Prisoner at work making shoes in separate cell

Book illustration of a prisoner at work making shoes in a separate cell in Millbank prison, from page 245 of 'The criminal prisons of London and scenes of prison life' by Henry Mayhew and John Binny. In Millbank prison inmates worked at tailoring and shoemaking. The authors observe shoemaking in progress: "In one of the cells, where the tapping was most vigorous, there were rows of new shoes on the floor; a shoe-closer was in the corner, with bundles of black leather lying on the stones at his feet, and a small shoemaker's tray by his side. Another prisoner was twisting twine over the gas-pipe. Several of the men had all the appearance of regular shoemakers, and many wore leathern aprons, like blacksmiths."