Samuel Clarke - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 833 |
| Age: | 15 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Dark brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 8½ ins |
| Particular marks: | Small mole under left eye |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Round |
| Date of admission: | 15 January 1887 |
| Late residence: | Sandford Street, Lichfield |
| Parish he belongs to: | St Mary's, Lichfield |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Errand boy |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing 2 letters, etc |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 16 December 1886; A C Lomax, W Elkington, and J Birch; Lichfield Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month hard labour in prison, 3 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | Nil |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Samuel Clarke |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Sarah Clarke |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Well treated |
| Character of parents | Honest, sober, and hard working people |
| Parents' wages: | Scanty |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Incapable of any contribution |
| Parents address: | Sandford Street, Lichfield |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief of Police, Lichfield |
| Person making this return: | S Barnes, Justices' Clerk, Lichfield |
| Notes: | |
| 17 December 1886 There is a short report of the crime in the remand hearing in the Lichfield Mercury Friday 17 December 1886 p.8 col.5. Further down the same column is a fuller report of the crime from the sentencing hearing: A WARNING TO YOUTHS. - Samuel Clarke (15), errand boy to Mr J. Humphreys, of Market Street, was charged, on remand from Monday, with having stolen a Bank England note for £10, two postal orders for £1 each, one for 15s., one for 10s., and six penny stamps - altogether amounting to £l3 5s. 6d. - belonging to Thomas Cooke, farmer, residing at Brereton Cross, Longdon. - The facts of the case were that Mr Cooke on Saturday afternoon left two letters at the shop of Messrs Turner and Marshall, drapers of Bird Street, in the charge of an assistant named Wm. Neeld Tomlinson, and he gave them to Miss Ruth Saunders, a clerk at the Lichfield Post Office. Miss Saunders accidentally dropped one of the letters, addressed to "Miss Ackerley, Sefton House, West Derby, Liverpool," while passing from Messrs Turner and Marshall to the Post Office. Accused found the letter containing the missing note, etc., and he attempted to get the orders changed at the Post Office by forging the name of Emily Nicholls, an inmate of Millev's Hospital, Beacon Street. He spelt the name "Emlie Nicles," and his manner and remarks while in the Post Office roused the suspicion of the postmistress, Mrs Anne Heape, who went to Mrs Nicholls, and found the story told by the prisoner to untrue. He was arrested by Superintendent Hernaman, and stated he had thrown the £10 note down a water-closet on Mr Humphrey's premises. It had not since been found. Evidence bearing out these facts were adduced by the prosecutor. Miss Saunders, William Tomlinson. William Osborne, and Harry Marlow (the two latter being employes of Mr Humphreys), and Superintendent Hernaman. - The Bench sentenced the boy to one month's imprisonment, to be followed by three years' confinement in a Reformatory. | |
| 14 September 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Clarke was licensed to go out and work for Mr Couchman, Small Heath, Birmingham | |
| 14 April 1890 The Log Book report records that Clarke has been discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence due to expiration of sentence | |