Dining Ward, Newgate Prison, 1850. Creator: Unknown
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Dining Ward, Newgate Prison, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Dining Ward, Newgate Prison, [London], 1850. Extract from a report of the State of the Prison: The great corruption of Newgate still appears to be most fearful in the transport wards. The condition of the transports [those waiting to be transported to penal colonies], confined for months in perfect idleness, makes them spend their leisure time in awfully corrupting one another. The language, acts, and habits of these utterly depraved men; their filthiness, falsehood, and pernicious animosities; are too bad to be described. The magistrates wish these men removed to their proper place of confinement. The Government are unable to comply with these reasonable desires, because every place is full'. From "Illustrated London News", 1850
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Media ID 36197350
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Bleak Dining Hall Dining Room Newgate Gaol Newgate Prison Penitentiary Prison Refectory Sparse Spartan Tables
EDITORS COMMENTS
This haunting image captures the Dining Ward of Newgate Prison in London during the mid-19th century. The photo, taken from a report in the Illustrated London News in 1850, offers a stark glimpse into the grim conditions of the notorious English penal institution. The Dining Ward, also known as the Refectory or the Transports' Ward, was where prisoners awaiting transportation to penal colonies were housed. The report accompanying the image paints a bleak picture of the ward, with the author lamenting the 'great corruption' that had taken hold of the men confined there. Idleness, the author notes, had led to 'awfully corrupting' behavior among the prisoners, who spent their days engaging in vile language, acts, and habits. The filthiness, falsehood, and pernicious animosities of these 'utterly depraved men' were too vile to be described in detail. The image itself reveals a sparse, spartan interior, with long tables and benches arranged in rows. The furniture is worn and weathered, reflecting the harsh conditions of the prison. The room is dimly lit, adding to the sense of gloom and despair. The overall atmosphere is one of bleakness and despair, with the prisoners seemingly resigned to their fate. Despite the magistrates' wishes to remove the prisoners to a more appropriate place of confinement, the government was unable to comply due to overcrowding in other facilities. This image serves as a poignant reminder of the harsh realities of the Victorian penal system and the human cost of incarceration during this period.
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