Thomas Jones - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 764 |
| Age: | 15 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Dark brown |
| Eyes colour: | Dark grey |
| Visage: | Oval |
| Particular marks: | Mile centre of neck |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 31 January 1885 |
| Late residence: | 9 court 4 house Weaman Street, Birmingham |
| Parish he belongs to: | Birmingham |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Gun lock filer |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing 1 pair of boots |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad companionship |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 19 January 1885; T C S Kynnersley; Birmingham Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Sentence: | 14 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 3 |
| Length: | 1) Remanded and discharged; 2) 3 days in prison, 6s fine; 3) remanded and discharged |
| For what: | 1), 2), 3) all throwing stones |
| Father's name: | Thomas Jones |
| Occupation: | Lock filer |
| Mother's name: | Ann Jones |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Bo |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | |
| Character of parents | Respectable |
| Parents' wages: | Father earns about 16s weekly |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not assessed |
| Parents address: | 9 court 4 house Weaman Street, Birmingham |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Superintendent Wilcox, Council House, Birmingham |
| Person making this return: | M Elliott, Clerk to the Visiting Court, H M Prison Birmingham |
| Notes: | |
| 16 March 1885 Absconded, along with Daniels [boy 701] and Smith [boy 683]. The Reformatory Committee Log Book in a report of 14 April 1885 notes that he is not yet recaptured | |
| 30 April 1885 Jones formally re-admitted to the School [having been recaptured at Darlaston, he was on remand for absconding awaiting trial]. Height 5 ft 3 ins | |
| 9 May 1885 Jones transferred to Carlton Reformatory, Bedford | |
| 11 May 1885 There is a lengthy report of the trial held after he was recaptured in the Birmingham Daily Post Monday 11 May 1885 p.5 col.4: CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AT SALTLEY REFORMATORY. INVESTIGATION BY THE MAGISTRATES, At the Birmingham Police Court, on Saturday, before the Mayor (Mr. T. Martineau) and Messrs. Holliday and Johnson, a boy named Thomas Jones (15) was charged with breaking out of Saltley Reformatory and absconding on the 16th of March last. The boy was brought before the Bench a week ago, when he alleged that he absconded because of the severe flogging he had received from the superintendent, The case was remanded for a week for the boy to be medically examined as to the effects of the chastisement. The Hon. C. L. Adderley, Mr. Alfred Hill; J.P., and Mr. W. Morgan, solicitor, hon. secretary to the school, now attended the Court as a deputation from the committee of the Institution, in accordance with a resolution requesting them to do so. - The Magistrates' Clerk (Mr. Barradale) said the father of the boy had sent a letter on the subject, but as he was present in Court, it would be better for him to make a statement. The charge before the Bench was simply one of absconding from the school, but as the boy had made certain allegations against the superintendent, the magistrates thought it only right that he should have an opportunity of showing whether he had any cause for complaint or not. - Mr. Gibbs, surgeon, Digbeth, was then called, and said he had examined the boy's back. On the lower part there were ten distinct weals or marks of bruises. They might have been caused at the time the lad stated, but they looked more recent. Sometimes, however, bruises took a long time to go away. In some cases it appeared that two or more blows had fallen on the same place. Where this had happened the blows had evidently divided the skin and caused a little cicatrice. Some of the marks would probably remain for very many years. He should not say that the blows were what could be called severe. The Bench: Do you consider it a proper mode of punishment which would leave such long-lasting marks? - Mr. Gibbs: It might be a proper mode. I don't consider it a severe punishment. - The boy's father then came forward to make a statement, and Mr. Morgan remarked that as it was probable that a summons would be issued against him for harbouring the boy after he had escaped, it would be as well for him to consider what he was saying. - The father said the boy had told him that he escaped because of the brutality of Mr. Plummer. He stated that he had received ten cuts, and it was not from an ordinary cane but one larger. When he escaped he came to them at Darlaston, where they were living, and he (the father) thought, after hearing his story, that he had received sufficient punishment for his offence. - The Superintendent of the Reformatory, Mr. John Oscar Plummer, was then called, and proved the absconding. The boy was received at the Reformatory on the 31st of January. Previous to his escape on the 16th March he attempted to escape on the 10th February by running away while he was working with a section of the boys at a farm near the school. He was pursued and recaptured, and when he cams back he threatened some of the boys with a pitchfork because they remonstrated with him for running away. Witness considered, however, he should be punished, and after sleeping upon it decided to flog. He also committed the offence of secreting a table-knife in his bed for the purpose of effecting his escape. He received eight strokes of the cane on the back and eight with a birch rod on the shoulders. The punishment was entered in the punishment book, which had been inspected by the committee, and initialed by Lord Leigh. Mr. Plummer produced the cane with which the flogging was inflicted. It was an ordinary penny school cane. - At the conclusion of Mr. Plummer's statement, Mr. Morgan said that as the allegations against the institution were very serious the committee courted the fullest investigation, and were prepared to go on. - Mr. Elliott, of Small Heath, medical officer to the reformatory, was then called, and contradicted Mr. Gibbs's evidence as to the blows having caused any breaking of the skin. He had carefully examined the boy twice, and there was certainly no scar such as would result from the skin being broken, and any waste of tissue taking place. The marks that were there would certainly disappear. - Mr. Morgan: Mr. Gibbs used the word cicatrice. - Mr. Elliott: That is a mark left by the healing up of a wound. It was generally a white line There was nothing of the kind visible on the boy. - Mr. Hawkins, one of the resident surgeons of the Queen's Hospital, corroborated Mr. Elliott. There was no scar in the medical sense - that was, there was no mark that would result from any loss of tissue or from any wound penetrating the skin. - Mr. Logan, schoolmaster at the reformatory, said he was present when the flogging took place. There were eight strokes of the cane and eight of the birch. If all the blows had been from the cane the punishment would have been more severe. The maximum fixed by her Majesty's inspector was sixteen strokes with a cane - Mr. Morgan: Considering what you know of the boy's character, do you consider the punishment was a proper one? - The Clerk: I don't think you can ask that. You might as well ask the boy whether he considers the punishment a proper one. (Laughter). - The Mayor, in announcing the decision of the Bench, said what they were considering was whether the punishment was such as to justify the boy in absconding: lt was perfectly clear that nothing bad come out which in any way constituted a legal justification to the lad to run away. If the boy and his father still thought they had cause for complaint against the superintendent they could take proceedings, and then the matter would be tried in due course. They had now simply to deal with the absconding, which was not disputed. As the boy had been in prison for a week, he would now be sent to gaol for twenty-one days. - Mr. Morgan said he was very pleased, on behalf of the committee, to invite the magistrates to visit the school, to see what was being done there to turn the worst part of the population into quiet, honest schoolboys. There were 100 boys at the Reformatory, and it was of the greatest importance that they should be kept free from such influences as the prisoner had brought amongst them. | |
| 26 February 1887 Medical officer reports: Chilblain | |