Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) a collection taken to give money to a prisoner either awaiting trial or recently discharged.

1879		‘Autobiog. of a Thief’ in Macmillan’s Mag. (London) XL 502: The mob got me up a break (collection), and I got between five and six foont (sovereigns).
1896		A. Morrison Child of the Jago (1982) 161: The Jago would have been forever disgraced if Josh Perrott’s pals had neglected to get up a ‘break’ or subscription to pay for his defence.