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No in Admissions Register: 111
Date of admission: 17 August 1857
Whence received: Birmingham Borough Gaol
By whom brought: -
On what terms: Committed
Friends interested in him: -
Description:
Height: -
Figure: -
Complexion: Fresh
Hair colour: Sandy
Eyes colour: Hazel
Perfect vision? Yes
State of health: Good
Able-bodied? Yes
Sound intellect? Yes
Use of all limbs? Yes
Had cow or small pox Vaccinated
Particular marks: Mark below left knee
Cutaneous disorder? No
Scrofulous or consumptive? No
Subject to fits? No
Age last birthday: 13
Illegitimate? No
Birthday: -
Birth place: Birmingham
Has resided: Tower Street, Birmingham
Parish to which he belongs: Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life: Rope making
Schools attended: None
By whom and where employed: -
State of education:
Reads: Nil
Writes: Nil
Cyphers: -
General ability: -
Offence: Stealing 1s 1½ d from W Thusston
Circumstances which may have led to it: Not known
Date of sentence: 4 August 1857
Where convicted: Police Court, Birmingham, before T C S Kynnersley, Esq.
Sentence: 14 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Where imprisoned: -
Previous committals and convictions: none
Father's name: Not to be found
Occupation: -
Residence: 88 Unett Street, New John Street, Birmingham
Mother's name: Elizabeth Brittain
Occupation: -
Residence: Tower Street, Great Hampton Road, Birmingham
Father's character: -
Mother's character: Not known. Has separated from her husband and lives with one William Thurston, from whom the boy stole the money
Parents dead? -
Survivor married again? -
Parents' treatment of child: -
Character of parents: -
Parents' wages: -
Weekly amount parents will pay: -
Superintendent of police (to collect payments): -
Relatives to communicate with: -
Person making this return: D Meaden, Governor, Borough Gaol, Birmingham
Estimate of character on admission: Quiet and good natured
Character on discharge: -
When and how left the Reformatory: 20 JUn 1861 - Emigrated to Canada


Notes:

8 August 1857 There is a short report of his crime in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 8 August 1857 p.6 col.4: A MEMBER FOR REFORMATION. - Henry Britton [surname spelled thus], a boy of thirteen, described as a glass blower, and living in Tower Street, was charged with stealing 3s 0½d, the property of William Thurston, candlestick maker, his master. The prisoner had been at the bar on a previous occasion for a similar offence. He acknowledged taking the money, and was sent to the House of Correction for fourteen days, Mr Kynnersley intimating that at the end of that time he must be kept at the Saltley Reformatory for five years.
 
1 December 1857 name on Good conduct List
 
2 April 1861 The Reformatory Minute Book reported: 771. On reading Minute 759 Mr Humphreys recommended the following boys to Canada: Pennyfather [boy 120], Lowe [boy 151], Brittain [boy 111].
 
20 June 1861 emigrated to Canada with boys 120 [Henry Pennefather], 124 [Peter Oswald], and 151 [William Lowe]. Considered discharged 30 June 1861
 
16 July 1861 The Minute Book states: 791. On reading Minute 736 and subsequent Minutes down to Minute 780, it was reported that the final selection of boys to complete the number for emigration had fallen upon Pennefather [boy 120] and Abberley [boy 152] and that accordingly, Pennefather, Brittain [boy 111], Lowe [boy 151], and Oswald [boy 124] had gone to Canada, and that Abberley, Drake [boy 138], Beaton [boy 147], and Berry [boy 137] had gone to Sydney since last meeting of the Committee.
 
6 August 1862 Lowe says "Brittain is working at the farming"
 
3 October 1863 Smallwood [boy 168] reports him still going on well near Toronto