yardsman

He had been sentenced to imprisonment, but without the imposition of hard labour, and he had purchased his post of yardsman in the division allotted to those prisoners, equally with himself, exempt from labour—a class which, at that period, passed their time in utter idleness.

The duties of a yardsman shall consist of general labourer's work, including unloading and loading goods, stacking and re-stacking material, preparing and making fire for tyring, carrying water for tyring, putting on and taking off wheels, lifting and helping to lift, carrying generally.