Lenox Arnold Yeomans - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1014 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 1¼ ins |
| Particular marks: | 2 scars left side of forehead |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 7 September 1892 |
| Late residence: | 2 Moor Lane, Tamworth |
| Parish he belongs to: | Tamworth |
| Customary work and mode of life: | None, has been temporarily employed as a stable boy |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing a pony |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 25 August 1892; E Holland; Tamworth Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 14 days hard labour in prison, 3 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | Nil |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Rose Yeomans |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | Mother reported of good character |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 2 Moor Lane, Tamworth |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 27 August 1892 The crime was reported in the Tamworth Herald Saturday 27 August 1892 p.5 col.5: ESCAPADE OF TWO YOUNG TAMWORTHIANS. On Sunday night, or early Monday morning, two Tamworth boys named Yeomans (15), Clarson's Row, Moor Lane, and Griffiths (13), Knight's Row, Moor Lane, took a pony worth about £12 belonging to Mr. Allton, confectioner, Market Street, from a field in Bitterscote Lane, and proceeded with it to Birmingham. On Sunday night they were seen by Mr. Allton himself in the vicinity of the stables in King Street, but without in the least his suspecting anything wrong. Next morning, however, he discovered that a bridle had been taken from the stable, and later he found that the pony had also disappeared. He informed the police of the matter, and mentioned that he had seen the boys loitering about the stables. It may be mentioned that Mr. Allton knew Yeomans very well, the boy having been at one time in his employment, but had been dismissed for alleged dishonesty. The police were aware at this time that the boy Griffiths was not at home, his father having been making enquiries on the previous night. On enquiry being made at Yeoman's house it was discovered that he too had not been home all night. Mr. Allton and Inspector Dodd at once set off in search of the young horse-stealers and proceeded along the Birmingham Road. News of the pony came in an unexpected manner soon afterwards to Tamworth. A cab proprietor named Mr. W. B. Hicknell, 10, Gough Road, Birmingham, arrived at Tamworth, and informed P.c. Onions that two boys had attempted to sell him a pony, offering it to him for £5, and afterwards reducing the price to £4. He suspected that all was not as it should be, and learning that the boys were from Tamworth, he tried to induce them to go there with him. The boys, however, knew a trick worth two of that, and gave Mr. Hicknell the slip while he was getting the railway tickets at New Street Station. Inspector Dodd and Mr. Allton came back in the evening without the boys, having gone as far as Birmingham, and failed to find any trace of them. On Tuesday the two boys, Yeoman and Griffiths, charged with stealing a pony and a bridle from Mr. Allton, confectioner, Market Street, were brought up. before Messrs. F. S. P. Wolferstan, E. Hollins, and F.H.Paget. Inspector Dodd said they had just got the boys about ten o'clock that morning, and he asked for a remand till Thursday morning so as to enable him to prepare evidence. The mothers of the two boys also appeared. Mrs. Griffiths said that Yeomans had led her boy away. He asked her boy to do the same thing before. Her son was a very good lad, and he had not been staying out at nights recently. She had not lost control over him. Mrs. Yeomans said she had no control over her boy since he had got among bad companions. On Thursday the boys appeared before Messrs. F. S. P. Wolferstan (in the chair), and Mr. E. Hollins, when the sequel to the escapade was reached. - Mr. F. G. Allton, baker and confectioner, Market Street, Tamworth, said he occupied a field of land at Bitterscote, and had a pony and five horses there. He saw them on Sunday night about quarter past seven, and missed the pony on Monday morning. In consequence of information he received he went to Birmingham on Tuesday the 23rd. and got the pony at Hignell's, in Birmingham. He saw the boys hanging about in King St., on Sunday night about 5.45. He saw the bridle which was stolen from the stable a few minutes before that. The bridle he received back at the same time as the horse. (Some conversation here ensued between the Bench and the Clerk, (Mr. E. Argyle) regarding the fact that the Clerk had not included the bridle in the charge, and it was agreed that it be included, and that the defendants be charged with stealing a pony and bridle worth £10.) Continuing, Mr. Allton said that Yeomans was in his employment about a month as errand lad, but was discharged about three weeks ago. Asked by the Bench why the lad was discharged, Mr. Allton said that it was for dishonesty. While the boy was with him he had missed several things, and his suspicions were aroused against him. Since the boy went away he had not missed a single article. It was mainly suspicions, but he had one clear case against him. Mrs. Yeomans said she should like to get some proof that he did steal something. - Mr. Argyle: He has one clear against him he says. - Mr. Aliton said it was this. A perch line and an eel line had gone, and the boy's mother brought them to him (witness). - The Chairman (to Mrs. Yeomans): You have not done your case much good by your question. You must have known that he stole the articles when you brought them back to Mr. Allton. An older brother of Yeomans here jumped up from a seat on which he was sitting, and said: We found them lying about the house. - Mrs. Yeomans: said that the boy did not care what he did if he only could get a horse. - Wm. Briscoe Hignell, cab proprietor, 10 Gough Road, Birmingham, deposed that according to his usual practice he went down to his stables in Bristol Street, at half past six on Monday morning. A pony had been put in the stable, and the defendants asked him to buy it. They offered the pony and bridle (the same as now appeared outside the window of the Court) for £5. He said he would not buy it unless he tried it. He was doubtful of the defendants. In consequence of his suspicions he asked them where they came from and they told him Tamworth. He asked them to go there with him, and drove them to New Street Station to go to Tamworth, but at the station they gave him the slip. He came on to Tamworth and gave information to the police. The next day Mr. Allton came to his stables at Birmingham and took away the pony. - In reply to the Bench, witness said that Griffiths represented that his father was dead, and that his mother was ill in bed, and he wanted to sell his pony; and Yeomans said that his father had asked him to go along with Griffiths because he knew Birmingham - In answer to Griffiths' father, witness said that Yeomans came a fortnight ago with a letter to a cousin of his who works with witness. That was how he (witness) came to know him. Yeomans did not bring a letter with him on the 22nd inst. - Mr. Allton, the prosecutor, was asked at this point to identify the pony and bridle, and looking out of the window he said that the pony was his, but the bridle was not the one that was stolen. - The Chairman : We must have the bridle here for you to identify. - Prosecutor went out, and returning with the information that the bridle had been put on another pony which had gone to Polesworth, the magistrates decided to strike out the mention of the bridle from the charge. - P.c. Onions said that at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday he arrested the defendants in a field on the Bonehill Road. He charged them with stealing the pony in question. Yeomans made no reply. Griffiths said that Yeomans went into the field and caught the pony and put the bridle on and then they both got on his back and rode to Birmingham. - On defendants being asked by the Bench, if they had anything to say, Yeomans said that they both went into the field and caught the pony. He put the bridle on and rode the pony to the gate, and then Griffiths got on. They both went into the stable to get the bridle, and Griffiths put it under his jacket. - Griffiths said that Yeomans took the bridle from the stable and afterwards put it under his (Griffith's) jacket, Both defendants pleaded guilty and decided to be dealt with at that court. - Inspector Dodd said there there were no previous convictions against any of the defendants, but they were both bad boys. Boots had once been stolen from a shop at Sutton Coldfield, and he found that the boy Yeomans was wearing them. He had been discharged from several places where he had been employed for dishonesty. - Mrs. Yeomans said that she had brought the boots to Inspector Dodd, and claimed that if she had wanted the lad to be dishonest she would not have done so. - lnspector Dodd denied that she had brought back the boots till after he had found out. Griffiths, he continued, was a bad lad for stopping out at nights, and for non-attendance at school, but he had behaved better for the last nine months. - The father of the defendant Griffiths said that Yeomans had wanted his boy to go to Birmingham with him several times. - The Bench sentenced Yeomans to 14 days imprisonment, and afterwards to three years in a reformatory, and advised him to try and do better in the future. Griffiths was remanded to the Workhouse for seven days, and afterwards to be sent to an industrial school till he was 16 years of age. | |
| 24 August 1895 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Yeomans was licensed to go out and work for Mr Atkins, Bassetts Bridge, Poleworth | |
| 6 September 1895 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 11 February 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Yeomans, Tamworth | |
| 24 April 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Yeomans, Oxford | |
| 13 October 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Yeomans, Oxford L. I. [Light Infantry?] | |
| 8 December 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Yeomans, soldier, Oxford. (Doing well. Wants to get away from Oxford. Expects to go abroad to his regiment, now on active service) | |