Bail Dock

Bail Dock. A secure area at the front of the Old Bailey Sessions House where prisoners were kept to await arraignment or trial.

A new Passage being made from Newgate through the College of Physicians Gardens to the Bail Dock in the Old Bailey, the Prisoners are conveyed to Court and back to the Prison that way.—Read's Weekly Journal Or British Gazetteer 731, 9 September 1738

In the year 1750, on the 11th day of May the sessions began at the Old-Bailey, and continued for some days; in which time a great number of criminals were tried, and there was present in the court a greater multitude than usually attend. The hall in the Old Bailey is a room no more than about 30 foot square. Now, whether the air was at first tainted from the bar by some of the prisoners, then ill of the jail-distemper, or by the general uncleanliness of such persons, is uncertain; since, from the latter cause, it will be easy to account for its corruption; especially as it was so much vitiated by the foul steams of the Bail-dock, and of the two rooms opening into the court in which the prisoners were the whole day crowded together, till they were brought out to be tried: and, it appeared afterwards, that these places had not been cleaned for some years. The poisonous quality of the air was still aggravated by the heat and closeness of the court, and by the perspirable matter of a great number of all sorts of people penned up for most part of the day without breathing the free air, or receiving any refreshment. The bench consisted of six persons, whereof four died, together with two or three of the counsel, one of the under-sheriffs, several of the Middlesex jury, and others present to the amount of above forty in the whole, without making allowance for those of a lower rank, whose death may not have been heard of, or includeing any that did not sicken within a fortnight after the sessions.—Robert John Thornton, The Philosophy of Medicine: or, Medical Extracts on the Nature of Health and Disease (1799–1800), 401–2.

      It is thought proper to inform the Public of teh Steps taken by Order of the Sheriffs, to prevent any bad Consequences, which might possibly arise, to those whose Duty or Business calls them to ensuing Sessions at the Old Bailey.
      In the first Place, teh Jail of Newgate has been thoroughly cleans'd, and all the Filth carried off into the Fields; it is likewise this Day to be wash'd throughout with Vinegar, and the Prisoners are also to be wash'd with Vinegar, before they are brought to the Sessions House to take their Trials. Strict Orders have been likewise given, that not more than Twelve or at most Fifteen Prisoners shall be brought down at a Time, to the Sessions House, to take their Trials, half of which to be arraigned at once; and that the said Prisoners shall be remanded back to Newgate one by one, after their Trials are over, and fresh Prisoners brought down in their room; so as that the Number at the Sessions House, shall not at one Time exceed twelve or fifteen. There is this farther Satisfaction to give the Public, that about twenty Prisoners for Debt (out of fifty Debtors or thereabouts, now in Newgate) will be discharged this Day.
      The Sessions House, the Bail Dock, and the Lodges under the Leads in which the Prisoners are secured before and after their Trials, were thoroughly wash'd from Top to Bottom with Water, on Friday and Saturday last; and Yesterday Afternoon, and this Morning early the same has been done with Vinegar; and Care has been and will be taken, that the whole b thoroughly dry and purified before the Sessions begins.—General Advertiser 4878, 29 May 1750

      Yesterday the Painters finished their Work, at the fine spacious Room, lately erected in the Old-Bailey Yard, which will be opened next September Sessions, for the Reception of Persons who are obliged to attend the Business of the Court at Justice-Hall, and will keep People in rainy Weather from going to an Alehouse, and missing their Calls on Trials; by which many Felons have got acquitted, for Want of the Prosecutor's Attendance.
      A Bail-Dock is also built on the Leads, where Evidences against their Accomplices are kept, during Sessions Time; for it seldom happnes, when the Theif and the Stag (as they term it in the Cant Way) are put together, but Mischief ensues before they are parted.—Public Advertiser 9578, 13 July 1765

On Saturday night ... a Convict under Sentence of Transportation found Means to get over the Wall from the Bail-dock into teh Old Baily Yard, with his Irons on, and got off.—London Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette 199, 21 October 1751

And the Bail Dock, which fronts the Court, where the Prisoners are kept until brought to their Trials, is also inclosed.