William Thomas - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 107 |
| Date of admission: | 15 June 1857 |
| Whence received: | Birmingham Borough Gaol |
| By whom brought: | - |
| On what terms: | Committed |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | - |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Dark brown |
| Eyes colour: | Hazel |
| Perfect vision? | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Sound intellect? | Yes |
| Use of all limbs? | Yes |
| Had cow or small pox? | Not known |
| articular marks: | 3 scars on left side of forehead |
| Cutaneous disorder? | Perfectly free |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 14 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | Birmingham |
| Has resided: | at Birmingham |
| Parish to which he belongs: | Aston |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Nothing |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Middling |
| Writes: | Fairly; generally mediocre |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Pocket picking |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | |
| Date of sentence: | 2 June 1857 |
| Where convicted: | Moor Street Police Court, before T C S Kinnersley, and Rev H S Fletcher |
| Sentence: | 14 days in prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Previous committals and convictions: | Breaking his father's windows, 21 days in Birmingham Gaol |
| Father's name | William Thomas |
| Occupation: | Accountant |
| Residence: | Dymoke Street, Birmingham |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Father's character: | Respectable but drunken |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parent's dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Believed to be good |
| Character of parents: | - |
| Parents' wages: | £3 2s - £4 per week |
| Weekly amount parents will pay: | 5s per week |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | D Meade for Borough Gaol, Birmingham |
| Estimate of character on admission: | Headstrong |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
Notes:
| [No date] During first month is very unruly. Twice attempted to abscond but when he found it of no use he gradually settled down and behaved well. Having a desire to go to sea, a warrant was procured for his transfer to the Akbar frigate reformatory at Liverpool (5 December). By order of Mr C Ratcliffe. I had him in charge of a railway guard to Rock Lane station, where it was arranged an officer from the frigate should be in waiting for him, 14 January 1858. I find this way of sending a committed boy extremely injudicious, if not illegal. His father paid 10s 6d towards the expenses of the journey. |
| Had his name on the Good Conduct List. |
| At the last moment found the above arrangement would be [rest of this statement hidden by a receipt from Captain Fenwick for the boy, dated 14 July, attached to the Notes in the Admissions Register]. |
| 11 Aug 1857 The Reformatory Minute Book notes: 472. Resolved: that the Visitors' Minute referring to Thomas's removal to the Akbar be continued |
| 6 Dec 1860 saw Captain Fenwick who informed me that Thomas had enlisted. He had been a fine yeoman guard man and well conducted. |