u J^hH^k^^^^^^S ^ m f^\ ^^. BnK,?^; ^^B^sB^ ^B j'^H 1 K^SE ^^R 1 i^T'^-.. ^^^5^C.t/ Hi-- I &^^-- U'^ - ---;V.l\.U-- I B RA FLY OF THE UN IVLR.SITY or ILLl NOIS ^•V \ THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. SECOND NUMBER. AN APPEAL FOR THE GIRLS, EDIIUXD EDWARD AXTROBUS, F.S.A., JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOK THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX AND THE CITY AND LIBERTY OF WESTMINSTER; CHAIRMAN OF THE STRAND DIVISION; VISITING JUSTICE OF THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION, WESTMINSTER, AND THE MIDDLESEX INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, FELTHAM. FOR PRIVATE CIKCULATIOX ONLY. LOiNDON: STAUNTON & SOX, 9, STEAND. 1871. Ix the year 1853 the first number of the " Prison and the School " was printed for the consideration of the Magistrates of the County of Middlesex, and the kind recej^tion it met with induces the writer of this the second number to hope that his colleagues will look over its pages not only for the sake of one who has been upwards of twenty years working with them, but more especially for the cause which is advocated in them. INDEX Page. Application to Parliament, 1854 .. .. .. .. 7 Appointment of a Special Committee to provide Industrial School under the Middlesex Act . . . . . . 7 Contract with Reformatory School at Hampstead and Limpley Stoke . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Special Committee appointed by the Court, 1867 . . . . 8 First Report of Special Committee . . . . . . . . 8 Letter to the Home Secretary of State, and Reply . . 9 Second Report of the Special Committee, Xov. 25, 1867 . . 12 Third Report of the Special Committee, March 30, 1868 . . 13 Re-appointment of Special Committee, May, 1868. . . . 16 Letter from the Special Committee to the Magistrates of the county requesting contributions .. .. .. 17 Result of the appeal . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Formation of an Independent Committee . . . . . . 19 Fourth Report of the Special Committee, Feb, 1869 . . 19 Second letter to the Home Secretary of State, and Reply. . 20 Resolution of the Court to contribute £6000 towards the establishment of a Reforntatory School . . . . 23 Resolution of the Court to contribute ^6,000 for the pur- chase of Fortescue House . . . . . . . . 25 Report of the Special Committee, July, 1870 . . . . 26 Report of the Special Committee, August, 1870 .. .. 28 Collapse of ihe scheme for the purchase of Fortescue House Second Independent Committee Letter from the Independent Committee to the Magistrates VI. INDEX. Page. Result of the appeal . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Appointment of a Special Committee to provide an Indus- trial School under the provisions of the Middlesex Act, 17 and 18 Vict., cap. 169, January 12, 1871 . . . . 34 First Report of the Special Committee to provide an Indus- trial School for Girls under the Middlesex Act, 17 and 18 Vict., cap. 169 34 Amendment to the Resolution . , . . . . . . 36 Letter to the Elementary School Board for London, and Replies 37 Return of the number of Girls under 16 years of ase com- mitted to the Westminster House of Correction during the six years ending Mai-ch, 1871 . . . . . . 40 The absence of a Reformatory School in Middlesex for the reception of Girls of the Church of England . . . . 41 The present and future for the consideration of the Magis- trates of the County of Middlesex . . . . . . 43 Extract from the " Daily Telegraph" newspaper .. .. 4.3 Classification of Girls for whom Reformatory and Innustrial Schools are required .. .- .. .. ..44 The Middlesex Act and the General Act compared, and the advantages of the former over the latter considered . . 45 An Appeal from a Lady Visitor of a prison . . . . 47 Extract from a Report of the Special Committee of the House of Commons on the Prison Ministers' Acts . . 48 Practical suggestions for the consideration of the Magis- trates of the County of Middlesex for the establishment of Industrial and Reformatory Schools in the County. , 50 Second Independent Committee, and List of Subscriptions. 54 i THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL, Ix the year 1853 the Court of Quarter prriiament for Session for the county of Middlesex, ap- Act to establish pointed a Special Committee to consider Industrial . Schools, T^-^' U THE PRISON AXD THE SCHOOL. 13 ^) " Your Committee, under these circumstances, are of opinion tliat tlie time has arrived for provision being made for girls, and that an Industrial School should be provided under the Middlesex Act, other means proving impracticable, in some convenient locality, for a limited number of female juvenile offenders, in as economical a manner as a due regard to efficiency ■will permit, "with a view to obtain a Government certificate hereafter, for the whole or a p jrtion of the proposed school under the Reformatory or Industrial Schools Act, 29 and 30 Yict., caps. 117 and 118. " Edmund E. Antrobus, " Chairman. " Sessions House, 25 iS'ovember, 1867." This report was presented to the Court on the 28th of November, 1867, and was printed and circu- lated in the usual way, and taken into consideration on the county day in January, 1868. Third Report of .^ third report was presented to the Special Com- i • i r> i • mittee, March Court on the county day in the following ''' ''''■ April. " In compliance with the instructions given to your Committee by the Coui-t in January last, they have further considered the probable extent of the requirements of the county as to the establishment of a Girls' Reformatoiy, and they now append an extract from the tenth report of the Inspector of Reforma- tories, from which it appears that the experience of all the Reformatories, both in England and Scotland, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, proves that the ac- ; 14 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. commodation required for girls is about one-fourth of that wanted for boys; and that inasmuch as the Boys' School at Feltham, with a provision for 800, has never yet been filled, it would appear to be fair to conclude that a provision for 200 girls would be ample for the re- quirements of the county ; and of this number about 100 are at present accommodated in the Hampstead and Limpley Stoke schools, leaving little more than 100 to be provided for. In what manner such provision should be made is a question probably beyond the province of this Committee ; but unless suitable premises can be secured at a moderate rent, they venture to suggest that the system recently adopted at the ' Little Boys' Home,' near Farningham, would be worthy of careful consideration. " This system is that of the erection of several small houses capable of containing 30 inmates each, with a central building to be used as a school-chapel. The whole to be placed in, say four to six acres of land, so as to allow a drying ground to be attached to each house. " There appears to exist much misapprehension in the minds of some Magistrates as to the advantages obtained under the public Act, by other places. The county has obtained for the boys sent to Feltham, under the Industrial Schools Act, of 1866, all the advantages, including the Treasury grant, which are obtained by any other school whatsoever ; and in the event of a Girls' School being established by the county under the Middlesex Act, and certified under the Reformatory Schools Act, of 1866, the same result would necessarily follow for all girls committed to such schools under the last Act quoted. " The major part of the amendments which weie 2 ^-. ll^f^Vw-^ -"" ^=^"<^>'^^' f I THE PEISON AND THE SCHOOL, 15 souo'lit for the Middlesex Act, I860, incliidinsf the Treasury grant, have since been obtained for one-half of the Feltham School, by the certificate under the Industrial Schools Act, of 1866, and the limitation of these benefits to one half of the school was the act of the Court itself, by a resolution of the 22nd November, 1866. " An Amendment of the Public Industrial and Reformatory Act, of 1866, inviting counties to initiate schools under those Acts, instead of merely empowering them to supplement the funds when they are established by voluntary effort, would greatly simplify and facilitate the establishment of the class of schools sought for ; but inasmuch as the Govern- ment have hitherto declined so to amend the public Acts, and inasmuch as no Refonnatory School for girls exists in the neighbourhood of London which could be adopted and supplemented by the county, other than the Hampstead School, the managers of which do not wish to extend their operations, your Committee see only one alternative to the recom- mendation in their former report, that a Reformatory School for girls should be established under the Middlesex Act, with the view of obtaining a certificate under the Reformatory Act, ]866 — namely, that such schools should be, in the first instance, started by a few independent promoters, who may be willing to incur some amount of trouble and a limited expenditure, leaving it to the Court to aid the scheme by whatever additional outlay was requisite, as by the Reformatory School Act, of 1866, they would be enabled to do. " If, therefore, a few Magistrates, or other persons interested in the matter, would subscribe to originate ^ LSVt^^:^' 16 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. ) a Female Reformatory School for Middlesex, it will be within the province of the Court of Quarter Sessions, as the ' Prison Authority ' under the Act, to contribute such sums of money towards the estab- lishment or building of the school, and subsequently towards the support of the inmates of the school as in its wisdom it may think fit. " This course has recently been pursued by the Magistrates of the county of Stafford, and by the Town Council of Birmingham, for schools for which Government certificates have already been granted. " As to the conditions on which the Court would contribute any such sums of money, it would probably be considered necessary that the property purchased should be vested in the county. " Your Committee trust that when the facilities which the Act affords are fully known there will not be wanting subscribers to take the initiative in bring- ing the enactments into operation. " Should such an effort be made, the suggested recourse to the Middlesex Act would be rendered unnecessary. " Edmund E. Antrobus, " Chairman. " March 30, 1868." This latter report was taken into consideration on the county day in May, when the following resolution was passed : — Ee-appointment " That the Committee be re-appointed. Committee. and that the subject be referred back to the Committee with instructions to see /) whether a school for female juvenile offenders can be (k Vr ^(\ THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 17 erected Tmder tlie general Act, and for that purpose to invite subscriptions to initiate tlie undertaking." In order to comply vrith the resolution of the Court, the following letter was addressed to the Magistrates of the county by the Special Com- mittee: — Letter to the «■ Sessions House, Clerkenwell, Magistrates of r» n ti the county of ^' Juue 22 nd, 1868. Middlesex. *' SiR " On the county day of the General Sessions in May, 1867, the Court appointed a Special Committee to consider the want of accommodation in certified Reformatory Schools for female juvenile offenders in Middlesex, and as the two reports, dated the 25th November, 1867, and 30th March, 1868, pre- sented to the Court, have been printed and circulated among the Magistrates of the county, they are already aware that an urgent necessity exists for making further provision for this class of offenders, particularly for those between the ages of fourteen and sixteen years. " At the last county day the Court re- appointed the Committee, with instructions to see whether a school for female juvenile offenders can be established under the General Act, and for that purpose to invite subscriptions to initiate the undertaking. " Under the Middlesex Indastrial School Act, the Court have the power to purchase land, and establish and support industrial schools for juvenile offenders under the age of fourteen years. A school, however, under this Act would, with respect to girls, be very limited in its operation, as it would exclude girls B 18 THE PEISON AND THE SCHOOL, between the ages of fourteen and sixteen years, for whom provision is especially required, and the entire cost of the maintenance would, moreoTer, be thrown on the county. " It has accordingly been suggested by the Court in their last resolution, that without adopting this Act, with its limited operation, and its large liabilities, that efforts should be made to establish a Reformatory School under the Reformatory Schools Act, 1866, which gives the power desired, of receiving girls up to the age of sixteen years, and entitles the school to the Treasury allowance towards its support and maintenance. To carry the above suggestion into effect, it is, however, requisite that some sum of money should be, in the first instance, raised, as a basis for initiating the undertaking by a subscription among the Magistrates, such sum to be supplemented, if the Court think proper, by a grant out of the County Rate, without which assistance the measure will not be prosecuted, and contributors, therefore, will be in no event answerable for any amount whatever beyond the sums subscribed. " Under these circumstances, the Committee submit the scheme to your favourable consideration, and will be glad to learn whether you are disposed to support the undertaking, and if so, to what amount. " I am, Sir, " Your obedient Servant, " Edmund E. Antrobus, " Chairman." Pc Result of the This appeal to the Magistrates was not appeal contained rr j_ in the letter. successful. JN otwithstandmg the efiorts '&) made by the Committee to obtain sub- THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 19 scriptions, only £290 were offered as contributions. The Committee did not despair of being able to obtain funds ultimately, sufficient to meet the requirements of the Act, and presented the following Report to the Court : — First indepen- In order to meet the requirement of " the General Acts, an Independent Com- mittee was formed, but this Committee did not take any steps to obtain funds for the estab- hshment of a school. Report presented to the Court, February General Sessions, 1869: — " The Committee, acting under the instructions of the Court, have, since their last Report, endeavoured to obtain funds for the establishment of a Reformatory School for girls, to be certified under the 29th and 30th Vict., cap. 117, and towards which the sum of £300 has been promised by the Magisti^tes of the county. Before reporting the result of their appeal, the Committee caused an advertisement to be inserted in the public papers for premises, which might be eligible for an institution of this character, and ac- ceptable to the Court, but the application was not, however, successful, in consequence, in a great degree, of houses and premises of the extent required, in eligible localities, being, at the expiration of existing leases, pulled down, and the sites let for building villas or streets, the ground attached to them being ot more value for this purpose than the old and usually inconvenient houses upon it. " Your Committee, appreciating the difficulty of B 2 rv \l 20 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. establisliing a school nnder the Reformatory Act of 1866, again addressed a letter to the Home Secretary of State, requesting his attention to the provisions of the Act, and their reconsideration^ bat they regret to add that the request contained in their letter has not been complied with. The following are copies of the letter and reply: — Second letter to ^' ' Scssions House, Clerkenwell, the Home Sec- c , ni-i -r ■% rv/>n retary of State, 27 January, 186-^. Jan. 27, 1869, a i Oj-p and reply. *^^^' " ' On the 11th of June, 1867, 1 had the honour, as chairman of a Special Com- mittee of Justices appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions for the county of Middlesex, to address a letter to Mr. Secretary Hardy respecting the diffi- culty which existed in finding certified Reformatory School accommodation for girls convicted at the Sessions, Police Courts, and Petty Sessions of the county. The Justices were then anxious to avail themselves of the provisions of the 29th and 30th Yict., cap. 117, but were prevented doing so by the limited nature of the powers given under that Act ; and they therefore suggested that the Court of Quarter Sessions should have power given them to originate Reformatory Schools, instead of merely contributing towards their erection and support. Mr. Secretary Hardy, however, in consequence of the recent amendment of ihe law as regards Refor- matory Schools by that Act, did not consider it advisable to introduce any measure for a further alteration under the then existing circumstances. " ' The great want of accommodation continuing, /■/ the Justices have, during the last year, been endea- THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 21 von ling to obtain funds bj volnntaiy contributions for the formation of a Reformatorj School, to be certified under the present Act ; bnt, notwithstanding every effort, have been unable to obtain sufficient to accomplish this object. This, combined with the responsibiliries it would entail, induces them to believe that there is not any prospect of establishing an institution for the county of Middlesex under the provisions of the Act with its present limitations. " ' Under these circumstances, and the urgent neces- sity of meeting the pressing evil, the Justices trust that the provisions of the Act may be reconsidered and so far amended as to empower the Court of Quarter Sessions to originate the establishment of Reformatory Schools in Middlesex. " ' 1 have also to request that you will be pleased to receive a deputation of members of the Committee on the subject, and appoint a time when they will be favoured with an interview. " ' I have the honour to remain, " ' Sir, " ' Your obedient Servant, " ' Edmund E. Antrobcs, " ' Chairman, " ' The Right Hon. H. A. Bruce, M.P., " ' Secretary of State for the Home Department." " ' Whitehall, " ' February 2, 1869. " ' Sir, " ' I am directed by Mr. Secretary Bruce to acknow- ledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ult., respecting the want of reformatory accommodation, for girls in the county of Middlesex ; and I am to 1 % 22 THE PEISON AND THE SCHOOL. acquaint you that, in the present state of public business, Mr. Bruce is unable to receive a deputation as you request, and that he concurs in the view taken by Mr, Hardy of this subject in a letter addressed to you on the 5th of March last. " ' I am. Sir, " ' Your obedient Servant, '"Ao F. 0. LiDDELL. " 'Edmund E. Antrobus, Esq., J.P. '■ ' 14, Kensington Palace Gardens.' '^Your Committee have further to report that, on endeavouring to proceed under the Reformatory Schools Act, 1866, they have found it impossible to enter into satisfactory negotiations either for the purchase or renting of existing premises, not having any authority to do so. This impediment would be removed if the Court would contribute, under the powers given them by the Act of the 29th and 30th Vict., cap. 117, s. 28, a sum of money towards the establishment of a building for a certified Refor- matory School, which would entitle the county to the Government grant towards the support of the inmates. " Unless the Court comply with this suggestion, the Committee see no other course than to proceed under the Middlesex Act, according to the recom- mendation contained in their Report to the Court on the county day of May, 1867, namely, that provision should be made under the Middlesex Act, other means proving impracticable, in some convenient locality, for a limited number of female juvenile offenders, in as economical a manner as a due regard to efficiency will permit, with a view to obtain a Government f THE PPJSOX AND THE SCHOOL. 23 I certificate under the provisions of the Reformatory I or Industrial Schools Acts, 29th and 30th Vict., cap. j 117 and 118. " Edmund E. A:>teobus, ^' Chairman," Export of the Qn the county day, 15th of July, Clerk of the J J ' - ' Peace. 1869, " The Clerk of the Peace reported that he had caused advertisements to be published in the following pubhc newspapers — viz., ' The Morning Herald,' of the 14th May last, and the ' Times,' of the 15th May last, of the inten- tion of the Court on this day to take into considera- tion the making of a contribution, under 28th section of the Reformatory Schools Act, 1866, of a sum not exceeding £6,000 towards the establishment of a Reformatory School for female juvenile offenders, or to lease premises at an annual rent not exceeding £300 per annum. Resolution to "Edmund E. Antrobus, Esq., moved, contribute ^ 6,oooi., or 300L pursuant to notice, ' That the Special t^ewaTdrthe Committee, appointed by the Court to establishment of consider the want of accommodation in School. certified Reformatory Schools for juv^enile offenders in Middlesex, be authorized to contribute a sum not exceeding £6,000 for the pur- chase of a house and premises for a Reformatory School for girls, under the 29 and 30 Vict., cap, 117, or to lease premises at an annual rent not exceeding £300 per annum,' which was duly seconded, where- upon Thomas Turner, Esq., moved, by way of amend- ment, ' That this Court will contribute a sum not exceeding £6,000 towards the purchase of a house (fv IC 24f THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. and premises for a Reformatory School for girls, under the 29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117, on a proper scheme for the pnrpose being submitted by the Special Com- mittee to and approved by the Court,' which amend- ment was duly seconded, and, on a division, carried. The same amendment was then put as a substantive motion, whereupon H. M. Kemshead, Esq,, moved, by way of amendment, ' That the consideration of the question be adjourned to the county day of next October Quarter Session,' which was duly seconded, and put to the vote, but on a division lost ; the first amendment was then put as an original motion, and carried. " On the motion of Edmund E. Antrobus, Esq., which was duly seconded, the Special Committee appointed by the Court to consider the want of accommodation in certified Reformatory Schools for juvenile ofienders in Middlesex, was re-appointed. Report of Special "0° ^^^ county day, April 1870, the Committee. report from the Special Committee ap- pointed by the Court to consider the want of accommodation in certified Reformatory Schools for female juvenile offenders at Middlesex, laid before the Court on the last county day was considered. The Clerk of the Peace reported, ' That in compliance with the provisions of the Act 29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117, he had given due notice, by adver- tisement, of the intention of the Court to take into consideration the making of a contributio^n under the 28th section of the Reformatory Schools Act, 1866^ of a sum not exceeding £6,000 towards the establish- ^JO OIL I THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 25 ment of a E-eformatory School for female juvenile offenders.' Resolution to « Capt. O'Brien havino; moved, pur- contribute . " ^ 6,oooi. for the suant to notice, and the same having been Fortes?uV^ dulj sccondcd, it was resolved, — ' That a House. sum of £6,000 be contributed by the Middlesex Quarter Sessions towards the establishment of a Reformatory School for girls, by the purchase of Fortescue House, Twickenham, together with about an acre of land, the fitting and furnishing of the house for the accormnodation of 100 girls, and the wages of the necessary staff, and the expenses of maintenance until the institution can be got into working order.' " On the motion of Capt. O'Brien, which was duly seconded, it was resolved, — ' That the county Treasurer be directed to pay the said sum of £6,000 to Trustees, to be appointed by the Court, in trust for the purposes of the school, and subject thereto in trust for the county of Middlesex.' " On the motion of Capt. O'Brien, which was duly seconded, it was resolved ' That such Trustees be — ' ' ' The Chairman of the Court, " ' Chairman of the Committee of Accounts, " ' P. Northall Laurie, Esq.' " On the motion of Captain O'Brien, which was duly seconded; it was resolved, — ' That a Committee be formed for the purpose of carrying into effect the above resolution of the Court, for the establishment of a Reformatory School for girls.' " The power to appoint trustees, or a Committee to manage a Reformatory School established under t 26 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. tte 29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117, does not exist, and the course adopted was under an erroneous impression of the provisions. The Report of the Special Committee appointed on the 28th of April last, &c. : — " On the county day of the Easter !fJSdli Q^a^ter Session (the 28th of April), the Committee. Court resolved — ' That the sum of £6000 be contributed by the Middlesex Quarter Session towards the establishment of a Reformatory School for girls, by the purchase of Fortescue House, Twickenham, together with about an acre of land, the fitting and furnishing of the house for the accom- modation of 100 girls, the wages of the necessary stafP, and the expense of maintenance until the institution can be got into working order ;' and an order was made on the County Treasurer to pay the said sum of £6,000 to trustees, to be appointed by the Court, in trust for the purposes of the school, and, subject thereto, in trust for the county of Middlesex. " Some doubt, however, being entertained by the County Treasurer as to whether the Quarter Sessions had power to make the order so made upon him, and whether he could safely pay the £6,000 in the manner and for the purposes specified therein, he prepared and submitted a case to Mr. Mellish, Q.C., and Mr. Channell, Q.C., upon the point, and their joint opinion thereon he laid before the Court on the 26th of May last, when such case and opinion were referred to your Committee to consider, and to report thereon to the Court. " It will be in the recollection of the Court that a ■^<=^, m THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 27 ^_^ case had been previously submitted on tlie subject to Mr. Hannen (now Mr. Justice Hannen), who was of opinion that the Court, as the prison authority, have power to purchase land for, and to establish and wholly maintain such a school. The joint opinion, however, now given by Mr. Mellish and Mr. Channell, being at variance with that given by Mr. Justice Hannen, your Committee recommend, in consequence of these conflicting opinions, that the course suggested by Mr. Mellish and Mr. Channell should be followed, of applpng to the Court of Queen's Bench for a man- damus against the County Treasurer to show cause why he refused to obey the order of the Court so made upon him, for the purpose of obtaining an authoritative decision on the question raised by the County Treasurer, with resj^ect to the vahdity of such order. " ' Sessions House, Clerkenwell, " ' 6 July, 1870.' ^' Moved that the Report be received. " ' That in consequence of the conflicting opinions which have been laid before the Court, the course suggested by Mr. Mellish and Mr. Channell be adopted and followed, of applying to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus against the County Treasurer to show cause why he refuses to obey the order of the Court of the 28th of April last, for the payment of the sum of £6,000, towards the estab- lishment of a Reformatory School for girls, for the pui'pose of obtaining an authoritative decision on the question raised by the County Treasurer with respect to the validity of such order ; and that the requisite steps be taken by the Clerk of the Peace for carrying the foregoing resolution into effect.' " 28 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. "At the last county day (tlie 14t]i July ofthe Special l^^O t^e Court directed the Clerk of the Committee, Peace to take the necessary steps, and to apply to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus against the County Treasurer to show cause why he refused to obey the order of the Court of April 28th to pay the sum of £6,000 to trustees towards the establishment of a Reformatory School for girls by the purchase of Fortescue House, Twickenham, together with about an acre of land, the fitting and furnishing of the house for the accom- modation of 100 girls, and the wages of the necessary staff, and the expense of maintenance until the insti- tution could be got into working order. Since these directions were so given by the Court, a letter has been received from Dr. Rumsey to the effect that he has disposed of Fortescue House and the portion of land that he was offering to your Committee, and inasmuch as all the proceedings of your Committee since its for- mation, and the orders of Court connected therewith, have been based on the presumption that Fortescue House would be purchased from Dr. Rumsey, your Committee have no alternative but to recommend to the Court that the scheme be abandoned, and that the resolution of the Court of 28th April last, granting conditionally the sum of £6,000 towards the estab- lishment of a Reformatory School for girls, and also the resolution of the Court of the 14th of July last, by which the Clerk of the Peace was instructed to apply for a mandamus against the County Treasurer, be rescinded. Your Committee, in coming to these conclusions, regret much that these endeavours to establish so useful an institution as the Fortescue /) House Reformatory for girls convicted of offences in THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 29 Middlesex, should have failed, through adverse cir- cumstances which they could not have foreseen, especially after it had received the sanction of the Secretary of State. The want still remains ; the condition of the young females convicted of offences is very deplorable, and demands early amelioration ; and as in the presect state of the law it is at least doubtful whether or not, under the Greneral Act, the magisterial body can practically originate, as well as carry on, an adequate establishment for this purpose ; your Committee hope and believe individuals may be found willing and ready to join in so excellent a work. "D. O'Brien, " Chairman. Sessions House, Clerkenwell, "15th August, 1870." " On the county day, October, 1870, the Report of the Special Coramittee appointed on the 28th of April last, to estabhsh a Reformatory School for girls, laid before the Court on the last county day was considered. Collapse of the " Captain O'Brien moved, pursuant to scheme for the • i i • purchase of noticc, and the same having been duly HousT''^ seconded, it was resolved, ' That the scheme for the estabhshment of a Reformatory School for girls by the purchase of Fortescue House, be abandoned; the resolution of the Court of Quarter Session of the 28th of April, for contributing the sum of £600, be rescinded.' " Captain O'Brien also moved, pursuant to notice, and the same having been duly seconded, it was ■R^/ (C^ 30 THE PEISON AND THE SCHOOL. /J resolved, ' That the resolution of the Court of the 14th of July last, by which the Clerk of the Peace was instructed to apply to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus against the County Treasurer, to show cause why he refused to obey the order of Court for the payment of the sum contributed, of £6000, be rescinded.' " In order fully to give effect to the dent Committee, recommendation of the Court, that efforts should be made to establish a school for female juvenile offenders in the county, and to invite subscriptions for this purpose to initiate the under- taking, a second independent Committee, required by the General Acts, was formed, notwithstanding the ill success which attended the former, and in reply to the following letter addressed to the Magis- trates from the Committee, viz. : — Edmund Edward Antrobus, Esq., J.P., Chairman. The Rt. Hon. The Marquis of Westminster. Henry Pownall, Esq., Chairman of the Quarter Sessions. Sir William Henry Bodkin, Assistant Judge. John Gilliam Stilwell, Esq., J. P. John Norbury, Esq., J.P. John Gilbert Talbot, Esq., M.P., J.P. Thomas Lucas, Esq., J.P. George Moore, Esq., J.P. John T. Prance, Esq., J.P. Henry John Baxter, Esq., J.P. Benjamin John Armstrong, Esq., J.P. James Holbert Wilson, Esq., J.P. Hecry Grifath, Esq., J.P. Henry Edw. Pellew, Esq., J.P. % THE PRISON AXD THE SCHOOL. 31 Robert Dimsdale, Esq., M.P., J.P. Sir James Tyler, J.P. General Tremenheere, J.P. H. H. Seymour, Esq., J.P. J. E. L. Brandreth, Esq., J.P. " ' Sessions House, Broad Sanctuary, '"Westminster, llth June, 1870. " ' Dear Sir, " ' On the county day of the General Sessions, in May, 1867, the Court appointed a Special Committee to consider the want of accommodation in certified Reformatory Schools for female juvenile offenders in the county of Middlesex, and as the two Reports, dated the 25th of November, 1867, and the 30th March, 1868, presented to the Court, have been printed and circulated among the Magistrates of the county. They are already aware that an urgent necessity exists for making further provision for this class of offenders, a necessity fcilly recognized by the Court of Quarter Sessions. At the present time it has been ascertained that the need is even more urgent for the establishment of schools for the reception of girls, to be certified under the 29th and 30th Yict., caps. 117 and 118, the former more particularly for girls between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, and the latter for girls under fourteen years. A school certified under cap. 118 wiU provide for a class of girls identical, as regards age, with that of the boys who are now sent to the county Industrial School at Feltham, and being established under the provisions of the 29th and 30th Yict., cap. 118, it will be an institution in some important respects similar to the Feltham School, and to which Magistrates will 32 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. have power to send young offenders, without their havinjy to undergo a previous imprisonment. The Court of Quarter Sessions not having the power to originate Reformatory or Industrial Schools under the Statutes before named, the Committee proposes that efforts should be made to obtain by subscription a sufficient sum to purchase a site, and erect two buildings of a domestic character, each capable of receiving fifty inmates, and the requisite staff of officers, and thus to secure the means of adequate classification. In the first instance, however, it is proposed to establish and obtain a certificate for only one school, most probably a Reformatory School. This effected, the Court of Quarter Session will have the power to contribute, under the provisions of the Statute, such sums of money, and on such conditions as they think fit towards the alteration, enlargement, or re- building of a certified Reformatory or Industrial School, or towards the support of the inmates of such a school, or towards the management of such a school, or towards the establishment or building of a school intended to be a certified Reformatory or Industrial School, or towards the purchase of land, required either for the use of an existing Reformatory or Industrial School, or for the site of a school intended to be certified. A school or schools, when certified, will not only be in a position to receive support from the Court of Quarter Sessions, but to obtain the Govern- ment grant. It is intended that the schools should be Church of England Schools, under the control of a Committee of Managers, and that especial care should be taken to train the girls in industrial occupations, and to fit them for household work, either as servants THE PRISOX AND THE SCHOOL. 33 A/ f in families, or in tlieir own houses, when they leave the Institution. " ' More has been done by the county of Middlesex for boys who have come under the law than by any other county, and with the most satisfactory results, but very little indeed for girls, the Committee there- fore appeal to their brother Magistrates to lend their aid to rescue girls charged — many with slight offences, some almost children — from the disgrace of a prison ; girls who, in a vast number of cases, have been the victim of neglect, or the evil influence of persons with whom unfortunately they have been associated, and who, by timely care, may be rescued from a life of infamy and degradation, to become useful and respect- able members of society. " ' The Committee trust that a kind response will be made to their appeal by the Magistrates of the county, and that a sufficient sum of money will be contributed to enable the Committee to carry out this urgent and necessary work. " ' I have the honor to remain, " ' Dear Sir, " ' Yours faithfully, " ' Edmund E. AjfTEOBus, " 'Chairman.'" Eesuit of letter ^q ^liich a liberal response w^as made, from indepen- ■"• ^ ' dent Committee, and a sum of nearly eight hundred pounds contributed. It was, however, felt by a large number of Magistrates that any efforts made to supply the required wants by private means must prove inadequate in the Metropolitan county, and further, that any Institution established under either the general Acts, 29 and 30 Vict., caps. 117 or C LS 34} THE PRISON AND TKE SCHOOLw ^^ 118, must leave a large number of cases wbicli would not properly or beneficially come under the operation of either unprovided for, but which would come under the excellent provisions of the Middlesex Act. Notice of motion The following uotice of motion was for a Special i f» • i tv.t Committee to therefore given on the county day, No- ^rZtt ^e^^be^' 1870, and on the 12th of January, diesexAct. 1871: — A Committee was appointed to provide an Industrial School for the reception of girls, being juvenile offenders in the county of Middlesex, under the provisions of the 17th and 18th Vict., cap. 169. Appointment of This Committee was unanimously ap- Committee. p^ij^ted. In April last the Committee made the following report : — " The Court havins^, under the authority Report of Special . Committee. of the 4th scction of the statute, deter- mined on providing a separate county Industrial School for females, and appointing a separ- ate Committee for the purpose of erecting, providing, and managing such county female Industrial School, your Committee held their first meeting on the 3rd of February last, which was duly convened in the manner prescribed by the Act, and as required by the 6th section, they then elected a Chairman and appointed a Clerk. " The first step which became necessary on the part of your Committee was, of course, that of obtain- ing a suitable site for the proposed School, and although more than one was offered to them which )) appeared in every way well adapted for the purpose, I THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 35 Still your Committee were of opiuion that it would be m.ore satisfactory to the Court, that efforts should be made to secure a site by public tender, and they therefore -caused the following advertisement to be published in several of the daily newspapers : — " Land to purchase — '' Wanted from 20 to 25 acres of land within a radius of 20 miles from Charing Cross, or about 5 acres within the Metropolis, as defined by the Metropolis Local Management Acts, the powers of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, of 1845, relating to the purchase of land by agreement being applicable, may offer advantages to some trustees who are not otherwise empowered to sell. Proposals stating the locahty, tenure, nature of the soil, means of drainage, supply of water, and distance from the nearest rail- way station, are to be sent sealed up and addressed to the Chairman of the Special Committee of Justices, under cover to the Sessions House, Clerkenwell, on or before Saturday the 25th instant.' ^ , ^ "In pursuance of that advertisement, Land at Feltham _ ^ ' recommended thirty tenders of land were received, most to the Court for /. t • i i n the site of the ^^ whicb, howevcr, trom various causes, proposed school, ^ere deemed altogether ineligible, or could not be entertained on account of the price required being excessive. The site which appears to your Committee to be in many important and essential points the most suitable among those offered, is one at Feltham, a few hundred yards from the Feltham station of the South Western Railway, adjoining Hanworth Park estate; it consists of 17 acres of freehold land, the price asked being, in the C 2 f k 36 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. first instance, £280 per acre ; but after some negoti- ation between the Chairman of your Committee and Mr. Francis Kent Junr.. of Castle House, Hampton, by whom the ofier was made, he ultimately expressed his willingness to accept £250 pound per acre ; upon which terms your Committee have agreed to purchase the land in question, subject to the same being sanc- tion by the Court, and approved by the Secretary of State for the Home Department; and your Com- mittee therefore have to request the Court to sanction such purchase, subject to the approval of the Home Secretary of State being obtained. " Edmund E. Antrobus, " Chairman. " This Report was taken into consideration on the county day in May last, and the following amendment to the proposed resolution was passed : — " Upon the following resolution being fhTresoTuUon' moved— ' That the Committee appointed by the Court, on the 12th of January last, to provide an Industrial School for female juvenile offenders of the county of Middlesex, under the provi- sions of the 17th and 18th Vict. cap. 169, be authorised to enter into a contract, subject to i"he approval of the Home Department, for the purchase of 17 acres of land at Feltham, in this county, for the purpose of erecting thereon such Industrial School at a sum not exceeding £4,250 ' ; the same was duly seconded, and thereupon Captain Francis Morley moved by way of amendment, which was carried, — ' That, as the pro- posed school will, by the Middlesex Industrial School Act, be entirely limited To convicted female juvenile ?C7w^- ^R;ii^ THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. offenders, between 7 and 14 years of age only ; and, as no returns or information of their number bas been laid before the Court, the consideration of this subject be postponed, until such information be produced as to show the necessity of incurring this large expenditure, and also the effect of the operations of the new School Board be ascertained/ " " In compUance with the directions of the Court, the following letter was addressed to the Chairman of the Elementary Education Board : — " ' Sessions House, Clerkenwell, Letter to the " ' J^^^e, 1871. Elementary a c hit t i School Board. My Lord, " 'At the Quarter Sessions, in January last, the Court of Quarter Sessions appointed a Special Committee to establish an Industrial School for the reception of girls, under the provisions of the 17 and 18 Vict., cap. 169. Before, however, proceeding with the work, the Court has directed the Committee to ascer- tain if the Elementary Education 'Board intend to estabhsh schools for the reception of girls ujider the provisions of 33 and 34 Vict., cap. 75, sec. 21. " 'As the future proceedings of the Magistrates will be much influenced by the course taken by the Ebmentary School Board, I shall feel much obliged by being informed whether the Board contemplate taking any action under that section of the Act. " ' I have the honour to remain, " ' Your Lordship's most obedient Servant, " 'Edmund E. Anteobus, J. P., " ' Chairman of the Committee. " ' The Right Hon. Lord Lawrence, Chairman " ' of the Elementary Education Board.' " J^ ^C^K^^^ % 38 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. " ' Scliool Board for London, " ' 33, New Bridge Street, " ' June 22, 1871. " ' Sir, " ' I have tlie honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the June, and to inform you that it was laid before the Board yesterday, and referred by them to the Industrial Schools Committee. I will take care to inform you of their Report and the de- cision of the Board as soon as possible. " ' I am, Sir, " ' Your obedient Servant, " 'J. W. Croap, " ' Clerk of the Board. •' ' To Edmund E. Antrobus, Esq., J.P., ^' ' Sessions House, " ' Clerkenwell.' " " ' School Board for London, " ' 33, New Bridge Steeet, " 'Augusts, 1871. " ' Sir, " ' I am directed by the School Board for London to say that they have carefully considered the question raised by your letter of the June, and to reply that they have no present intention of establishing an Industrial School for girls. " ' I am, Sir, " ' Your obedient Servant, " ' J. W. Croad, " ' Clerk to the Board. " 'To Edmund E. Antrobas, Esq., J.P., " ' Sessions House.' " o.\ ■Rii^ ? THE PPaSOX AND THE SCHOOL. 39 This latter letter from the Elementary School Board provides the Court with the information the Committee were instructed to obtain with respect to the intentions of that Board and the formation of Industrial Schools for girls. Eet-jrnofthe The annexed return from the House number of ^irle , . .^ under 16 years ot Correction, W estminster, will to some to^the'^'e^f-^ extent indicate the number of inmates it minster Prison may be desirable to provide accommoda- during ttie six ,. j. rri, i, years ending tion tor. ihere are, however, numerous March, 18^1. (^ges which come under the notice of both the Police and County Magistrates which would be sent to a county Industrial School if such an institution existed, and who are discharged, and who, consequently, at a later period become con- firmed ciiminals. Experience has demonstrated that it is not ad- visable or prudent to collect girls in large numbers in any institution, both with respect to their moral, reli- gious education or industrial training, nor for a pro- vision, when the time arrives for their obtaining employment, for their support. The erection of two or three buildings of a domestic character, to contain thirty, or at most fifty, inmates, would be ample for any district; and should it be 'expedient hereafter to provide for a larger number, it would be most desirable that accommodation should be found in another locality. Ck 40 ofvy THE PEISON AND THE SCHOOL. HOUSE OP CORRECTION, WESTMINSTER. A Return sliowing the mimber and ages of girls under 16 years of age committed to the prison during the six years ending respectively at Michael- mas, ]866, 7, 8, 9, 70, and 71. 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 Under 12 years of age . . 8 9 8 9 15 3 12 and under 14 . , 34 20 26 28 29 1' 14 and under 16 . . 103 84 81 139 116 84 145 113 115 176 160 103 The appointment of a Special Com- f SpelTcom°^ mittee in 1867, to consider the want of mitteetopro- accommodation for girls in Reformatory vide an Indus- TTij^-ini i r^ trial School and Industrial Schools ; the oner of the under pro- Q^^^^ ^^ contribute a sum of £6,000 visions of the ' Middlesex Act. towards the establishment of a Refor- matory School ; and, lastly, the appoint- ment of a Special Committee to provide an Indus- trial School, under the provisions of the Middlesex Act, in January last, proves that the Magistrates of the county of Middlesex retain the same interest in the reformation of juvenile offenders as their colleagues in 1853; and that they pursue the same enlightened policy which dictated their apphcation to ParHament in 1854, and the principles embodied in the Act consequently obtained. The reports of the Committees which have been presented to the Court, and which have been from THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 41 time to time printed and circulated, fnrnisli conclu- sive evidence of the urgent necessity for an institu- tion to be established under one or more of th.e three statutes ; and confirmation is obtained by a perusal of the returns of committals of the House of Correction, Westminster, and an extract from the fourteenth Report of the Inspector of Reformatory and Indus- trial Schools of Great Britain recently printed. Extract from "It ig much to be regretted that the the fourteenth , ° , Report of the proposed School for girls at Twickenham Reforaato^y could not be Carried out, the want of an and Industrial additional Reformatory for this class of Schools. mi 1 • young onenders bemg very urgent, espe- cially in the metropolitan districts. Every month now sees several girls left without means or opportunity of rescue from their vicious and criminal associates in London and its neighbour- hood, there being no school into which they can be received ; the criminal statistics of the year also showing an increase in the number of girls under 16 committed to prison, give reason for expecting that the demand for Reformatory accommodation for such offenders will become more urgent. I see at present, however, no prospect of any effort being made to supply the deficiency." Absence of a It is a circumstance deeply to be re- Reformaiory . '■ . School in Mid- gretted that in the Metropolitan county oJThe'chu?df ^liere is not a Reformatory School to of England. which girls, who are members of the Church of England can be legally sent, the girls who are now sent to the Hampstead School, with which the Magistrates some few years since 42 THE PRISO^s^ AND THE SCHOOL. made a contract under a misapprehension of its re- ligious persuasion (being a Presbyterian School), are so sent in violation of the 14th section of the 29th and 30th Vict., cap. 1] 7 ; the clause to which reference is made runs thus : — " In choosing a certified Reformatory School, the Court, Justices, Magistrates, or Visiting Justices shall endeavour to ascertain the religious persuasion to which the youthful ojQfender belongs, and, so far as possible, a selection shall be made of a school conducted in accordance with the religious persuasion to which the youthful offender appears to the Court, Justice, Magistrate, or Visiting Justice to belong, which per- suasion shall be specified by the Court, Justice, Magistrate, or Visiting Justice." That the Roman Catholic children might be placed in Roman Catholic Schools the Court of Quarter Sessions has liberally contracted with the schools of Mount St. Bernard and others, but with respect to children of the Church of England only with two schools, of a very limited character, capable of re- ceiving not more than a dozen children, and those in distant parts of the country. In order to ascertain the amount of accommodation in the country for girls, the Visiting Justices of the House of Correction caused a letter to be "^^aitten to the principal schools in other counties ; the replies, however, stated that very few vacancies existed, and that the Managers declined to make any permanent arrangement for even a limited number of cases. I i4^^-- ■-^^ THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 43 The present and The questfon which now presents itself the future for r> . . the consideia- for the Consideration of the Magistrates Magistrates. -^^ *^® most eflPectual waj to meet the urgent necessity for schools of a Reforma- tory and Industrial character. That it is urgent is fully stated in the reports of the several Committees appointed by the Court, the statistical information which has been obtained, and the Report of 1871 of the Inspector of Reformatories and Industrial Schools. This subject has also fallen under the observation of the public press, and a very able article appeared in the ' Daily Telegraph ' of the 28th of April last, of which the following is an extract. Extract from " jg f^ j^Qf then, surprising", when so the "Daily ' r &' ^ Telegraph" much has been done for the boys, so little newspaper. ^^^ ^^^^ attempted for the girls ? The rich and populous county of Middlesex has provided for the boys a really magnificent insti- tution at Feltham. It works well in every sense, save, perhaps, that the parents of children who have been committed to Feltham by order of the Magis- trates should not be allowed to regain possession of them when their time has expired. The poor boys often shrink from the claim with horror, but the parents are importunate and will not be denied. Such a result is a great evil, and surely the state and the county, which has fed, clothed, and trained the outcast for so many years, does actually stand in the place of the parent and should have a control over their future. Beyond this, so far as we know, Feltham works well, and has been of more advantage to the public than the addition of two or three thou- sand men to the Metropolitan Police Force. We have ■R^^T^^ % e 44 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. constantly heard rumours to the effect that the Middlesex Magistrates had taken, or were about to take, the case of the girls in hand ; but as yet, nothing has been done. With the exception of four or five minute institutions — really the creation of private benevolence, though the directors may obtain the Grovernment allowance for the children — there are no Industrial Schools for girls in the neighbourhood of London. We know of only one Reformatory as contra-distinguished from the Industrial School, it is at Hampstead ; but though admirably managed, it is very Hmited in point of accommodation, and by no means helps us out of our difficulty. The subject should be looked to at once ; it is second to no other in importance. What reasonable hope have we of diminishing the number of prostitutes in the London streets ? We have dealt with the boy thieves in esse and in posse, and well have we been repaid for the outlay. Why should we not handle the difficult subject of prostitution in a similar manner, by sending the little waifs and strays of our gutters to school ? It will be observed that we have carefully refrained from insist- ing on the moral and religious grounds which might have induced us to take speedy action. We take no higher ground than that of wise police regulations. Industrial Schools for the poor girls of London would be a first-rate investment, as our Industrial School for boys has already been. Why not get hold at once of the future mothers of thieves ? The schoolmaster and mistress are better than a vigilant police." Classification of The girls for whom Reformatory and girls for whom . . "^ Reformatory Industrial schools are required may be schol^'arf'^ advisedly placed in two classes : the first J) required. under fourteen years of age, and the , second between fourteen and sixteen. (y VS THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 45 ^J To meet the first cases the Court of Quarter Sessions has appointed a Special Committee to provide a school under the Middlesex Act, 17 and 18 Vict., cap. 169 ; and very great advantages are secured under the provisions of this Act. The advantages Firstly.— The Court has full powers to of ihe Middlesex *^ . . ^ Act over the purchase land or buildings, to erect vLT'^c.'in. schools, or to lease existing houses or schools. Secondly. — To maintain the school and the in- mates. Thirdly. — The Institution, Hke the Lunatic Asylums and the Prisons, remains the property of the county. Fourthly. — The management of a school under this Act is under the management of a Com- mittee of Visitors (Magistrates) appointed by the Court. Fifthly. — The inmates are sent direct from the Court of Quarter Sessions, Police Courts, or Petty Sessions without the degradation of im- prisonment. Lastly. — The Committee have the power to expend a sum not exceeding five pounds upon the boy or girl upon the termination of the period of detention in the school. Considerable misapprehension appears to exist as to the powers of the Court over the age at which children may be sent to a school provided under the Act ; although the Act limits it to children between the ages of seven and fourteen years, the Court is not precluded from confining the school to the reception ^k IC 46 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. of children at not less than twelve or thirteen, should such limitation appear essential for the welfare of the institution and the class of inmates for which it has been provided ; in the case of girls it would be advi- sable that only cases coming within the ages of twelve and fourteen years should be received, as the time of detention under the Act does not exceed three years, but which would under ordinary circumstances be sufficient ; the number of girls under twelve years of age coming under the notice of magistrates is extremely limited, and consequently no practical objection can arise. Far greater difficulties present themselves in any effi)rt which may be made to establish schools under either of the general Acts, 29 and 30 Vict., caps. 117 and 118, but as girls can be provided for under the Middlesex Act if under fourteen, it is only necessary to comment upon the provisions of the Reformatory Schools Act, cap. 117 : — Firstly. — There must be an existing certified School or bona fide undertaking to provide one, before the Court of Quarter Sessions can make a con- tribution. Secondly. — Contributions made to any certified School under the Act are handed over to a Com- mittee of Managers, and become the property of the Managers, or their successors in the school. Thirdly. — The Court can have no power over the management of the school, further than the withdrawing the amount of any weekly contri- bution which may be paid for the support of the inmates. Fourthly. — The girls sent to a school under the I 'M^^^'^'^^^ ^^^Rj:^ *fS^^CF>^ — — ^"^^^^^^T^ I THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 47 >} General Act, cap. 117, raust be first subjected in every instance to the degradation of a com- mittal for a period of not less than fourteen days to a prison ; a provision utterly unworcliy of an enhofhtened ag-e. At the present time there is not any Reformatory School in the county of Middlesex for the reception of girls, members of the Church of England, that at Hampstead being a Presbyterian School. One of the lady visitors of one of our Metropolitan prisons thus writes : — An appeal from "There are surely few sadder things a Lady Visiuor . ° of a prison. m this great London of ours than a visit to a women's prison. The sight of old hardened habituees, of middle-aged and young women, who will probably return in time no better ; but saddest of all and most heart-breaking, that of very young girls (and little children occasionally) who are blasted, branded for life through the disgrace of being sent to such a place. That a child of eight, ten, or twelve years of age should be committed there at all is almost incredible, but the thing exists in this England of ours, and in the nineteenth century. What is to become of these children, friendless girls, and what is to be the future of these little ones who have seldom seen or heard aught but evil from their birth ? Will they not go straight to destruction unless some help is given them ? The Middlesex Magistrates have doae much for boys — -they have nobly given them every chance to right themselves /y and form good characters ; the county cannot bat !■• 48 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. JJ rejoice over tlie Inindreds who liave been saved, through the Feltham Schools, from the degradation of a prison, and are now doing well ; but the work f s only half done while onr girls are neglected, for if Industrial and Reformatory Schools are needed for boys, ten times more are they necessary for girls. It is possible for a boy to shift for himself and make his way in life even after having been in prison, but for girls it is far otherwise — withont principle, without discipline, withont a notion of truth, these wild girls require just double the amount of care, and better in- dustrial training- than our schools are accustomed to give--sound religious teaching, and a happier faith than is to be found out of the pale of the Church of England. Fearful is the amount of influence a bad woman has in the world, incalculable the mischief she can do ; on the other hand, if good, her influence is felt and tends to the temporal and eternal welfare of all classes who may surround her. Give the girls an equal chance with the boys, and the recompense will be the same. It is a rare thing to find one really hardened or without some good, and the result of many years' experience convinces me that a large percentage of the young who may commit ofiences may, with care, be rescued from a life of misery and become useful and respected members of society." Extract from the Jji illustration, the following paper. Special Com- printed in the report of the Select Com- mittee oi the niittee of the House of Commons on House of Com- mons on the Prisons and Prison Ministers Acts, will AcTs'!'^ ^"^^ ^^^ ^ot ^6 without interest. It is the result of my work of nine years : — " During nine years, from 1861 to the end of 1869 1 iC THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 49 230 prisoners have been visited in their cells; of these 8 are married, 26 are known to be satisfactory, 39 were last heard of in refuges or schools, and were also doing well, 103 have not been heard of at all since leaving prison ; but as a great part of these returned at once to friends or home, there is reason to hope they have not returned to crime ; 15 are still in homes, 12 are unsatisfactory, 22 have returned to prison, but only 2 for more than once, and 3 of those are now married and going on well, and 14 are still in prison, and 1 in Hanwell. " I believe the falling into crime in most instances to have arisen from the want of proper homes, good parents, and education. Many girls of 17 and 18 could neither read nor write ; two had never heard of Jesus Christ before going to prison; 60 had one parent only ; 43 were orphans or friendless ; 44 were foreigners — chiefly Germans from Whitechapel or the City Road ; 35 were almost totally ignorant ; 151 were under 20 years of age, and 6 under 12. Of those who returned to prison, 10 gave little hope from the first, two being amongst the most refractory prisoners ; 9 refused to go to a refuge or home, and returned immediately to bad companions from prison." In order, however, to give effect to the instructions by the Court of Quarter Sessions to the Special Com- mittee, that efforts should be made to establish a school under the General Act, and for this purpose to invite subscriptions as before stated, a second in- dependent Committee has been formed, to establish a school for girls, under which one or other of the General Acts, notwithstanding the difB.culties and D 50 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 'i I imperfections attached to them, and in reply to an appeal to their brother Magistrates, a snm of nearly £800 has been already subscribed. Liberal as the response has been, it is inadequate to establish a school, except upon a most limited scale, even if a contribution is added under the Act by the Court. Practical sug- The important question for the Court gestion for the ^ ^ o • ' -i • ^ consideration of of Quarter oessions to consider is, that for t^eStab-'' leaving provided a school for boys which lishment of bas provcd eminently successful, shall the Keformatory girls be neglected altogether, as at pre- fn^the counf ?f ^®^* ^ ^^® following appears a practical Middlesex. solution of the question : that the Special Committee be instructed to provide an in- stitution of a domestic character, under the Middlesex Act, for a number not exceeding one hundred, or at most, one hundred and fifty; this would provide for girls under the age of 14. The independent Com- mittee would then be in a position to devote the funds at their present disposal and contributions that will hereafter be received to supplement the Institution, with a school to receive those above that asre. In conclusion, and in reply to observations which have been made with respect to the site recommended by the Special Committee in their Report of April last, the following remarks are sufficient to confirm the selection made by the Committee : — First. The site is within a few hundred yards of a first-class railway station, but so removed from it, that no possible inconvenience would arise, while all its advantages would be available. m^^^- ^ THE PEISON AND THE SCHOOL. 51 Second. The soil is gravel, the sitnation most healthy, and the snpplj of water excellent, and in any quantity, to be had from wells, and fi^om the stream which supplies Hampton Court Pal- ace with water, which is the boundary of one side of the plot. Third. The sewage can be utiHsed as at the School at Feltham, the soil being the same and pecu- harly adapted for its reception. Fourth. The price of the land, considering its situation, is moderate. Fifth. In reply to the objection to the site, that it is in dangerous proximity to the school at Felt- ham, and that the name of the place would be prejudicial, it must be stated that the site is nearly two miles distant from it, and that two schools are already in the immediate neighbour- hood of the County School for both boys and girls, and further, that schools of a charitable and philanthrophic character are known more by name than by their locality. Sixth. That facilities giyen for the meeting of Committees by being close to a first-class railway station is most important, not only to the Mem- bers of the Committee, but to the due manage- ment of an institution. It is in the power of the Court to purchase any quantity of land not exceeding one hundred acres for a school. The plot of land recommended by the Committee consists of only seyenteen acres, and is surrounded by an excellent fence; and although, strictly speaking, a smaller quantity would sufiice, still it would be yery desirable that the whole should IC 52 THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. ^) be purchased, firstly, for the utilisation of the sewage ; and secondly, to secure privacy. The value of land increasing, should the seventeen acres not be required at a future time, any surplus might be sold at a,n increased price. The amount already subscribed by the Magistrates and their friends, as shown in the annexed list, already amounts to nearly eight hundred pounds, which would be doubtless increased to fifteen hun- dred if the Court would contribute a site at a nominal rent for a term of years part of land which might be purchased for a school under the Middlesex Act. This sum of fifteen hundred pounds would be sufficient to erect a small domestic building for the reception of thirty girls, and for which a certificate, under the 29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117, would be granted by the Government. By an arrangement of this nature the building would ultimately become the property of the county ; and the Court (the school being established) would have the power, not only to contribute towards the support of the inmates, but to assist in the extension, if required, at a future time. Finally. The Magistrates who have read these pages will find that the necessity of an institution for the reception of girls is reported by no less than three Special Committees appointed by the Court, by the returns from our prisons, and by the last report of the Inspector of Reformatory and Industrial Schools. The Court has shown an earnest desire to provide a refuge for the neglected girls — first, on the recommendation of a Special Committee, acting under a misapprehension of the provisions of the General Act, 29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117, in ofiering to contribute the sum of six thousand pounds towards f THE PRISON AND THE SCHOOL. 53 an illegal and impracticable scheme — wliicli scheme, however, collapsed, and the Magistrates were saved the hmniliating defeat, which would inevitably have followed the application for a mandamus in the Court of Queen's Bench ; and, secondly, in the appoint- ment of a Special Committee to provide an Industrial School, under the provisions of the Middlesex Act : and thus sustaining those benevolent and enlightened views which have for so many years distinguished the Magistrates of the metropolitan county. The course suggested in these pages comes strictly within the provisions of both the Middlesex Act and those of the General Act, 29 and 30 Vict., cap. 117, and carries out the recommendation of the Court, that efforts should be made to establish a school under the provisions of the latter Act, which the members of the independent Committee have zealously forwarded, as will be seen by the list of contributions ; will pro- vide schools for both classes, and enable the Magis- trates to carry out the benevolent object they have in view, and supply that want which is now so urgently required, and, without intruding on the very limited space which is occasionally at the disposal of managers of institutions which the liberality of the benevolent have established in other and distant counties. -■&s^ 54 INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE. The Committee of Promoters consists of the fol- lowing Magistrates : — EDMUND EDWAED ANTROBUS, Esq., Chairman, J. P. THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUIS OF WESTMINSTER. HENRY POWNALL, Esq., J.P, late Chairman of the Quarter Sessions. SIR WILLIAM HENRY BODKIN, Assistant Judge, J.P. JOHN GILLIAM STILWELL, Esq., J.P. JOHN GILBERT TALBOT, Esq., M.P., J.P THOMAS LUCAS, Esq., J.P. GEORGE MOORE, Esq., J.P. JOHN F. FRANCE, Esq., J.P HENRY JOHN BAXTER, Esq., J.P BENJAMIN JOHN ARMSTRONG, Esq., J.P. JAMES HOLBERT WILSON, Esq., J.P HENRY GRIFFITH, Esq., J.P HENRY EDWARD PELLEW, Esq., J.P. ROBERT DIMSDALE, Esq., M.P, J.P. SIR JAMES TYLER, J.P. GENERAL TREMENHEERE, J.P. H. H. SEYMOUR, Esq., J.P. J. E. L. BRANDRETH, Esq., J.P. Subscriptions will be received by Edmund E. Antrobus, Esq., 14, Kensington Palace Gardens, W. ; or by the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Charles Wright, Sessions House, Clerkenwell, E.G. Ck 55 LIST OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED TO THE PRESENT TIME. £ S. The Duke of Wellington, Apsley House, Piccadilly .. 50 The J^Iarquis of Westminster, Grosvenor House . . 100 Edmund E. Antrobus, Esq., J.P., 14, Kensington Palace Gardens . . 20 J. G. Stilwell, Esq., J.P., 33, Gordon Square . . . . 20 Sir James Tyler, J.P., Pine House, HoUoway. . .. 60 John Norbury, Esq., J.P., (late). 30, Gorden Square . . 10 Lord Ebury, J.P., 107, Park Street. Grosvenor Square 10 Charles Hill, Esq., J.P., 29, Threadneedie Street . . 5 Thomas Lucas, Esq., J. P., 13, Kensington Palace Gardens 20 W. H. Smith, Esq., M.P., J.P., 1, Hyde Park Street. . 20 J. G. F 5 J. Noble, Esq., J.P., 50. Westbourne Terrace. . . . 20 Thomas G. Sambrooke, Esq., J.P. (late) , 32, Eaton Place 5 George Korbury, Esq., 30. Gordon Square . . . . 5 H. John Baxter, Esq., J. P., 5, Pembridge Yillas, Bayswater . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Henry Pellew, Esq., J. P., 22, Boltons, West Brompton 10 Miss Antrobus, 14, Kensington Palace Gardens .. 5 Henry Pownall, Esq.. J.P.. 63, Russell Square . . 10 George Moore, Esq., J. P., 15, Kensington Palace Gardens 20 John P. France, Esq., J.P., 2, Norfolk Terrace .. 5 5 The Assistant Judge, J.P.. West Hill, Highgate . . 10 Henrv Griffith, Esq., J.P., 30, Princes Gardens, Hyde Park 10 J. A. Shaw Stewart, Esq., J.P., 13, Queen's Gate . . 10 Sir Walter Farquhar, Baronet, J.P., King Street, St. James's . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Stephen Kennard, Esq., J.P., Woodlands, Harrow AVeald, Stanmore .. .. .. .. v. 10 10 James H. Wilson, Esq., J.P., 19, Onslow Square . . 10 Eaikes Currie.E.sq., J. P., 67, Lombard Street. . .. 20 Augustin Robinson, Esq., J.P., West Lavant House Chichester 10 Total .. ., £490 15 w^- t of I I 56 LIST OF CONTRIBUTIONS. Brought forward Richard Twining, Esq., J.P., 215, Strand Jos. Pugh, Esq., J. P., 23, Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park Miss Wood, ;New Lodge, Eeigate Eichard Nicholson, Esq., Clerk of the Peace, Sessions House, Clerkenwell . . Baron Lionel M. de Rothschild, M.P., J.P., 148, Piccadilly Miss E. ]\I. Antrobus, 14, Kensington Palace Gardens Mrs. Willis, 33, Gordon Square. . J. Gurney Hoare, Esq., J. P., Child's Hill, Hampstead Angus CroU, Esq., J. P., Granard Lodge, Eoehampton William Murray, Esq., J. P., 11, Cambridge Square . . William Bird, Esq., J.P John J. J. Stilwell, Esq., Arundel Street, Strand Henry Stilwell, Eisq., Arundel Street, Strand . . Lady Bodkin, West Hill, Highgate Charles White, Esq., ^ .P., Barnesfield, Stone . . Charles S. Butler, Esq., J.P. (late), Cazenoves, Upper Clapton. . G. F. Franco, Esq., J.P. (late), Eaton Place . . Sir F. Lycstt, J.P., 18, Highbury Grove Robert Holland, Esq., J. P., Stanmore Hall, Great Stanmore Edward Warner, Esq., J. P., 49, Grosvenor Place Hugh H. Seymour, Esq., J.P., 30, Upper Brook Street Edward W. Cox, Esq., J. P., Deputy Assistant Judge, Moat House, Highwood, Hendon Sir William Tite, J. P., 42, Lowndes Square . . J. Kelk, Esq., J.P., 109, Lancaster Gate J. F. Pownall, Esq., J.P., 63, Russell Square . . E, W. Wadeson, Esq., J.P., 40, Tavistock Square E. L. Brandreth, Esq., J.P., 32, Elvaston Place, Queen's Gate, Kensington P. P. Blyth, Esq., J.P., 53, Wimpole Street . . G. Ashley Dodd, Esq., J.P., 40, St. James'o Street . . Thomas Scott, Esq., J. P., Nevill Park, Tunbridge Wells Sir John Kirkland, J.P. (late), Eaton Place . . Mrs. Brown, Lancaster Gate G. C £ s. 490 15 10 10 5 5 20 5 5 10 10 10 5 5 5 5 5 10 5 5 20 5 5 5 5 10 10 5 5 5 5 20 10 5 2 2 5 Total . . .. ^743 2 ^R:^^ a li mk-^. m'/^ mm -H5- W^ki'^rl!