Henry Finlow - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 913 |
| Age: | 15 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Height: | 4 ft 4 ins |
| Particular marks: | Small mole near left elbow, end of left forefinger has been cut |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 13 March 1889 |
| Late residence: | 3 Wolverhampton Road, Forebridge, Stafford |
| Parish he belongs to: | Castle Church |
| Customary work and mode of life: | None - has been employed on a farm for a short time |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing money (4s 4½d) from the British School |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Lack of mother's training |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 21 February 1889; C Mycock and B P Wright; Stafford |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 21 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 2 |
| Length: | 1) Fined 1s 6d; 2) remanded and birched |
| For what: | 1) Wilful damage; 2) stealing books |
| Father's name: | Benjamin Finlow |
| Occupation: | Shoemaker |
| Mother's name: | Jane Finlow |
| Occupation: | Not known |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Deserted by mother 8 years ago |
| Character of parents | Father good, mother bad - has been convicted 10 times including once for larceny |
| Parents' wages: | Father earns 9s per week in consequence of bad eyesight |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 3 Wolverhampton Road, Stafford |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 8 October 1887 A previous offence was reported in the Staffordshire Chronicle Saturday 8 October 1887 p.4 col.6: Henry Finlow (14), Sash Street, was charged with stealing three books, value 10d., the property of John Dutton, bookdealer, St. Mary's Place. The prosecutor said he placed a basket of books outside his shop door about ten o'clock on Wednesday morning. About one he missed four books, of which three were produced. - Edward Sanders said that on Wednesday morning prisoner showed him the three books produced, and said he got them from home, and that they belonged to his sister. Witness gave him a penny for one. - George Landor (14), 3, Cooper's Court, Foregate Street, was charged with stealing one book, the property of the same prosecutor, on Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutor deposed to seeing prisoner, who was with Finlow, run away from his door. He followed, and prisoner dropped a book, which had been in the basket outside his door. - The Mayor said it was a most improper thing that books should left open to the footpath, to be a temptation to anyone who passed. If this had not been done, these charges would not have been brought. Ald. Dudley said it was a great temptation to place in the way of boys. - Prosecutor said it was not the first time he had lost books. - The Mayor warned the prisoners that they were commencing a criminal career. If they would promise never to steal any more they would be discharged. - The required promise was given by the prisoners, who wept bitterly, and they were discharged. | |
| 23 February 1889 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Staffordshire Chronicle Saturday 23 February 1889 p.5 col.1: BREAKING INTO A SCHOOL. - Henry Finlow (15), 3, The Green, Albert Flowers (13), 9, Sash Street, and Henry Pattison (12), 15 Dottell Street, were charged on remand with stealing some money and soup tickets from the British school, on February 18th. - Mr John Wheeldon, headmaster of the school, said that on February 18 he left his desk at school safe with 4s. 4½d. in cash and about 90 penny dinner tickets in it. Next morning he found that the lock had been forced, the desk was open, and the money and tickets, together with a plated pencil containing an indiarubber stamp bearing the witness's name, were missing. In the drawer he found a knife, the marks of which were found on the place where the drawer was forced, and there was also one of the points of a pair of scissors. The school had been entered through a window, and there was mud on some hat pegs and a desk close by. He identified the pencil produced as that which he had missed, but the rubber stamp with his name on it had been pulled off. - By the Mayor: The boys were not scholars at his school. - A little girl named Annie Heeley, aged eleven, of 13 Broad Street, said that at about quarter past seven on the evening of February 18 as she was passing the British schools she saw prisoner Finlow pushing another boy up the school wall. One of them asked her if she saw four boys going down the street, and she said "No." She then went home. - P.C. Smith said that from information received he arrested the prisoners on February 19. On Pattison he found a pair of scissors (produced) with the point broken and 8d. in money, and at the house of the father he found 17 tickets in an ornament on the mantlepiece. On Finlow he found five tin soup tickets. Flowers stated that he threw the pencil in the garden of Mr Bate's house adjoining the theatre, and that he had hidden some of the tickets in Sash Street. Both the tickets and the pencil were found. - The lads all pleaded guilty. - The father of Pattison said that if it had not been for his boy refusing to go with the others, the gang would have gone to Christchurch and Rowley Street schools the same night. - In reply to Mr B P Wright the father of Finlow said his son had been in the habit of sleeping out a good deal. - The lad at this point burst out crying and said his father turned him out of the house, and used to "leather" him, and made him frightened to come near him for his life. - Mr B P Wright said he thought the father had a great deal to answer for in this matter. - The man denied that it was at all his fault. The boy would leave him, and had left another place the same way. - The boy repeated his assertions. - Finlow was sentenced to 21 days imprisonment to be followed by five years at a reformatory; the other boys were ordered to receive six strokes each with a birch rod. | |
| 19 October 1891 The Medical Officer reported: Pain in hip and knee. Sent to sick room on 22 October. By 12 November the boy was suspected of malingering and ordered up, but on 25 November was sent to General hospital for a consultant's opinion. On 4 December hospital applied a Thomas's splint and he was diagnosed with hip disease by Mr Gilbert Barling | |
| 8 December 1891 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report notes: Henry Finlow has been sent into the General Hospital for treatment of hip disease. You will see from Dr Barling's report that all is being done for him that is possible | |
| 9 Fenruary 1892 The Log Book report notes: Finlow, the boy who was under treatment for hip disease at the General Hospital, is now an outpatient of that institution; he is to go in and see Dr Barling on Thursday next, when I hope he will be able to have his splint removed and to abandon his crutches | |
| 28 April 1892 The Log Book report records that Finlow has at length had the splint removed from his leg. The result is a permanent shortening of the leg, to the extent of ¾ of an inch | |
| 19 July 1893 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Finlow was licensed to work for Mr Knowles, Wythall | |
| 29 December 1893 Reported as unsatisfactory by his employer, returned to Saltley | |
| 29 January 1894 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Finlow was licensed to go out and work for Mr Goodall, Yardley Road, Birmingham | |
| 12 March 1894 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 12 February 1895 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Finlow, Bednall, Staffordshire | |
| 30 April 1895 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Finlow, Bednall, Staffordshire | |
| 8 June 1897 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Finlow, Lichfield. (Appears to like soldiering. Will shortly pay a visit to the school) | |