William Kirk - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 778 |
| Age: | 12 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | Good |
| Particular marks: | None |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Date of admission: | 18 September 1885 |
| Late residence: | Stafford Street, Walsall |
| Parish he belongs to: | Walsall |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Attended school |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing 4s 6d in money |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Led astray |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 5 September 1885; A E G Calthorpe and W M Ellis; West Bromwich Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 14 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | - |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Thomas Kirk |
| Occupation: | Caster |
| Mother's name: | Janie Kirk |
| Occupation: | No occupation |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Kindly treated |
| Character of parents | Honest, sober. Father has bad health [However, a footnote says Family are thieves. Parents are lazy and neglect their children] |
| Parents' wages: | Average 15s weekly |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | The father of this boy this day to H M Prison Stafford for 10 days for non-payment of contribution for his child John, now detained in this school |
| Parents address: | 16 The Buildings, George Street, Walsall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | J W Caber, Walsall |
| Person making this return: | |
| Notes: | |
| Brother of John Kirk (boy 734). Click here to go to his record | |
| 8 July 1885 A possible previous offence was reported in the Wolverhampton Express and Star Wednesday 8 July 1885 p.3 col.3: Joseph Poxon and William Kirk, two boys, were charged with stealing 1s. 4d. out of a shop till, the property of Prim Butler, and were sentenced to six days' imprisonment; Kirk, who had been previously convicted, to receive six strokes with a birch rod. | |
| 12 September 1885 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Chronicle Saturday 12 September 1885 p.5 col.4: A GANG OF YOUNG THIEVES. - At the West Bromwich Police Court, on Saturday, David Kirk (17), Charles Wilkinson (16), John Richards (14), and William Kirk (11), all of Walsall, were charged with stealing 4s. 6d. from a till in the shop of John Preston. general dealer, 234, Spon Lane, on the 27th ult. - Evidence was given by Mrs. Preston as to two of the boys coming into the shop for some sweets, and to her missing 4s. 6d. from the till. - Police-sergeant Bishop arrested the prisoners Wilkinson and David Kirk, in a lodging-house in Spon Lane and received the others in custody from the Smethwick police. When charged, Wilkinson said he and young Kirk went into the shop while the other two waited outside. - There were three other charges of larceny against the prisoners, but they were not proceeded with. - Wilkinson and David Kirk were sentenced to three months' hard labour each; Richard's to a month's hard labour, and four years in a Reformatory; and William Kirk to fourteen days' hard labour, and four years in a Reformatory. | |
| 9 February 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Kirk was licensed to go out and work for Mr Wood, Lyttleton Street, Walsall | |
| 17 September 1890 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |