Poultry Compter

Poultry Compter

On the north side of the Poultry at No. 30 south of Grocers' Hall (Lockie, 1816). In Cheap Ward.

First mention: "Le counter in le Pultree," 1477 (Ct. H.W. II. 575).

This was a prison-house in the Poultry belonging to one of the Sheriffs, and as in early times these compters were always spoken of by the names of the Sheriffs to whom they severally appertained at the time, the lateness of date of the first reference is no indication of the date at which the prison was actually in use.

The regulations and ordinances relating to the Countors are of early date, and as Stow says, this one had been kept and continued there time out of mind, "for I have not read of the original thereof" (S. 265).

Removed 1815 and the Poultry Chapel erected on part of the site.

See Compters.

Poultry Compter. A compter was a city prison for debtors and other malefactors. The two London Compters (also known as Counters) mentioned in the 15th c. were: the Poultry Compter, taken down in 1817, and the Bread Street Compter, succeeded in 1555 by the Wood Street Compter, in turn succeeded in 1791 by the Giltspur Street Compter, and closed in 1854.

[Poultry Compter.] There are two Courts of Record, called the Sheriffs Courts, belonging to the two Sheriffs; and to each Court belongs a Prison, called the Compters, to wit, the Poultry Compter, and Woodstreet Compter. And each Court hath its peculiar Judge, who are Counsellors learned in the Law, and knowing in the Customs of the City.

These Courts hold Plea for all Actions of Debt, Trespass, Account, Covenants broken, and on the Case, as also Attachments, and Sequestrations; and if the Action be laid under five Pounds, it cannot be removed to a superior Court.

These Courts are held four Days every Week in the Guild-Hall, viz. on Wednesdays and Fridays for Woodstreet Compter, and on Thursdays and Saturdays for the Poultry Compter.

The Proceedings in these Courts, are in the manner of those of higher, that is, by Declaration, Pleadings, a Jury, &c. And in case of any erroneous Judgment given, the Party grieved may sue forth of the Court of Chancery, a Writ of Error, returnable in the Court of Hustings, whither the Record being transmitted, the Errors may be there examined and corrected, before the Lord Maior and Sheriffs.

To these two Courts, viz. the Poultry and Woodstreet, there belong eight Attorneys, who are admitted by the Court of Aldermen, and take an Oath.

These Attorneys may demand, in each Cause three Fees, one for the Appearance, one at joining Issue, and another upon Summons for Tryal. But if the Cause shall be summoned more than once, then to have a Fee upon every Summons.

The Jurymen are Freemen of the City, and serve in their Wards according to the several Months; each Ward taking their Turn.

To each Court belongs a Secondary, a Clerk of the Papers, a Prothonotary, and four Clerks Sitters.

The Secondaries allow, and return all Writs brought to remove Causes out of these Courts.

The Clerks of the Papers file and copy Declarations upon Actions in these Courts.

The Prothonotaries draw and engross all such Declarations.

The Clerks Sitters enter Actions and Attachments, and take Bails and Verdicts.

To each Compter belong sixteen Serjeants at Mace, and to each their Yeomen, besides Under Officers, and a Prison Keeper. And if a Freeman is committed to Prison in either of these Compters, he may remove himself to Ludgate.

The two eldest Clerks in the Sheriffs Court for the Time being, are Attorneys of the Pye Powder Court held in Cloth Fair, during the three first Days of Bartholomew Fair, for the examining and trying Suits brought for petty Matters and Offences committed in the Fair.]

[Poultry Compter.] Compters, two prisons, for the confinement of all who are arrested within the city and liberties; one in the Poultry, belonging to one of the Sheriffs of London, and another in Wood street, Cheapside, which belongs to the other Sheriff. Both these prisons are of the same nature, and have the like officers, each being a place of security both for debtors and criminals.

Under the Sheriffs there are the following officers in each Compter, who give security to the Sheriff, for the faithful discharge of their respective trusts.

I. The principal officer, next to the Sheriff, is the Secondary, who returns writs, marks warrants, and impannels juries for the courts both above and below, and also for the sessions.

II. The Clerk of the Papers: whose office is to impannel juries, for the Sheriffs court; and who enters upon judgment, and makes out all processes for the Sheriffs court.

III. Four Clerks Sitters, who enter actions, take bail, receive verdicts after trial, &c.

IV. Sixteen Serjeants at mace, each of whom has his yeoman, or follower. Their office is to arrest persons for debt, to execute all processes, to serve writs, executions upon actions, and summonses from above, as well as from the courts below. Each of these serjeants give 400l. security to the Sheriff, for the due execution of his office. Four of these serjeants, and as many yeomen out of each Compter, wait upon their respective Sheriffs daily; and during the time of sessions, double the number. At which time in the morning they bring the prisoners down from Newgate to the sessions house; put them in the dock; and after waiting all day, return the prisoners back to the jail at night: they also attend at the execution of prisoners. Upon their days of waiting, they always wear blue cloth gowns, which are given them annually by the Sheriffs.

To each Compter also belong a Master keeper, two turnkeys, and other servants.

The prisoners in the common side, in both Compters, receive daily relief from the Sheriffs table, of all the broken meat and bread; and there are also several benefactions made by charitable persons, settled upon the Compters for their relief. Maitland.