Marble plaque
This plaque was erected to mark the building of a chapel for the Bristol New Gaol, built by its inmates to a design by its Governor James Anthony Gardner.
It is inscribed:
THIS CHAPEL WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND AND EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE BY THE GOVERNOR JAMES ANTHONY GARDNER WHO UNDER THE SANCTION OF THE SAME BY THE LABOUR OF THE PRISONERS AND PAID THE WHOLE EXPENSE OF THE BUILDING BY THE PROCEEDS OF THEIR INDUSTRY PSALM 90 v 17 - prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy work.
Bristol magistrates publicly praised Gardner for having saved the city the cost of several thousand pounds by publishing a notice in the newspaper and presenting him with a silver tea service. Governor Gardner appears to have also put up an organ in the chapel.
It is inscribed:
THIS CHAPEL WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND AND EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE BY THE GOVERNOR JAMES ANTHONY GARDNER WHO UNDER THE SANCTION OF THE SAME BY THE LABOUR OF THE PRISONERS AND PAID THE WHOLE EXPENSE OF THE BUILDING BY THE PROCEEDS OF THEIR INDUSTRY PSALM 90 v 17 - prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy work.
Bristol magistrates publicly praised Gardner for having saved the city the cost of several thousand pounds by publishing a notice in the newspaper and presenting him with a silver tea service. Governor Gardner appears to have also put up an organ in the chapel.