George Summerfield - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1204 |
| Age: | 12 years 1 month (born 30 June 1887) |
| Whence received: | Walsall |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Light mottled blue grey |
| Height: | 4 ft 4½ ins |
| Particular marks: | Small mark under left forearm, scar left fore arm, scar right fore arm, burn to right arm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 12 July 1899 |
| Late residence: | - |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Larceny |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Parents have no control - plays truant |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 13 July 1899; Joseph Clare; Guildhall, Walsall |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (9 May 1898) |
| Length: | 6 strokes |
| For what: | Stealing an overcoat |
| Father's name: | Joseph Somerfield [surname spelled thus] |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Mary Ann Somerfield [surname spelled thus] |
| Occupation: | |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | - |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 30 Wisemoor, Walsall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | C A Loxton |
| Notes: | |
| Brother of James Summerfield (boy 1221). Click here to go to his record. | |
| 14 May 1898 A previous offence was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 14 May 1898 p.5 col.7: THE BIRCH ROD. Richard Green (11), 4 court, Duncalfe Street, and George Somerfield (10), 5 court, Wisemore, were charged with stealing a boy's overcoat, value 8s., belonging to Zillah Brittle, of 67, Jessel Road, on the 3rd inst. - Prosecutrix deposed that she sent her son to the St. Andrew's School at the Birchills, and that he was then wearing the coat. He returned without it and witness informed the police. - David Tolley, boy, of 27, Penkridge Street, spoke to having met Somerfleld with another boy. Somerfield took him to a yard in Stafford Street, and showing him the coat, which was wrapped in some brown paper, mentioned that he had tried to pawn but could not. - John Pridmore, assistant to Mr. Holyland, pawnbroker, deposed that Green offered the coat in pledge, but as the sleeves had been cut out witness refused to accept it. - The prisoners were arrested by Detective Smith, and Somerfield, pointing to Green, said: "It was you who stole the coat," but Green rejoined "No, it was you who fetched it out of the schools in Hollyhedge Lane." - Green was ordered a birching of eight strokes, and Somerfield, who is younger than Green, one of six strokes. | |
| 17 September 1898 Another previous offence was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 17 September 1898 p.8 col.6: A CANAL SIDE "DOSS." George Pitt (13), 85, Burrowes Street; Patrick O'Brien (12), 68, Green Lane; and George Somerfield (10), 30, The Wisemore, were charged with sleeping out on Saturday night on the canal side in Bridgeman Street, without any visible means of subsistence. A police officer found the boys sleeping on the canal bank. Pitt stated that his father had locked him out. The boy also stated that he was selling papers till 11 o'clock at night, and that the door was locked when he went home. - Mr. Loxton (addressing the reporters) : Your papers are responsible for a great deal. - The Mayor expressed his opinion that in a great many cases it was the fault of the parents that boys were disobedient. - An adjournment for one month was ordered. | |
| 15 July 1899 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 15 July 1899 p.8 col.6: JUVENILE THIEVES AT THE RAILWAY STATION. John Hickman (14), St. Paul's Street, George Somerfield (12) [surname spelled thus], 30, Wisemore, and Wm. Brant (14), 5, St. Paul's Street, were charged with having stolen eight shirts, value 10s., the property of the L.and N. W. Railway Co., between the 8th and 10th July. - William Gill, warehouseman, in the employ of Messrs. Bliss, Ennals and Co., said that the shirts (produced) were part of a parcel of shirts that were sent to the railway station on Saturday, and Walter Smallwood, 36, Teddesley Street, spoke to having taken the parcel down to the station. - John Dunlaney, of New Street, said that on Monday Somerfield and Hickman came and asked him if he wanted to buy a shirt, Hickman producing one from under his coat. Witness purchased one for 2½d., and subsequently pawned it for 6d. - Francis Clifford, a pawnbroker, spoke to having received the shirt (produced) in pawn from the last witness. - Ann Thorngill, pawnbroker, said she received the shirt (produced) in pledge from a William Davis for 1s. 6d. - William Davis said that Brant asked him to buy the shirt (produced). He gave 2d. for it, and afterwards pledged it for 1s. 6d. - Detective Smith arrested prisoners, who now pleaded guilty. - Brant was put on his good behaviour for six months, and the other two were each ordered to be sent to reformatory for four years. | |
| 8 August 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Summerfield was licensed to go out and work for G Dewsbury & Son, Littleton Street, Walsall. | |
| 1 January 1903 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Summerfield was re-licensed to work for Mr Dakin, Normanton, Ashby | |
| 12 May 1903 Formally discharged from Saltley on account of being convicted of larceny along with his brother James. This was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 16 May 1903 p.5 col.7: SHARP PUNISHMENT. Patrick O'Brien, 69. Queen Street, William Mason, 20, Paddock Lane, James and George Sumerfleld, of 3, Birch Street, youths, were brought up charged with stealing a box of cigarettes and two papers, value 3s 5d, otherwise receiving the same knowing them to have been stolen. - Francis Ruddell, 196, Queen Street, identified the cigarettes (produced) as the property of his father, who kept a newsagent's and tobacco shop. About 10.30 the cigarettes were safe, but some time later he heard the papers in the shop being moved about. He looked into the shop, and saw a hand drawing the cigarettes through the window, which had been broken. On rushing outside he saw the prisoners a little further up the street, and went to them. They denied knowledge of the cigarettes and papers, but he saw them looking at a window-ledge. He looked, too, and saw the stolen articles. He picked them up, and then fetched a policeman. - Detective Burrell said that when he arrested Mason he accused the two Summerfields of committing the theft. When the Summerfields were arrested they blamed O'Brien, saying that he took the cigarettes and put them in their bag. - O'Brien accused the Summerfields of taking the papers, but admitted taking the cigarettes. O'Brien, Mason, and James Summerfield were sentenced to 21 days' hard labour, and George Summerfield was sent to a reformatory for three years. He was sent to the Reformatory Ship Akbar, Liverpool. | |