Frank Layton - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 767 |
| Age: | 11 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Slender |
| Date of admission: | 10 April 1885 |
| Late residence: | 2 Brandy Road, Greets Green, West Bromwich |
| Parish he belongs to: | West Bromwich |
| Customary work and mode of life: | No occupation |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing a purse and 24s |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 28 March 1885; J W Williams and P Bennett; West Bromwich Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 14 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 2 |
| Length: | 1) Birched; 2) birched |
| For what: | 1) Stealing cake from a shop; 2) stealing money from a woman's pocket |
| Father's name: | John T Layton |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Isabella Layton |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Well treated |
| Character of parents | The father is honest and sober. The mother has been convicted of felony and is a shocking drunkard. They live in the most wretched condition. Both healthy |
| Parents' wages: | 5s to 6s weekly on average |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | No offer is made to contribute. Their inability to do so is beyond doubt, I think. The father ekes out a few shillings now and then attending midwifery cases of the very lowest class of people. He is an unqualified medical practitioner |
| Parents address: | 2 Brandy Road, Greets Green, West Bromwich |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Thomas Whitehouse, Superintendent of Police, West Bromwich |
| Person making this return: | Thomas Whitehouse, Superintendent of Police, West Bromwich |
| Notes: | |
| 2 June 1884 A previous offence was reported in the Birmingham Daily Post Monday 2 une 1884 p.8 col.5: Frank Layton (11), of Swan Village, was charged with stealing a purse and 3s. from the person of Naomi Duffell, of Great Bridge, on the 21st ult. Upon the occasion of Wombwell's menagerie visiting the town prosecutrix was in among a crowd looking at it, when the prisoner was observed in the act of taking the purse containing the money from her pocket. He was sentenced to receive six strokes with a birch rod. | |
| 8 March 1885 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Wolverhampton Express and Star Saturday 8 March 1885 p.3 col.3: JUVENILE OFFENDERS. Three lads, named Frank Layton (12), Greet's Green-road; Samuel Sutton (8), Greets Green, and John Allen Layton (7) [Frank's brother], were charged with stealing 6s. and a purse, on the 25th. from the pocket of Ann White, Horseley Heath. - Prosecutrix said she was in the Great Bridge Market, and stood for a few minutes near a stall, directly after which she missed her purse.- Frank Layton was sent to prison for 14 days, to be followed by five years in a reformatory; Sutton was ordered to have four strokes with the birch rod, and the other lad two strokes. | |
| 13 May 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Layton was licensed to go out and work for Mr J Kent, Olton, Warwickshire | |
| 14 April 1890 The Reformatory Committee Log book report records that Layton was discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence on the expiration of his sentence | |
| 3 February 1894 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Layton, Birmingham | |