Henry Hodgkiss - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 780 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | Burn mark on back of left hand |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Slender |
| Date of admission: | 10 October 1885 |
| Late residence: | Marley Pitts, Rugeley |
| Parish he belongs to: | Rugeley |
| Customary work and mode of life: | No occupation |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Escaping from Industrial School at Werrington, Staffordshire |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 10 September 1885; H C Greenwood; Tunstall Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | Until he was sixteen |
| For what: | Stealing fowls |
| Father's name: | George Hodgkiss |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Emma Hodgkiss |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Boy had been allowed to wander about, previous to his being admitted to Werrington Industrial School |
| Character of parents | Reported good???? [question marks in Admissions Register] |
| Parents' wages: | Not known - father is a travelling hawker |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Parents seem to be very poor. They have contributed 6d weekly towards their son's maintenance at Werrington |
| Parents address: | Marley Pitts, Rugeley |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 1 July 1881 The offence which sent him to the Industrial School was reported in the Lichfield Mercury Friday 1 July 1881 p.7 col.4: RUGELEY. YOUTHFUL FOWL STEALERS. - At the Rugeley Petty Sessions on Monday, before Messrs. Birch and Seckham, Henry Hodgkiss and Joseph Lloyd, two boys aged respectively ten and twelve, were charged with stealing three fowls, the property of Frederick Hawkins, butcher, Rugeley. - It appeared from the evidence of P.C. Pilliner, and the prosecutor's son, that the fowls had been taken from Mr. Hawkins's place, and been tied to a rake in a barn belonging to Mr. Williams, in Green Lane. Pilliner watched this place for a long time, and eventually the boys were caught. Lloyd was discharged as he did not appear to have taken an active part in the matter, and Hodgkiss was sent to the Workhouse preparatory to being sent to an industrial school for five years. | |
| 23 July 1886 Attempted to abscond from the farm today but was collared by the other boys and brought down to the School | |
| 1 July 1887 Absconded while on an errand | |
| 12 October 1887 Readmitted from absconding. The Reformatory Committee Log Book report of 5 November contains the following plea: Hy Hodgkiss, who left [absconded] on 1st. of July, having been readmitted on the 12th of October, I should be glad if you would see him and give me instructions as to what punishment is to be awarded him. He was sent here for a fifth offence of absconding from the Staffs County Industrial School and is undoubtedly a thoroughly bad fellow. | |
| 21 October 1888 Medical officer reports: Rheumatic fever. Ordered brandy. By 5 November was convalescent but still in bed, and by 11 December recovered with just occasional wandering rheumatic pains | |
| 26 November 1888 There is a newspaper cutting attached to the Admissions Register from the Daily Mail 26 November 1888: A NOTORIOUS FAMILY. At Wolverhampton this afternoon, two elderly men named Thomas and William Hodgkiss, members of a notorious Wolverhampton family, were sentenced to four months' imprisonment with hard labour for cutting 54 willows of the value of 2s. the defendants, who have been convicted over 20 times in nearly every Petty Sessional Division in the county, had only recently returned from a lengthy sojourn in her Majesty's retreat at Stafford when they recommenced their old practices of robbing the neighbouring plantations. | |
| 11 December 1888 The Reformatory Committee Log Book in reporting on the health of the School reads: With one exception, the health of the inmates has been good. This boy, Henry Hodgkiss, has been laid by since the 21st of October with rheumatic fever, and although he at one time seemed quite recovered, the late unsatisfactory weather has thrown him back again. He is, however, about, and I trust that he will get rid of his trouble shortly. | |
| 27 April 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Hodgkiss has been licensed to go out and work for Mr Handley, Brereton, Staffordshire | |
| 17 September 1889 Readmitted to the School from on licence [no reason given] | |
| 29 October 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Hodgkiss has been licensed again to go out and work for Mr Ashmore, Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire | |
| 9 October 1890 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |
| 9 December 1890 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Hodgkiss, Rugeley | |
| 26 March 1891 Emigrated to Manitoba, Canada, with Wilkes [boy 868] | |
| 10 October 1893 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Hodgkiss, Wolsley, North West Territories, Canada | |