Green’s Dictionary of Slang

collegian n.

a prisoner.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 29: Meeting with one of my fellow Collegians, he was overjoy’d to see me.
1708		J. Hall Memoirs (1714) 14: Three knocks are given at the Stair-foot, as a Signal a Collegian is coming up.
1725		Life and Glorious Actions of [...] Jonathan Wilde 24: The Master-Debtors prison in Newgate [...] that University in wuch our friend Jonathan is now for his Honesty a Collegian .
1821		‘An Amateur’ Real Life in London II 521: Even if a Collegian is but up to the logic, he is very soon down upon the coves his creditors.
1830		Egan Finish to the Adventures of Tom and Jerry (1889) 279: Take a stroll into the King’s Bench [...] you will find plenty of the Collegians quite eloquent upon the subject [of indebtedness].
1856		Reading Mercury 19 Jan. 7/4: It has come also to be customary for every ‘collegian,’ or prisoner, upon leaving the prison to make him a pecuniary offering.
1869		(ref. to 1856) Islington Gaz. 1 Oct. n.p.: Readers of ‘Little Dorrit’ will recall the collegians of Marshalsea.
1859		G.A. Sala Twice Round the Clock 101: Under the present not very stringent regulations [...] the collegians are restricted to the consumption of one quart of beer [...] or one imperial pint of wine per diem.