Thomas Clayton - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1296 |
| Age: | 12 (born 12 December 1889) |
| Whence received: | Burnley Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light |
| Eyes colour: | Hazel |
| Height: | 4 ft 4ΒΌ ins |
| Particular marks: | 4 vacc marks right arm; 2 vacc marks left arm; broken nose, no other marks |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | yes |
| Date of admission: | 23 January 1902 |
| Late residence: | 47 Lindsay Street, Burnley |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Schoolboy |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 4 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 4 |
| Offence: | Breaking and entering a lock-up shop and stealing therefrom |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Lack of parental control for good |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 21 January 1902; F Chaffer Holden; Burnley Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Police Office |
| Sentence: | 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | Birched |
| For what: | Larceny |
| Father's name: | Thomas Clayton |
| Occupation: | Canvasser, Heald's & Reed |
| Mother's name: | Kate Clayton |
| Occupation: | Housewife |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | Fair |
| Parents' wages: | Not stated |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not yet assessed |
| Parents address: | 47 Lindsay Street, Burnley |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Constable, Burnley |
| Person making this return: | G Dunn, Police Inspector, Burnley |
| Notes: | |
| 15 January 1902 A previous offence was reported in the Burnley Gazette Wednesday 15 January 1902 p.4 col.3: IN THE POLICE COURTS. BURNLEY BOROUGH. - MONDAY. - Before the Mayor (Alderman T. Thornber), and Messers. J. Greenwood, C. Mitchell, A. Baron, and G. Walmsley. - THE BIRCH FOR BURNLEY BOYS. - Thomas Clayton (12), Alfred George Knight (12), and Tom Robinson (11), were charged together, in two instances, with housebreaking and stealing, and with another lad named Pate, were charged with stealing three tame pigeons. - William Hartley, a weaver, of 95, Burns- street, said he went to work about ten minutes to six on the morning of the 10th. Returning about five minute to six, from what was said be examined the back window of his house, It was broken near the catch, and unlatched. The slot gas meter was also broken, and the contents, 13s. 8d. had been taken out. - Maggie Greenwood, also living in Burns-street, the sister in-law of the previous witness, said that on the 10th inst., from what was said to her, she went, about three o'clock in the afternoon, into her brother-in-law's house, with a gas official. They found the house broken into and the meter as well. - Joseph P. Skipper, a gas-meter inspector, stated that on the 10th he saw Clayton, and asked him where he had got the money to purchase a quantity of biscuits he had. Clayton said he had been carrying parcels. Later, witness told Clayton that he wanted him for breaking open a slot-meter in Burns-street, and Robinson, who was standing near, and heard this, ran away. Clayton later made a statement, saying that he had, in addition, broken into a gas meter in his grandfather's house. He told witness where to find some keys and a knife they had used. Sums of money, alleged to be taken from meters, were given up to witness by the boys and their relatives. - All the lads had been in trouble before, and all pleaded guilty. They declined to make any statement as to how they did the deed, and were ordered to be flogged. Clayton and Knight to receive twelve strokes with the birch rod, and Robinson six. - The other cases were remanded for eight weeks. | |
| 20 January 1902 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Lancashire Evening Post 20 January 1902 p.4 col.1: AN INCORRIGIBLE BURNLEY BOY. - This morning, at Burnley, Thomas Clayton, a respectably-dressed lad of 12, who was whipped last week for housebreaking and theft from a slot meter, was charged with having broken into the shop 112, St. James's-street, and stolen a quantity of chocolate, belonging to Holden Taylor. An assistant at the shop was passing the premises on Sunday afternoon when he saw the shutter raised about a foot from the ground. A boy who was standing outside said to someone inside, Come on; now is your time. There is no one about." The assistant then raised the shutter and discovered prisoner, who pleaded to be let go. - P.C. Wilson stated that he found chocolate on the boy, and Mr. Jones (clerk to the School Board) said everything possible had been done for the lad. The father had done his best to keep the boy under control without avail. - The lad was ordered to be sent to a reformatory. | |
| There was a further hearing once a suitable reformatory had been found (Saltley), was briefly reported in the Burnley Express Saturday 25 January 1902, noting that his father was ordered to pay 1s 6d per week towards his son's support | |
| 6 September 1905 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Clayton was licensed to go out and work for Mr McAlister, 2 Cook Street, Blackburn | |
| 11 December 1906 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |