Sessional papers

A bound volume, made up from 162 items - minutes, reports, returns of prisoners, official circulars, correspondence, draft notices, etc

[The Prisons Act of 1823, 4 Geo. IV, cap. 64, introduced a uniform code of rules and regulations for gaols and houses of correction, a system of visiting justices, the uniform classification and separation of types of prisoner, and the obligation to send annual reports to the Home Secretary. This Act could apply only to undivided counties, however, and in the following year an Act was passed (5 Geo. IV., cap. 12, 23 March 1824), creating courts of gaol sessions for divided counties which could exercise the powers of courts of quarter sessions as defined by the 1823 Act. The members of the body were all the justices of all the divisions of the county; any two of them could hold the court; and they were enabled to appoint a clerk of gaol sessions and a treasurer. Common gaols to be taken as being within and part of each division or riding of divided counties.]

Item 1. Copy of London Gazette, 30 Mar. 1824, in which the high sheriff, W.E. Tomline, gives notice of a meeting of county magistrates on 22 April to implement the Act, 27 Mar. 1824

2. Forbes's notes on instituting the court. Lindsey clerk to hand over the lease of the Castle. All three clerks to furnish lists of acting magistrates, coroners, etc. The gaoler to produce the present rules and explain the present administration of the gaol. Forbes notes that the totals of contingencies and workmen's bills in 1800 were £379.12.8. and £135.12.8. respectively

these figures had risen by 1823 to £1151.8.3. and £391.14.4

4. Draft, Forbes to Brackenbury, 5 Apr. Has been summoned to consult with Brownlow about the Gaol Sessions Act, and informs him that the high sheriff is to summon a meeting at which B. is asked to attend

12. Draft precept of Brownlow and Chaplin, being two justices, to Forbes to summon a gaol sessions on 2 July

17. Return of prisoners in Lincoln Castle, 2 July

19. Draft minutes of meeting of 2 July. Sir E.F. Bromhead (chairman), C. de Laet Waldo Sibthorp, Henry Hutton, the Revds. H.W. Sibthorp, J. Nelson and J. Robinson. A committee appointed under Brownlow's chairmanship to review the administration and discipline of the gaol. Accounts to be settled every quarter in future

21. A report by Sir E.F. Bromhead as a visiting justice on how far the Prisons Act has been put into operation in the county gaol, 2 July 1824. No provision for solitary confinement or hard labour

22. Draft, Forbes to Brownlow, 5 July, reporting on the meeting

23. A circular to the 'Clerk of the Peace for the County of Lincoln', from the Privy Council Office, directing him to supply the judges at the midsummer assizes with a list of the grand jury, indicating who has served the office of high sheriff during the last thirty years, and who possesses sufficient property to be eligible for such service. 23 July 1824

24. Draft, Forbes to the clerk of the Insolvent Debtors' Court, about the effect of the recent amending act for the relief of insolvent debtors taken in conjunction with the Gaol Sessions Act. Will he or Brackenbury have to attend the debtors' courts? 29 July 1824

28. A list of the grand jury, indicating who has served the office of high sheriff (but not who is considered eligible to do so)

29. J. Massey, Insolvent Debtors' Court Office, Lincoln's Inn Fields, 5 Aug. 1824. The Lindsey clerk will do the local clerking for the insolvent debtors

36. Minutes of meeting of 1 Oct. 1824, Sir R. Sheffield chairman. Two or more visiting magistrates empowered to draw upon the treasurer for contingencies. Annual accounts passed and ordered to be published

37. Clerk's report to the above meeting. Refers to the nomination of Sir M. Cholmeley, Sir E.F. Bromhead, F. Chaplin, C. de L. W. Sibthorp, Henry Hutton, and the Revds. E. Bromhead, J. Nelson and H. Sibthorp, as visiting justices. Also mentions the fact that the boroughs of Boston and Stamford and the borough and soke of Grantham are local jurisdictions which do not contribute to the county rates, although persons charged with capital crimes within those jurisdictions are sent for trial to Lincoln, and the mayor of Boston also sends smugglers and offenders against the excise laws

38. The gaoler's replies to certain queries about the conduct of the gaol

40. Return of prisoners, 1 Oct. 1824

41. Annual contingent account for 1824

66. Richard Lambert, Gray's Inn, 24 Jan. 1825, about local jurisdictions and county rates

67. Sir E.F. Bromhead on the same subject, 31 Jan. 1825. Recommends taking Chitty's opinion. 'It is fortunate for the County that we possess a statesmanlike Lord Lieutenant'

68. Mr. Daultry's scheme for the purchase of Gainsborough Bridge by Lindsey and the north division of Nottinghamshire. A large proportion of Lindsey's cattle is sent for sale into Yorkshire over this bridge

76. Forbes to John Tidd, Gainsborough, about the bridge, 18 Mar. 1825. Brownlow thinks it best to consult the Lindsey justices first

80 Merryweather reports on the need for a system of inspection to prevent escapes. 31 March 1825

81. Return of prisoners, 31 March

85. Memorandum of orders made at a gaol sessions on 31 Mar. 1825. [A signed minute does not appear.] Chaplin chairman. Visiting magistrates appointed. A watch tower to be erected

88. Return of prisoners, 1 July

89. Gaoler's report, 1 July

93. Report of Sir E.F. Bromhead, a visiting magistrate, to the Michaelmas gaol sessions. There is still no regular employment provided for all the prisoners, no adult school, and no sufficient solitary and refractory cells

97. Copy of minutes of gaol sessions, 7 Oct. 1825, giving annual accounts

100. Return of prisoners, 7 Oct

118. Clerk's report, Oct. 1825. Improvements cannot be carried out to the gaol until work on the county hall is finished

121. J. Sandby Fadley, Lincoln, 6 Jan. 1826, hoping to be appointed Castle surveyor. In assisting with the Ordnance Survey he met several gentlemen who have employed him since he settled in Lincoln

124. Gaoler's report, 6 Jan. 1826

126. Robert Peel to Brownlow, 21 Feb. 1826, acknowledging the receipt of Chitty's opinion re local jurisdictions and a resolution of the Kesteven magistrates. Such matters are best dealt with by the courts

127. Inventory of furniture from the old County Hall, by William Webb (surveyor)

128. Webb to Forbes, 18 Mar. 1826. Plastering still in progress in the grand jury room

130. Case on local jurisdictions (? for Chitty's opinion). The boroughs have their own commissions of the peace, but no commissions of oyer and terminer. Cases involving treason and perjury are therefore sent to Lincoln, and so, traditionally, are some other difficult cases, although within the commission of the peace. It would probably be difficult to get the boroughs to contribute to the general expenses of the county gaol (and indeed, before the recent legislation, Kesteven and Holland were not obliged to do so), but surely the sheriff could enforce payments for specific charges laid on the whole county by act of parliament (e.g. for transporting felons or relieving poor prisoners)

132. Surveyor's report of work to be done to the gaol, signed by Brownlow as chairman of gaol sessions, 7 Apr. 1826

134. Return of prisoners, 7 Apr

135. Gaoler's report, 7 Apr

136. Draft minutes, 7 Apr

138. Bromhead, 13 Apr., suggests 5 May for a meeting of the committee to consider the gaol rules, that being the day of the Lindsey and Kesteven petty sessions

140. Benjamin Handley, 27 Apr., about the possibility of altering a bill now pending so as to deal with the question of local jurisdictions

143. W.A. Johnson, Burlington Hotel, Cork St., London, 29 April, about the parliamentary programme. Hopes to leave London shortly

145. Merryweather, 2 May 1826, about the non-survival of plans of the gaol. He did not inherit any from Lumby

146. Heron, 3 May, about the failure of his attempt to get a clause added to the Shire Halls bill. 'Chaplin is out of town with the Black Dwarf. I have no communication, besides, he is never in the H O C.'

148. Chaplin, London, 5 May, agreed with Frankland Lewis that the proposed clause was not germane to his bill

155. Printed draft rules for the gaol, May 1826

157. Bromhead, 19 May. 'You are the only person who has fairly and fully seen the true state of the case'. 'I have not yet meddled in detail with any jobbing, swindling and pilfering', which does not affect the prisoners directly and can therefore be dealt with by the magistrates

158. Rateable value of 14 parishes in the soke of Grantham (including Grantham itself), assessed at £44,814 in 1816