Charles Johnson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 911 |
| Age: | 13 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Wakefield |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light brown |
| Eyes colour: | Hazel |
| Height: | 4 ft 4¼ ins |
| Particular marks: | Small scar on nose, small mole bend of left arm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 2 March 1889 |
| Late residence: | 7 court 18 house Pye Bank, Sheffield |
| Parish he belongs to: | Sheffield |
| Customary work and mode of life: | None - has been to Lancastrian Board School |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 4 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 4 |
| Offence: | Stealing a bag and £46 10s with 2 other boys |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 11 February 1889; E M E Welby, Stipendiary Magistrate; Sheffield Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Wakefield |
| Sentence: | 21 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | Locked up for unspecified time |
| For what: | Theft with the same boys from a "Midland dray" [railway delivery cart] |
| Father's name: | Samuel Johnson |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Mother's name: | Elizabeth Johnson |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | "Says good" |
| Character of parents | Reported good and nothing known to their discredit |
| Parents' wages: | Not known |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not yet assessed |
| Parents address: | 7 court 18 house Pye Bank, Sheffield |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Constable, Sheffield |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 12 February 1889 There is a report of the crime that sent him to Saltley in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph Tuesday 12 February 1889 p.7 col.1: THE THEFT OF £46 10s. BY SHEFFIELD LADS. - At the Sheffield Town Hall yesterday morning, before the Stipendiary, three lads named Joseph Newton, of 10 court, 4 house, Neville street; Charles Johnson, of 7 court, 18 house, Pyebank; and Joseph Gadsby, of 3 court, 1 house, Bower street, were brought up on remand charged with being concerned in the theft of £46 10s. from the Ellesmere Road Wesleyan School on the 30th of January. Mr. John A. Thorpe, the schoolmaster, left the money on his desk for a few minutes to go into another room. When he returned he found it gone. He gave information to the police, and Police-constable Stocks, on the 1st of February, went to Bradford where he apprehended Johnson. From what the latter stated it appeared that after stealing the money all the lads proceeded to Bradford, and afterwards Gadsby and Newton went to Manchester and from there to New Brighton. They were apprehended at the latter place, £23 being found upon them. When charged Newton admitted that he took the money, and also acknowledged stealing two purses while in Manchester. At the latter place he also gave £5 to a man in a lodging-house. Gadsby when taken to the police station at Wallasey admitted that he had spent part of the money. He and Newton bought new clothes at Bradford and also liquor, cigars. and cigarettes, - The lads now admitted that they had taken part in theft or the spending of the money, and they were each committed to prison for 21 days, to be followed by five years detention in a Reformatory. | |
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In a similar but shorter report in the Sheffield Independent of the same date p.8 col.3, it adds the detail that they gained entry to the school by pretending to be there to see another boy. Also, it says they were apprehended in New Brighton by a policeman who was suspicious of the remarkably free way they were spending money |
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| 13 July 1892 The Register of boys on Licence records that Johnson was licensed to work for Mr W Walker, 24 Chaplan Street, Sheffield | |
| 14 October 1893 Returned to Saltley as he is now unemployed | |
| 1 March 1894 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 9 June 1896 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Johnson, Mullingar, Ireland | |
| 13 October 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Johnson, Mullingar, Ireland | |
| 27 April 1898 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Johnson, Dublin | |
| 12 February 1901 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from the Bandmaster, 3rd Royal Warwickshire Regiment concering the [boy 1047], Robinson [boy 1056], and Johnson | |