in this prison. There are but two day-rooms, and four night-cells; the cells are made to receive but two prisoners, and are amply large enough for such a purpose: they appear convenient and airy, considering the very narrow scale of the building: in case of necessity there is another room, which may be made a night-cell.

There is a very small yard surrounded by a low wall, the only place in which the prisoners can possibly take air and exercise; nor could this be allowed without the presence of the gaoler, for it would require inclination only to escape.

There is no work-room, and no employment for the prisoners, save what may be merely accidental, and of their own seeking. They are allowed sixpence per day; there does not seem to be any precise regulation as to fuel, but there are fires in both the day-rooms, not at the expense of the prisoners.

Sufficient bedding is allowed: there is no regular allowance of clothing; but prisoners are provided therewith when it is absolutely necessary.

There is no chapel, chaplain, nor performance of divine service.

Irons are used for prisoners after sentence of transportation, but not before. The whole number of prisoners committed to this gaol within the year were thirty; the greatest number confined at any one time, nine. There were at the period of this visit six prisoners, viz. one woman for obtaining money under false pretences; she was alone in the day-room, and her confinement is at present necessarily solitary, as there is no other female prisoner; and five men, one in irons, under sentence of transportation, the others confined for minor offences: they are all locked up in the day-room.

The jurisdiction of the borough of Hastings includes all offences, and even murder might be tried by the recorder; but it is not customary to try prisoners where offences are capital. When such cases occur, they are sent to the county gaol, at the expense of the corporation. The population of Hastings is about seven thousand, and the number of prisoners is certainly small for so large a population, especially considering that the town is often a thoroughfare for seamen from other ports.

It must be obvious that this prison is radically defective in the most essential points, and which no good management can counteract or remedy; but there is reason to think that it is carefully attended to, and that no evils exist, which do not almost necessarily arise from its inherent defects. It is so very small, that it could not accommodate any accidental influx of prisoners.

This prison stands in a densely populated part of the Borough. The Windows of the Hastings. prisoners’ apartments look into the street; but, although hopper blinds have been placed at the Windows, there are great facilities for communicating with the Prisoners. Any person in the street hallooing may be distinctly heard by a prisoner. There is a small yard at the entrance, divided from the street by a wall about 12 feet high.

On the ground-floor are the keeper’s sitting-room, and an apartment for Male prisoners, 14½ feet by 11½ feet, and 8 feet high.

On the first floor is the keeper’s bed-room, and two sleeping cells for Male prisoners.

On the second floor is the female prisoners’ bed-room and two sleeping cells for men.

On the third floor is the Women’s day-room, 14 feet 7 inches by 10½ feet, and two sleeping cells for Male prisoners.

On the upper floor is an apartment 14 feet 7 inches by 10½ feet, in which female prisoners are allowed to walk, and also another day-room for Men, 15½ feet by 12 feet, and 8 feet high.

There are thus two day-rooms and six sleeping cells for Men. Each of the Men’s sleeping cells is 11 feet by 5½ feet, and 7 feet high, with a Window 2¼ feet by 3½ feet. In each cell are three wooden bedsteads, 6 feet by 2½ feet. The partition walls of the cells are of wood.

The Women’s night apartment is 14 feet by 7½ feet, and 8 feet high. It contains three wooden bedsteads, each 6¼ feet by 2½ feet. Two Women lay occasionally in one of these bedsteads.

We found five Male prisoners in the ground-floor apartment. They are allowed to wash themselves in the yard adjoining their room, but at no other time are they permitted to go into the open Air. From morning to night they are confined together in their day-room, without any occupation. The Men in the upper day-room are not allowed to descend into the yard to wash; they never therefore go into the open Air.

From the closeness of the apartments, we are convinced that there is a good deal of physical suffering in this gaol. The health of such persons as those who are generally committed to this prison — men accustomed to live much in the open air — cannot fail in a short time to be seriously injured. We are compelled to add that this fact did not appear to us to have been duly regarded by the Authorities. The surgeon, who ought, under such circumstances, frequently to visit every room, and to see that the apartments are kept in a state as favourable as possible to health, does not appear to consider this as part of his duty. One man, a sailor, charged with an offence, who had been six weeks in the prison, said that he had complained of illness a fortnight ago, but that he had never seen the Surgeon since he had been in confinement. The Keeper, who was present, admitted that he had neglected to report the complaint to the surgeon; but we are of opinion that, in such a prison as that at Hastings, it is especially necessary that the surgeon should frequently visit every sleeping cell and apartment in the prison, with a view to suggest any means that may appear to him desirable for the preservation of health: and that he should see every prisoner in the gaol at least twice in the week.

The condition of the female prisoners is truly deplorable. We found four women shut up in their day-room, of the ages of 18, 21, 20, and 63. They are not attended by any female, and, when any one is unwell, the others have to attend upon her. One of these women was suffering under a venereal complaint; but, although thus afflicted, and to all appearance seriously ill, the other women were shut up with, and obliged to sleep in the same apartment with her. There is no separate place for the sick; and, notwithstanding this case of illness, there had been washing in the room only the day before, and the wet clothes were hung up to dry.

Notwithstanding the closeness of this apartment, the women are never allowed to go into the open Air. From the proximity of their apartment to the Men's sleeping cells, and the Men’s upper day-room, constant conversation between the Males and Females, by day and by night, is unavoidable. This, indeed, could not be effectually restrained, if the Keeper, or some one acting for him, were always on the spot; but this is, we apprehend, far from being the case. The Keeper being a widower, without family or servant, there is no one in charge of the prison when he leaves it. On both occasions on which we visited the prison we found the Keeper absent; and on our first visit we had to wait about half an hour before he could be found.

The situation of the prison is damp. The rooms and cells ought to be frequently white-washed.

By a Contract which the Corporation has made with the County, Capital offenders, and others sentenced to hard labour, are sent to the House of Correction at Lewes. The distance is 32 miles; but Debtors, Persons committed for trial, or summarily convicted, are sent to this gaol. In 1835, 112 Prisoners were in confinement, and in 1836, 111. The greatest number in 1836 was 15, of whom four were Women. This, however, must not be taken as an Estimate of the extent of crime in the jurisdiction of the Borough of Hastings, as we were informed that magistrates are often induced to pass over Offences in consequence of their reluctance to commit to a Prison which is calculated to inflict much bodily suffering and moral injury to all confined within its walls. We are glad, however, to be enabled to state that the Magistrates are sensible of the evils of the Gaol, and are desirous of taking immediate measures for building a new prison