Boys' school room at Tothill Fields Prison

Book illustration of the boys' school room at Tothill Fields Prison, from page 363 of 'The criminal prisons of London and scenes of prison life' by Henry Mayhew and John Binny. The authors describe the school room as having "ordinary, long, narrow desks, with the sloping edge hardly wider than that of a pew, and pierced at intervals with holes, for ink-stands". On the wall "hung some long strips of boards, with Roman numerals upon them, and the alphabet in different characters, as well as the Multiplication Table, and sheets of lessons in large type; whilst against the end of the room, near the door, were large maps, and a book-case, with the warder's high desk just in front of it."

The warder informed the authors that there were five classes a day "and of those who attended the school there were only 30 who could read and write well, whereas there were as many as 92 who could read and write imperfectly, and 94 who could hardly read at all".