James Ransom - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1046 |
| Age: | 13 (born 2 November 1880) |
| Whence received: | Aston |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light brown |
| Eyes colour: | Hazel (eyes turn inwards) |
| Height: | 4 ft 3¾ ins |
| Particular marks: | None |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes (rather slight) |
| Date of admission: | 18 December 1893 |
| Late residence: | 8 court 6 house Clifton Road, Aston |
| Parish he belongs to: | Aston |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Schoolboy |
| Whether illegitimate: | |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly? [Well and Not At All crossed out, Imperfectly left blank] |
| Writes: | Imperfectly? [Well and Not At All crossed out, Imperfectly left blank] |
| Offence: | Stealing 4 cakes |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Police report - this boy has been previously arrested, and his mother also convicted of receiving stolen property and is not a fit and proper person to have control |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 13 December 1893; R P Yates and William Ansell; Aston Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (6 months ago) |
| Length: | 12 strokes |
| For what: | Stealing a shirt |
| Father's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Emily Ransom |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Bad - see above |
| Character of parents | Bad |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Superintendent H A Walker |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 14 December 1893 The crime was reported in the Warwickshire Herald Thursday 14 December 1893 p.5 col.2: YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS. - James Ransome (13), 2 court, 11 house, Clifton-road, and Sydney Morrison (8), Inkerman-street, Birmingham, were charged with stealing four cakes, the property of John 0. Hanlan, 110, Alma-street, and valued at 3d. - The prosecutor, a baker, said that at 10.30 last night he heard a smashing of glass while in the shop, and on going out saw Ransome forking cakes out of the window with a stick in the shape of a fork, and Morrison was receiving : them. They dropped the cakes on the causeway on seeing him. They ran away and he pursued and caught Ransome. - In the case of Morrison, he was committed to an industrial school. Ransome was committed to a reformatory until 19 years of age. | |
| 30 October 1897 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Ransom was licensed to go out and work for Mr Smart, Slaney Street, Birmingham | |
| 17 December 1898 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley | |