James Lawton - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1135 |
| Age: | 15 (30 December 1880) |
| Whence received: | Newcastle under Lyme |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Sallow |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Bluish-grey |
| Height: | 4 ft 8¾ ins |
| Particular marks: | No |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 6 June 1896 |
| Late residence: | 14 Shoreditch, Newcastle under Lyme |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Offence: | Larceny of a garden spade and pair of boots |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | This lad I believe to be a confirmed thief, and have no doubt that many small robberies, previously undetected, could now be traced to him. I do not think his people have done their duty by him, and have allowed him to get beyond their control |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 21 May 1896; T P Heath and R B Mellard; Newcastle under Lyme |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 3 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 2 |
| Length: | 1) (28 September 1891) 6 strokes; 2) (21 December 1894) 12 strokes |
| For what: | 1) Stealing £2 in money; 2) stealing 2s |
| Father's name: | James Lawton |
| Occupation: | Gardener |
| Mother's name: | Mary Lawton |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | See above |
| Character of parents | Both "fairly good" |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 14 Shoreditch, Newcastle under Lyme |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | George Taylor, Chief Constable |
| Notes: | |
| 3 October 1891 A previous offence was reported in the Newcastle Guardian and Silverdale, Chesterton and Audley Chronicle Saturday 3 October 1891 p.8 col.1: THEFT BY BROTHERS. - James Lawton (nine) and Stephen Lawton (seven) were charged with stealing £2. the property of Samuel Venables, grocer, Friar- street; and John Lawton (twelve) was charged with receiving the money, knowing it to have been stolen, - It appeared that on the evening of Tuesday last James was found in the shop by the complainant's sister, who managed the business, and he asked for two halfpennies for a penny. She ordered him out of the place, as he was always coming to the shop for change. Soon afterwards she missed two half-sovereigns and one sovereign. The police were not informed of the theft until Friday, and on the following day the lads were arrested by Sergeant Deakin. James in reply to the charge said he only took half-a-crown. Stephen said he waited outside while Jimmie went into the shop and brought out £2, which he gave to John. The eldest brother on being charged with receiving the money said that James gave him £2 to hold, and on his returning it James gave him half-a-sovereign, which he had spent. - John was ordered to receive twelve strokes with the birch rod, and the other lads six strokes each. | |
| 22 December 1894 Another previous offence was reported in the Newcastle Guardian and Silverdale, Chesterton and Audley Chronicle Saturday 22 December 1894 p.8 col.1: A THIEVING BOY. - James Lawton (12) living with his parents in Shoreditch, was charged with stealing the sum of 2s., the money of John William Cliff, butcher, carrying on the business in Marsh-street, on the 20th inst. - The lad went into the shop to purchase some pork, and while the prosecutor had gone to get some change opened the till and took a florin. When accused by Mr. Cliff, who met him shortly afterwards in the street, he confessed the theft, and was handed over to the police. - The Bench ordered the lad to receive twelve strokes with the birch rod. | |
| 23 May 1896 There is a brief report of the crime that sent him to Saltley in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 23 May 1896 p.5 col.3: NEWCASTLE (BOROUGH) - THURSDAY. (Before T. P. Heath and R. B. Mellard, Esqrs.) James Lawton, 15, living in Shoreditch, was charged with stealing a spade, value 4s. 9d., from the garden of Mr J. Poole, in Clayton-road, and a pair of boots, value 5s. 9d., the property of Sarah Jane Emery, of Shoreditch. The youth, who had been previously birched for theft, was ordered to be sent to a reformatory for three years. | |
| 20 May April 1899 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |
| 12 August 1902 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Lawton, Pendlebury | |
| 14 April 1903 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Lawton, Manchester | |
| 11 October 1904 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Lawton, Clifton, near Manchester | |