William John Barnett - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1173 |
| Age: | 14 (born 17 March 1884) |
| Whence received: | Coventry |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Dark |
| Eyes colour: | Light blue |
| Height: | 4 ft 8½ ins |
| Particular marks: | dot on each forearm ['dot' is pictorial]; 4 vacc. marks left arm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 22 April 1898 |
| Late residence: | - |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 3 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 3 |
| Offence: | Stealing 10s from a shop till |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Has got mixed up with several other boys of about the same age, and has behaved very badly during past 3 months. On 14th he, with others, wilfully broke squares of glass in a circus here with brick ends. Also refuses to work and is beyond parental control |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 20 April 1898; J E Banks and Thomas Burbidge; Coventry Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Detained in City Hall until a [Reformatory] School be found for him |
| Sentence: | Detained at Saltley until 18 years of age |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (31 March 1898) |
| Length: | Fined 5s and 16s 6d costs |
| For what: | Wilful damage at public baths |
| Father's name: | William Barnett |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Leah Barnett (step-mother) |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | Both good |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 2 court 2 house Chauntry Place, Coventry |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | James Shelley, 20 April 1898 |
| Notes: | |
| 31 March 1898 A previous offence was reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Thursday 31 March 1898 p.2 col.6: DAMAGING THE OLD BATHS. Two youths, William Barnett, 2 court, 2 house, Chauntry Place, and Thomas Dixon, jun., 21, Silver Street, were summoned for having done damage at the Old Baths in Hales Street. Police-constable Hands stated that on Sunday afternoon he heard a noise coming from the direction of the inside of the baths. He went into the building. and found the defendants throwing brick ends at the woodwork in the baths. Dixon held up one of the stones in his hand in a threatening manner towards witness. Spencer Bush, building inspector of the Engineer's department, had examined the woodwork, and estimated the damage done by the youths at 5s. The boys pleaded not guilty, but the Bench ordered each to pay 2s. 6d. damage, 12s. 6d. costs, and 5s. fine, or in default seven days' imprisonment. The Mayor told the lads they were "disgraceful young rascals." | |
| 20 April 1898 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Wednesday 20 April 1898 p.3 col.6: RESULT OF BAD ASSOCIATIONS. William John Barnett, a boy of 14 years of age living at 2 court, 2 house, Chauntry Place, was placed in the dock on the charge of stealing on Saturday last, from a till in the last, from a till in the shop No. 1, Hales Street, 10s., the moneys of Thomas Glenn, fruiterer. Mrs. Spencer, an assistant, stated that she went into the shop from the kitchen, and saw the boy walking from the direction of the till. She asked him what he wanted there. and he replied that he wanted an orange. She turned to get one. and then the boy ran away, She looked in the till, and missed 10s. She afterwards identified the prisoner in Pool Meadow when she was crossing there on Monday with Detective Inspector Imber. The latter afterwards arrested prisoner, who admitted having taken 9s. 9d., and said he had spent it at a football match in buying hokey-pokey and sweets. The boy now pleaded guilty. It was stated that prisoner had got associated with a gang of disreputable boys, who gather on the Pool Meadow, and who, it was said, had only last week, broken every pane of glass in the Circus. The Bench remanded the prisoner for a week with a view to his being sent to a reformatory for three years. | |
| 10 June 1901 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Barnett was licensed to go out and work for Mr J Holmes, Rover Cycle Works, Coventry | |
| 1 July 1901 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Barnett was re-licensed to go out and work for Mr Freeman, Smithford Street, Coventry | |
| 16 March 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Barnett was re-licensed to go out and work for Mr Gawthorpe, Humber(?) Cycle Co, Coventry | |
| 16 March 1902 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 14 April 1903 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Barnett, Devonport [NB name in the Log Book given as 'F W Barnett', so the wrong initials for this boy, but he is the only Barnett admitted to Saltley up to this date] | |
| 13 December 1904 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Barnett, Portland | |