The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and MarriagesAshton, John
History
The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages
Ashton, John
Fleet Prison (London, England); Fleet, River (England)
14. Mr. Hales, the Cook.
15. Mr. Walker.
16. Captain McDonnough, 11th Hussars (real gentleman).
17. Mr. Halliday (Manchester Merchant).
18. Harry Holt the Prize Fighter.
19. Captain Penniment (Trading Vessel, Yorkshire).
20. Mr. Palmer, Cutler to Geo. III., near the Haymarket Theatre.
21. Mr. Scrivener (Landlord of the Tap).
22. Captain Oliver, Smuggler and Tapster. Capias, £117,000.
23. Mr. Goldsbury, _alias_ Jailsbury, driver of omnibus all round the
Fleet.
24. Mr. George Kent.
As a souvenir of the talented Isaac Robert Cruikshank, I append a
facsimile of his autograph, which was written in the Parlour, No. 16,
Hall, in the Fleet Prison, June 24, 1842. His method of utilizing the
blot of Ink is unique.
The remaining Notices of the Fleet must be taken as they come, as
far as possible, chronologically--and first of all let us look at
the enormous quantity of people who were imprisoned for debt. In the
_Mirror_, No. 615, vol. xxii. July 20, 1833, is a cutting from the
_Times_: "By the return of persons imprisoned for debt in 1832, in
England and Wales, just printed by order of the House of Commons, it
appears that the gross number was 16,470: of whom maintained themselves
4,093, so that three fourths of the whole were too poor to provide
themselves with bread."
The terrible destitution to which some prisoners were reduced is shown
in an extract from the _Morning Herald_ of August 12, 1833.
"_Guild hall._ A Gentleman complained that the Overseers of
St. Bride's had refused to relieve a distressed prisoner in
the Fleet. The Prisoner was Mr. Timothy Sheldvake, who had
been well known for his skill in treating deformities of the
body. He once kept his carriage, and obtained £4,000 a year by
his practice, but he was now quite destitute. He was eighty
years of Age, and of that temper that he would rather starve
than make a complaint. When applicant saw him he had actually
fasted forty-eight hours. St. Bride's Parish had assisted the
unfortunate Gentleman, but they denied that he was legally
entitled to such relief. The Applicant contended that, as the
Prison was in St. Bride's parish, and was rated at £70 a year,
St. Bride's was bound to afford casual relief to those within
the walls of the prison, and to recover it from the respective
parishes to which those who have been relieved belonged.
[Illustration: AUTOGRAPH DONE AT THE PARLOUR NO 1, PALAIS DE LA
FLETE, THIS 24 DAY JUNE.]
"The Vestry Clerk said, relief must be given out of the County
rate.
"Sir C. Marshall said he would take time to consider the Point,
but he thought a sufficient relief should be afforded out of the
County rate."
[Footnote 149: "_Memoirs of the Right Villanous John Hall_,"
&c.]
[Footnote 150: See next page.]
[Footnote 151: A cant word for gin.]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXV.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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