1790: The Rules of King’s Bench Prison.

Declaring the extent of the Rules of the King’s Bench Prison, and limits of Day Rules, 1790.

Easter Term, 30 George 3 [1790]

The two following Rules were publicly read in the Court on the first Day of the Term.

IT IS ORDERED (a) by the Court, That from and after the First Day of Trinity Term next, the Rule made on Friday next after the Octave of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Sixth Year of the Reign of King George the First, and all other Rules for establishing the Rules of the King’s Bench Prison, shall be and the same are hereby repealed.

AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, That, from and after the said First Day of Trinity Term next, the Rules of the King’s Bench Prison shall be comprised within the Bounds following, exclusive of the Public Houses hereinafter mentioned; That is to say, from Great Cumber Court, in the Parish of Saint George the Martyr in the County of Surrey, along the North Side of Dirty Lane, and Melancholy Walk, to Black Friars Road, and along the Western Side of the said Road to the Obelisk, and from thence along the South West Side of the London Road, round the Direction Post in the Centre of the Roads near the Publick House known by the Sign of the Elephant and Castle, and from thence along the Eastern Side of Newington Causeway to the Great Cumber Court aforesaid.

AND IT IS ALSO ORDERED, That the new Gaol, Southwark, and the Highway exclusive of the Houses on each side of it, leading from the King’s Bench Prison to the said New Gaol, shall be within and part of the said Rules (b).

AND IT IS LASTLY ORDERED, That all Taverns, Victualling-Houses, Ale-houses, and all Wine Vaults, and Houses or Places licensed to sell Gin, and other Spirituous Liquors, shall be excluded out of and deemd no part of the said Rules.

BY THE COURT.

IT IS ORDERED, That, from and after the First Day of Trinity Term next, no Prisoner in the King’s Bench Prison, or within the Rules thereof, shall have, or be entitled to have, Day Rules, above Three Days in each Term.

AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, That every such prisoner, having a Day Rule, shall return within the Walls or Rules of the said Prison at or before Nine o’Clock in the Evening of the Day for which such Rule shall be granted.

BY THE COURT.

(a) This Rule has since been repealed, and another substituted in its Room; E. 35 G. 3. Vide post. 6 vol. 305. and the latter has been also enlarged. 16.778. Trin. S6 G, 3. Pp 4

(b) Lord Kenyon, Ch. J. gave as a reason, for including the New Gaol Southwark, and the highway leading to it, within the Rules, that, in case of misbehaviour by any of the prisoners in the King’s Bench, they might be removed to the New Gaol.

Source: Term Reports in the Court of King’s Bench, volume 3, 1817.