An Account of the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the Society for the Discharge and Relief of Persons Imprisoned for Small Debts Throughout England and Wales

James Neild

ISBN 10: 0371940540 / ISBN 13: 9780371940549

Published by HardPress Ltd, 2021

About this Item

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Seller Inventory # B9780371940549

Bibliographic Details

• Title: An Account of the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the Society for the Discharge and Relief of Persons Imprisoned for Small Debts Throughout England and Wales
• Publisher: HardPress Ltd
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0371940540
• ISBN 13: 9780371940549
• Binding: Paperback / softback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 825 grams

About this title

Synopsis

An Account Of The Rise, Progress, And Present State Of The Society For The Discharge And Relief Of Persons Imprisoned For Small Debts Throughout England And Wales by James Neild offers a wide-ranging, early 19th-century humanitarian tract that surveys debtor prisons in England, Scotland, and Wales. The work details governance, finances, and living conditions in gaols and bridewells, presenting institution-by-institution profiles with gaoler salaries, chaplains, surgeons, debtor counts, and weekly allowances. It compares master’s-side and common-side housing, notes yards, sleeping rooms, and work opportunities, and traces health provisions and separation of debtors from criminals, all against the backdrop of health acts and anti-liquor clauses. A central theme is reform: charitable endowments, donations, and county funds sustain relief for debtors and families, while the Society advocates Courts of Conscience and broader state-supported relief to reduce confinement costs. The narrative, rooted in Craven Street operations, combines empirical survey with advocacy for humane treatment, reduced gaoler fees, and systematic oversight. It culminates in a call for nationwide reform of debtor imprisonment and debt-recovery practices.