Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a prison, orig. the Bridewell in Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London.

1750		Newcastle Courant 28 July 2/1: The Tars were ordered to withdraw, while the Lady was sent to Mill-doll the Back-way.
1751		Fielding Amelia (1926) I 57: I am sent hither to mill-doll, d--n my eyes.
1761		Nancy Dawson’s Jests 33: D--- my blood, sir, – away – you must all to mill doll.
1781–2		J. Messink Choice of Harlequin I viii: I’m jigger dubber here, and you are welcome to mill doll.
1794		Sporting Mag. Apr. IV 29/1: There was no alternative, but to pay the money, or go to Mill Doll.
1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Mill-doll. An obsolete name for Bridewell house of correction, in Bridge-street, Blackfriars, London.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 119: Mill doll — a prison, that part of it which is appropriated to working, hemp-beating, treading the wheel, &c.
1833		‘Ye Scamps, Ye Pads, Ye Divers’ Regular Thing, And No Mistake 62: [as cit. 1781–2].
1834		Examiner 9 Feb. 5/2: ‘Bridewell should receive one more guest.’ Prisoner — ‘I’d rather be sent there and to the mill-doll by your Lordship, than take my grub along with any of the rummy beaks at Worship-street’.