PEI

325

PRI

of tll -—-

' v ater« c i lae structure there is a tower or bastion to formpslla. ^ se ! s > to communicate with the different ranges of

lt ) a tiew^ 0 * 1 s '^ e has three tiers of windows (twenty-seven^ er ced f stron gly grated with iron. The bastions are alsol?t'' v orh° r * 00 P'holes, to give light and air. Projections, or“ e t\y eeri s > are built for various departments, and the spaceT'h 6 m j building and the wall is laid out as gardens.

° ett >br ° ae Prison at Pentonville was planned with a viewC » ever y improvement that modern science could«J a Pte<l f * s piaced in an elevated and airy situation, welll “ p,,j g or such a building, and for securing the health of^tal a 0-618 -’ The following description will show the. Th e P ri ncipl e adopted in its construction,f to ° Un< i ar y-wall is of a height above the ground suffi-0ti|, iati b t ec iude all chance of escape by climbing, and the'V^ 11 of such a depth as to prevent undermining in thetl a 'H 8 ‘ n S le n igbt. It presents an even, smooth surface^ind' 168, c ^ ear space is preserved on the outside ofth e ai T’ fbat no erection may be made against it, andd 1 hie 1 . ,, exter 'or may be open to inspection ; and in likee ar S p^ e Prison-wings are not connected with it, but a. e Preserved round the interior. There is only one„' at ely ln Ibis external boundary, which is placed imme-I) ^'fard Sl *? ’■be entrance-door, opening into an enclosed°f ad ’ bbe gate being retired a little, it is deemed willb^agh ^‘age in affording the means of defending it,^ laa.(j e °P'holes made in the side-walls, should attempts£>rn 0f ° for <? e it during riots or popular excitement,’a rin. atlon * s afforded within the prison walls for offi-

irM S '^ es °f which are convenient apartments fornJVJoo a C ;m b female superintendents, and surgeon, andPor t * le °fScers, together with a room for theof X 'at 0 fi’ an< f an office for the governor. These last roomsL bic . le central-hall, and command a view of the interioro^eat ° n „’ there are likewise staircases leading to thefijf ta ' rie ft-b u 1 ' 1 | 1 j . rtnar y> and chapel. The basement of thecl m >l es 1 ain g contains reception-cells, a cleansing-room

b e( S;-- a futni " ' ‘

■ ^a»

The prison is entered by a broadag through the entrance-building to the central

—-gating oven for disinfecting prisonersbrj"‘ n S> & / e ' ro °™ for clothing ; and prison stores, such as! > 0 i. 0t >'ofr lCfl ' ’ Wat er-closet; and a room for the steward oris nts - jb j> r ^ployed about the kitchen and store depart-Prop r ;f J .° 10n °f the upper part of this entrance-buildingor c e<1 a s a chapel, and the remainder as an infir-: \ ta J liali nva ^ esc ent-rooms—the former entering into thei ; thg^'son b an<p tlie latter entirely detached from the rest of, Partition-wall, being a separate staircase from

i s tati S b'otn th e '° w ' The central hall, as before explained,i of th e ij°°r to the roof, and is used as the principal| ! So 8 Pfison °® cers engaged in carrying on the discipline^bicb tl gallery—which is a continuation of that

e Prison-rooms or cells open—runs round the

8 c liiihf.i a ^° ut ten feet above the floor, affording access

H an (t all the wings, staircases being placed in\ » 8 b a i[ ov U ? tlons communicating with it. The windows°f Witf; °°b the airing-yards, and the greater part of

Vl pri

^ ____^ ___ ? _ __

StM ; "'bnii ( j C °°b’ n g) and for ventilating and warming theKnl h .all, Jm 8 ’ are situated in the basement under theSll,Hi n ’ na a small portion of the adjacent wings. TheSli'a 'i °Pen' aS before explained, radiate from the centraly th.. b Ja8 , Sa ge or corridor being designed to run longi-

^ . /» 1 ■> •» •

^itl •‘ X,W1W Uie airing-yards, and tlie greater part or•i Sotl lln , the boundary wall. The general kitchenfor' * i bread-room, scullery, coal-cellar, and an

IL v,

V-Ql] V tUl'Q. « vs - -- WlliUUl l,\J iWli AUllgi

op eil . e l the centre of each ; and the prison-rooms,

V ‘ Tl le > nto the corridor ; these being ranged in threet.c tower mntro u™,. »i,o

y er range is on the level of the floor of the4 o

corridor and hall; the upper ranges open upon a narrowgallery attached to the wall, which is continued round thecentral hall, as already explained. At the farther extremityof each prison-wing, a flight of steps, covered by a trap-door,lead to the punishment cells, which are placed in the base-ment. In the centre of each wing, a circular iron staircaseis designed to communicate with the galleries, and continuedinto the stot e-rooms below. In addition to the stores andventilating apparatus, placed in the basement, under thecentre of each prison-wing, is a large bath, the use of whichis essentially conducive to the health of the prisoners. Thegeneral dimensions of the cells are about 13 feet long by 7broad ; 9 or 10 feet high to the under side of the archedceiling. It is deemed desirable that the length shouldgreatly exceed the breadth, as this affords a better opportu-nity of taking exercise, and facilitates the unobserved inspec-tion of the interior. The partitions between the cells arenot less than 18 inches in thickness, thereby precluding, asmuch as possible, the transmission of sound between adjoiningcells. The external walls are two bricks and a half thick, ortwo feet of stone ; the internal walls next the corridor orpassage, two bricks thick, or 18 inches of stone ; the fluesare 12 by 5 inches, and are worked in the corridor-wall andthe external wall for ventilation. The windows of the cellsare placed close under the arch, and have stone sills. Theiron window-frame is a fixture let into a groove, with properrebates for the glass, which is unpolished. The generaldimensions of the windows are about 3 feet 6 inches long,and not exceeding 11 inches in breadth. For additionalsecurity, a strong wrought-iron bar is placed outside thewindow-frame, in the direction of its length, so as to dividethe opening into two portions of about 5 inches each. Thecells have single doors, the frame of which is of oak, 6 inchesby 5 ; the doors, 2 inches thick, of deal, framed flush on bothsides ; the edges covered with felt, to prevent noise in thetransmission of sound ; a strong iron plating is on the sidenext the cell, riveted through, and the doors are hung withstrong 4i-inch butt hinges, and fastened with a spring lockand latch ; a bevelled aperture is cut for the inspection slide;and a trap-door, 6 by 9, is fixed in the door for passing pro-visions through, and which is hung on two centres, so as toform a shelf when let down ; it is fitted with a strong bottomthumb-bolt, to secure it in its place. The outer door nextthe corridor is hung with 4-^-inch butt hinges, working oncentres, the object being that the door may be opened withoutnoise, for inspection ; the edge is covered with felt, and shutsinto a rebate in the door frame, flush witli the wall. Forevery cell there are suitable means provided for a constantsupply of fresh water, and for necessary relief, withoutentailing unwholesome smells. The exercise of prisoners inthe open air, without compromising individual separation, isthus obtained. The airing-yards radiate from a centralpoint, round which is placed a dark passage, affording aninspection into each yard. The advantage of a dark passageis, that it facilitates close and unobserved inspection. Theyards have open railings at both extremities, in order to allowa free circulation of air ; and they are so constructed that notwo prisoners can see each other. A small roof is attachedto the division-walls, to afford shelter when necessary: andthe position of the yards with reference to the doors in thecentre of the prison-wings, gives a ready means of accessfrom the cells.

The chapel is fitted up with separate stalls or sittings ; thesides of each stall, and the doors, which form the continuationof those sides, and shut up the general passage to eacli row,radiate upon the pulpit, so that each prisoner can see, and beseen, by the chaplain. The back of each row of seats is made