The Malta Independent on Sunday
Looking back at Malta’s prisons in 1837
As reports run wild and controversies ride high in the local media on the conditions and treatment of prisoners at Malta’s Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF), the author has been prompted to research the Malta Prisons in 1837 to get a feel of how life was conducted in Maltese prisons at that time. This is the first of a two-part feature, giving an overview of the Maltese prisons’ living conditions 125 years ago and deals with such matters as punishment, religious services, medical treatment, visits, diet, earnings and other matters. It is noted that punishments meted out differed from one prison to another and some were very severe ranging from putting on extra irons, half-diet, solitary confinement, the black hole and whipping.
In 1837, the CCF prison of Paola did not exist. It was inaugurated in 1842. This prison would eventually accommodate 200 prisoners in four wings.
In 1837, prisoners were held in five prisons: Valletta, Floriana and Senglea. A separate prison for Gozo was situated at the Cittadella.
Great Prison (Valletta)
Prison (Senglea) – for convicts only
Ospizio Prison (Floriana) Castellania Prison Valletta Prison – Gozo
These prisons were classified according to the number of prisoners each prison was capable of holding in separate cells and also on the number of prisoners the prison was capable of containing where more than one prisoner slept in one cell.
The prisoners were classified on the basis of sex (male or female) and also whether the prisoners were coloured (black or white) and whether they were tried or untried.
They were also classified on the basis of type of crime; either felons (serious crime punishable for more than one year imprisonment), misdemeanours (assault, shoplifting and petty theft) or debtors.
Prisoners under trial were prohibited from receiving visitors until they had received their indictment after which they were permitted to see their friends.
On 31 December 1837, the Return of the Gaols and Houses of Correction statistics reveal that the Maltese prisons were capable of holding in total 101 prisoners in separate cells and 592 where more than one prisoner slept in one cell.
A total of 133 male and 12 females were in prison (tried) and 16 were untried. Two black/coloured persons were also in prison for tried offences.
A Common Gaol was defined as a place formerly used for female lunatics situated within the premises of the Ospizo in Floriana.
One matron was appointed by
the Committee of the Government Charitable Institutions and resided in this prison. There were no other officers employed at the Prison and the Overseer of the
Wash house of the Ospizio acted as Turn Key.
Classification of prisoners
Other classifications of prisoners
were made on the following grounds:
• On the basis of age – over 18 years of age/under 18 years of age
• Number who cannot read Prisoners who had committed crime before (once/twice/three or more times)
• At hard labour
• At employment and hard labour
• Not employed
According to the Colonial Act, convicts and prisoners were divided into these classes:
• 15 years and upwards
• 10 years and under 15
• 3 years and under 10
• Under 3 years
• Men and boy prisoners sentenced to simple imprisonment As far as the place and circumstances permitted, prisoners committed for atrocious offences were kept separate from those for petty offences. The females were invariably kept separate. Boys in the day time were kept in the court yard with other prisoners and by night separate.
The two main prisons were the Great Prison, Valletta which was the Common Gaol and the small prison for convicts only at Senglea.
At the Ospizio, prisoners were divided into four classes:
• Male prisoners committed or under examination for atrocious offences
• Male prisoners for petty offences
• Persons wanting sureties and boys
• Female prisoners under examination or committed for trial or condemned to imprisonment for a period not exceeding eight days
• Prisoners under the death sentence
Visitations of prison by local magistrates and authorities
The prisons fell under the Magistrate of Executive Police, Her Majesty Judges, the Member of the Permanent Committee of Charitable Institutions and all magistrates were authorised to visit the prison within the prison hours whenever they wanted. This was permissible under a Proclamation of 18 July 1831.
Number of officers
The Great Prison in Valletta had a principal gaoler with a deputy debtor’s gaoler, a clerk and seven guardians. A gaoler, under gaoler and a guardian resided in the prison. The Senglea Prison had a gaoler clerk and two guardians. The principal gaoler and debtor’s gaolers and clerk resided within the prison (at Senglea the gaoler only). At Senglea, there were no female prisoners. No female officer was appointed for female prisoners.
Classes, divisions, wards, work-rooms and airing yards
No work or day rooms were provided but the prisoners were protected by an old passage in the second yard (which was airy) which was used as a working place. The prisoners were not permitted to remain in the sleeping cells during the day.
With regard to hours of labour and exercise: the prisoners worked soon after daylight until late evening before sunset, with an intermission in the middle of the day (one-and-a-half hours to two-and-a-half hours), according to the season, to receive their provisions and rest.
Part 2 will be published next week