John Simkiss - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1211 |
| Age: | 12 (born 8 April 1887) |
| Whence received: | Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Light blue |
| Height: | 4 ft 4½ ins |
| Particular marks: | 2 marks on head |
| State of health: | Fair |
| Able-bodied? | Yes, appears to be of weak intellect |
| Date of admission: | 21 October 1899 |
| Late residence: | 31 Thorpe Road, Walsall |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Nil |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Larceny |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Inefficient control by parents |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 20 October 1899; J Hurdman; Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (9 October 1899) |
| Length: | 12 strokes |
| For what: | Larceny |
| Father's name: | John Simkiss |
| Occupation: | Stoker |
| Mother's name: | Mary Jane Simkiss |
| Occupation: | Housewife |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Good |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 31 Thorpe Road, Walsall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | C A Loxton |
| Notes: | |
| 14 October 1899 A previous offence was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 14 October 1899 p.5 col.6: OFF TO THE GOOSE FAIR: "STRIPES FOR STUFFING." A schoolboy, 12 years old, named John Simkiss, living with parents at 31, Thorpe Road, was placed in the dock on a charge of stealing a basket, a blouse, and two yards of material, value £1, the property of Miss Godfrey, of Leicester Square. - Miss Godfrey identified the goods (produced) as her property, and stated that she employed prisoner as errand boy. On Wednesday morning, September 4th, she sent him with the articles named to a Miss Baker's at Caldmore Green. The boy did not return, and upon enquiry she found that the goods had not been delivered at Miss Baker's. - Mary Jane Hands and Priscilla Arblaster, both of Ball Street, said that the prisoner offered the goods for sale to them, stating that they belonged to his mother. Hands purchased the dress length for 1s., and Arblaster the blouse for 2s. A girl named Phoebe Longmore stated that her mother bought the basket for 1½d. from the prisoner. - Detective Smith said that he arrested prisoner on Saturday night, and when charged prisoner made reply "Yes, I sold them for 3s., and went to Nottingham fair." - The father of the prisoner now said that the boy was struck by lightning about four months ago, and had acted strangely since. - The boy was ordered to receive twelve strokes with the birch; and the Mayor severely censured the two women who had purchased the articles from prisoner. | |
| 21 October 1899 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 21 October 1899 p.5 col.8: TO RESTRAIN PRECOCITY. A school boy, named John Simkiss (12), living with his parents at 31, Thorpe Road, was charged with stealing a box containing a piece of wedding cake, and two packets of soap powder, value 6d., the property of H. R, Busby, of 29, Highgate Road, on October 17th. - It was stated that the boy attended the Wolverhampton Road school, where the complainant was schoolmaster, and on October 17th he went to complainant's house saying that Mr. Busby had sent him to have some dinner. Mr. Busby having previously sent him, he was given some dinner. After he had had something to eat, and left the house, a box containing wedding cake, and two packets of soap powder were missed. The soap powder prisoner sold to Mrs. Jameson for a penny, telling her that he had found them in Highgate. - When charged at the police-station with stealing the goods, value 6d., prisoner replied, "Oh, 6d. I can easily pay that." - The boy had previously been convicted of theft, and was sent to reformatory for five years. | |
| 1 January 1902 The Medical Officer reported: Sprain | |
| 19 October 1904 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |