William Trussell - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1195 |
| Age: | 15 (born 14 April 1883) |
| Whence received: | Ilkeston Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh, inclines to sallow |
| Hair colour: | Dark brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Height: | 4 ft 11½ ins |
| Particular marks: | Very bad burn mark on inside of left armpit |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes, except burn on arm |
| Date of admission: | 1 February 1899 |
| Late residence: | c/o John Trussell, Kensington Street, Ilkeston |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Has been a very bad boy. He has been in the habit of pledging [pawning] things belonging to his uncle, Silas Spencer (with whom he has lived all his life), whenever he had no money. He has on several occasions obtained good work and thrown it up. Latterly he refuses to work at all |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing iron pipe, 1 length of spouting, and a quantity of sheet iron, of the value of 10s, property Silas Spencer |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 19 January 1899; Samuel Robinson, John Ball, Samuel Richards, and C Melsby; Ilkeston Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Derby |
| Sentence: | 14 days in prison, detained at Saltley until 19 years of age |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (14 November 1895) |
| Length: | 4 strokes birch rod |
| For what: | Stealing £2 property of Silas Spencer |
| Father's name: | William Trussell |
| Occupation: | Needle maker |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Mother |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | Good |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | c/o John Trussell, Kensington Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | J Dawson Huish, Justices' Clerk, Ilkeston |
| Notes: | |
| 16 November 1895 A previous offence was reported in the Long Eaton Advertiser Saturday 16 November 1895 p.8 col.2: TWO YOUNG RASCALS. - Albert Perkins (12). and Wm. Truswell (12) [surname given thus], were brought up in custody charged with stealing £2, the money of Silas Spencer. at Ilkeston, on 5th November. - Prosecutor stated that he was a house agent, and resided at Nottingham-road, Ilkeston. At nine o'clock on the morning of the 5th Nov. he placed £8 10s. in silver in a bag in a boiler in his room, before going out. He returned about eleven, and found somebody had been at the boiler, and that £2 in half-crowns was gone. He gave information to the police and took out a warrant against the prisoners. - Frank Perkins (14), brother to one of the prisoners, stated that about half-past ten o'clock on the morning in question he was going to Sandiacre when the two. prisoners overtook him. Truswell said his uncle had given him 11s. and the rest he had saved, showing him six half-crowns. At Sandiacre they bought some grapes and then went to the station. Truswell gave him two half-crowns and a shilling. and asked him to get two tickets for Dudley. He did so, and saw them .off by train. - Police-constable Cosgrove traced the prisoners to Sandiacre and found out what they had done, and on the 8th he received them in custody from the Brierley Hill police. Truswell said he only took a pound, Perkins did not reply to the charge. They spent the money on riding in the steam trams from Dudley to Brierley Hill, where Perkins had an aunt living, and in pork pies and other things. They stayed two nights at Perkins' aunt's at Brierley Hill. - Jane Winwood was called to show that Perkins did not steal the money, as he not go into the house. - Supt. Daybell said that the parents of both boys had often been summoned for neglecting to send then. to school. - The Bench ordered the lads to receive 4 strokes of the birch rod each, the Mayor hoping it would be a warning to them. | |
| 21 January 1899 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Long Eaton Advertiser Saturday 21 January 1899 p.5 col.6: A YOUNG RASCAL. - Wm. Trussell, aged 15, was charged with stealing 10s. worth of old iron, the property of Silas Spencer, who had brought him up. - The stuff was sold to a Nottingham dealer, who had not since been found. It. was stated that the lad had been previously convicted of stealing money. - He was sent to gaol for 14 days, and ordered to be then sent to a reformatory until he was 19 years of age. | |
| 18 January 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Trussell was licensed to go out and work for Stanton Ironworks, Ilkeston | |
| 13 April 1902 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 9 February 1904 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Trussell, Ilkeston | |
| 13 December 1904 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Trussell, Ilkeston | |