Henry Charles Helson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 193 |
| Date of admission: | 28 November 1860 |
| Whence received: | Plymouth Gaol |
| By whom brought: | The Governor |
| On what terms: | - |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | - |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| Perfect vision? | Yes |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Sound intellect? | Yes |
| Use of all limbs? | Yes |
| Had cow or small pox? | Smallpox |
| Particular marks: | None |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 12 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | 50 Claremont Street, Plymouth |
| Parish to which he belongs: | St Andrew's, Plymouth |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Selling penny newspapers |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Not at all |
| Writes: | Not at all |
| Cyphers: | |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing 10 gold rings and a silver knife |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Not known |
| Date of sentence: | 8 November 1860 |
| Where convicted: | Plymouth |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 21 days prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals and convictions: | Stealing a silver spoon (21 days); stealing tea and sugar (1 month) |
| Father's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Mother's name: | Rachel Helson |
| Occupation: | Shoe binder |
| Residence: | 50 Claremont Street, Plymouth |
| Father's character: | - |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | Has bad health and has parish relief |
| Parents' wages: | None |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not able to pay |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | 28 Apr 1864 - Emigrated to Australia |
Notes:
| 9 November 1860 There is a report of his offence in the Western Morning News Friday 9 November 1860 p.2 col.6: THE ROBBERY IN WHIMPLE STREET. Henry Charles Helson, 10, Henry Grigg, 12, John Hicks, 10, and Samuel Hurrell 13, were brought up on remand, charged with stealing nine pairs of gold rings, ten pairs of ear-rings, two gold rings; a bracelet, two gold pins, and a silver knife, from the shop of Mr. Solomon, jeweller and general hardware-dealer, Whimple Street [Plymouth]. The mode of operation which the prisoners carried on was for two or three to enter the shop, frequently whilst the attention of those in the shop was occupied in serving other customers. Whilst one inquired the price of several articles in succession, the others contrived to lift the sash of a glass-case on the counter, and by this means was the missing jewellery abstracted. The suspicions of the prosecutor were at last aroused, and on one or two of them entering on Friday, for a two-penny purse, Mr. Solomon, jun., gave them into custody. Their disclosures, on being charged with the offence, led to the arrest of the others, and it appeared that gold rings had been freely sold to their companions for a penny each, bracelets had been bartered for leather belts, and sundry other equally extraordinary exchanges had been effected. Detective Dawe proceeded to the house of Hurrell's mother, and discovered the ear-rings in a box. Mrs. Hurrell on being examined, said her son had brought them to her, but their appearance betokened that they were composed of copper. She had not the slightest suspicion that they were gold rings, or that her boy had become possessed of them dishonestly; if she had thought so, she would not have placed them in her cotton box for safety. The prisoners elected to be tried by the magistrates; and Helson, who had been convicted twice previously, was sentenced to be imprisoned in the borough gaol and kept to hard labour for 21 days-at the conclusion of that term to be placed in a reformatory for four years. As the other prisoners appeared to have been enticed into the robbery by Helson, the Bench took their youth into consideration, and in the hope that they would in future abstain from all nefarious practices, they were cautioned and discharged. |
| 28 April 1864 Taken to Birkenhead to emigrate to Sydney for ship Wanata |
| 22 December 1864 Had a letter from him. Was 121 days on voyage and 14 days before he was hired, when he got employment with Mr John Hill, Manning River, Taree, Sydney. £16 a year, board, etc. |
| January 1866 In Queensland, doing well |
Samuel Rowley - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 240 |
| Date of admission: | 5 September 1862 |
| Whence received: | Stafford |
| By whom brought: | - |
| On what terms: | - |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | - |
| Complexion: | - |
| Hair colour: | - |
| Eyes colour: | - |
| Perfect vision? | - |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Sound intellect? | - |
| Use of all limbs? | - |
| Had cow or small pox? | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| Cutaneous disorder? | - |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | - |
| Subject to fits? | - |
| Age last birthday: | 13 |
| Illegitimate? | - |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | - |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Schools attended: | None |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | None |
| Writes: | None |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | - |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence: | - |
| Where convicted: | - |
| Who prosecuted: | - |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 1 month prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals and convictions: | - |
| Father's name: | Henry Rowley |
| Occupation: | Collier |
| Residence: | Leicester Street, Bilston |
| Mother's name: | Fanny |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Father's character: | - |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | - |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
Notes:
| [There is some confusion here. In an unusual error, the Admissions Register gives his first name as Henry (and very little other information). In fact it is Samuel. His brother is named Henry and appeared in the Reformatory in 1868.] |
| Brother of Henry, boy 381 |
| 6 August 1862 There is a probable report of his crime in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 6 August 1862 p.5 col.5: A YOUNG THIEF. - A little boy, named Samuel Rowley, only 13 years age, was placed in the dock, at the Bilston Police Court, yesterday, charged with stealing a quantity of coffee from the shop of Mr. Michael Hogan, provision dealer, Oxford-street. It appears the prisoner committed the theft by putting his hand through a broken square into prosecutor's shop window, and being caught in the act was given into custody. As it appeared he had been several times before the magistrates for similar offences, the Bench committed him to gaol for one month's imprisonment, and at the expiration of that imprisonment be further confined in a reformatory for four years. |
| 24 December 1863 Allowed to go home on leave until 1 January 1864 to spend the Christmas, and did not return |
| 13 January 1864 Apprehended by the police at Bilston |
| 14 January 1864 Fetched back by Mr Cook |
| 23 January 1864 Because of his failure to return to the Reformatory after the Christmas leave, his father was summoned. There is a report of this in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 23 January 1864 p.7 col.7: KEEPING A BOY FROM A REFORMATORY.-Henry Rowley and Thomas Garner were charged with the offence of withholding Samuel Rowley, the son of the former, from Saltley Reformatory. The boy was allowed to spend Christmas with his friends, and should have returned on New Year's-day; but, failing to do so, the visit of police constable Harrison to Garner's residence, where Rowley lodged, revealed tbe fact that the boy was working with his father as a collier and that the marks bad been cut from his Reformatory clothing. The boy was sent back to the Reformatory, and the defendants summoned on the present charge. Mr. M'Crea said he had received a letter from the Secretary to the Reformatory, requesting that the case might be adjourned for a month order that he might consult the directors of the Reformatory upon the charge. The request was complied with, and the defendants bound in their own recognizances to appear that day month. |
| 17 August 1865 Absconded |
| 24 August 1865 Brought back from Bilston |
| 5 January 1866 Absconded with 245 [Frederick Evans] |
| 30 August 1866 Apprehended at Bilston, but as his term of detention expires 4 September, it was not worth while having him back to the school |
| February 1867 In prison |
George William Haddock - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 786 |
| Age: | 12 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Pale |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | Cut on right side of forehead |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Slender |
| Date of admission: | 12 November 1885 |
| Late residence: | Union Workhouse, Chell, near Tunstall. This boy was an inmate at the time of the offence |
| Parish he belongs to: | Chell |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Nil |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing wearing apparel |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Unknown |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 12 October 1885; James Watson Bishop and E J Ridgway; Hanley Court of summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | None |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Richard Haddock |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Martha Haddock |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Both |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | - |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 11 January 1887 Medical officer reports: Conjunctivitis. Ordered to wear a shade, and have warm opiate lotion applied. Drops to be sent for. Contracted diarrhoea on 10 February, and on 17 February the Medical Officer wrote that he had general debility, requires good nourishing diet | |
| 29 September 1887 Medical officer reports: Bronchitis and pleurodynia. Ordered medicine. Cured by 4 October despite frontal pains on 1 October | |
| 16 December 1887 Medical officer reports: Injury to hand. By 27 December he was indolent, swelling, everything tending to inflammation. Was ordered a more nutritious diet on 30 December, and by 1 February his hand was free from pain and fit for gentle use | |
| 20 February 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Haddock was licensed to go out and work for Mr Robinson, St Helen's, Lancashire | |
| 14 April 1890 The Reformatory Committee Log book report records receipt of a letter from Haddock, St Helen's | |
| 19 August 1890 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Haddock, St Helen's | |
| 11 November 1890 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence | |
| 14 April 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Haddock, St Helen's, Lancashire | |
| 14 February 1893 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Haddock, St Helen's, Lancashire | |
| 12 December 1893 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Haddock, Newcastle under Lyme | |
| 3 February 1894 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Haddock, Newcastle under Lyme | |
Ezra Battye Eastwood - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1042 |
| Age: | 13 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Wakefield |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 9¼ ins |
| Particular marks: | 2 dots on left arm, and 4 pox marks |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Good |
| Date of admission: | 3 October 1893 |
| Late residence: | Holmfirth |
| Parish he belongs to: | Holmfirth |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | - |
| Writes: | - |
| Offence: | Petty larceny - stealing tobacco |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | No parental control |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 23 September 1893; C Stephenson and J Taylor; Holmfirth Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Wakefield |
| Sentence: | 10 days in prison, 2 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | Petty larceny |
| Father's name: | Jonathan B Eastwood |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Jane Eastwood |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | - |
| Parents' wages: | Good wages? |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | Chimney Sweep, Holmfirth |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 26 September 1893 The crime was reported in the Huddersfield Daily Chronicle Tuesday 26 September 1893 p.4 col.3: JUVENILE THIEVES. - James Beardsell, trammer, Norridge Bottom; Ezra Battye Eastwood, gardener, Crown Bottom; and Wimpenny Charlesworth, school boy, Crown Bottom, surrendered to bail on a charge of stealing 2lbs. of tobacco, value 10s, the property of John Crooks, Upperbridge, Holmfirth. Mr. J. H. Turner appeared for the defence of Eastwood, who pleaded not guilty. Beardsell pleaded guilty, and Charlesworth not guilty. The prosecutor stated that on Wednesday evening, the 20th inst., he missed two boxes of tobacco from his shop, and he was informed by his wife that she had heard someone in the shop. He saw some boys running down Hollowgate, and he gave chase. He there told Harrop Bates about the matter, and whilst standing there a person named Samuel Mellor brought the prisoner Charlesworth. Bates found the other two prisoners at the bottom of Victoria-street. and the lads were taken back to the shop. He saw the lad searched, and the light-coloured tobacco that was missing was found in the possession of Eastwood, and the dark coloured on Beardsell. The Chairman: Can you identify the tobacco as yours? Prosecutor : Yes sir. Inspector Calcraft: Were the two lots of tobacco in boxes. Prosecutor: Yes; by all appearances they must have thrown them in the river. The Chairman : Did you see the boxes in the river? Prosecutor: No sir. In further replies to the Bench Crooks stated that five or ten minutes elapsed after the boys were in the shop before he started in pursuit. The tobacco was found loose in the prisoners' possession. Witness charged the boys with stealing the tobacco as soon as they were taken to the shop, and Beardsell replied that witness could search him as he had never been to the place. Eastwood backed this statement up. On searching them the tobacco was found and the lads acknowledged the theft. Beardsell stated that he was outside and the other two lads inside. Charlesworth handed the tobacco to Eastwood and they then ran away with it. The other two lads kept very quiet. This was the prosecutor's evidence, and the prisoners stated that they preferred the Bench to summarily deal with the case. In reply to Mr. Turner, prosecutor stated that about a handful of tobacco was found on Eastwood. The Bench said there was no evidence against Charlesworth. The prosecutor added that Charlesworth made a statement that the tobacco was shared in Holmfirth, and about half-an-ounce was found on him. Harrop W. Bates gave evidence to pursuing and capturing Beardsell and Eastwood, and Samuel Peaker Mellor was called to prove the capture of Charlesworth, and to finding the tobacco in the prisoner's possession. Police-constable Alderman said he arrested the prisoners. First he took Beardsell and Eastwood, and the former said Charlesworth was as bad as them. He then arrested Charlesworth and charged the lads with the offence and they admitted it. Mr. Turner addressed the Bench on behalf of Eastwood, whose version of the matter was that Beardsell took the tobacco and gave some to the other two boys. He asked that the Bench temper justice with mercy, and as the lads had already had one night in prison he thought they would be sufficiently punished with the addition of a good flogging. Beardsell's father said his lad was not living at home but at a lodging-house, but if they punished him he could go home again. He did not want the lad sending away. Inspector Calcraft gave Beardsell and Eastwood bad characters, but said he knew nothing against Charlesworth. Eastwood had been fined before for stealing apples, and the fine had never been paid. The Bench committed Beardsell and Eastwood to prison for 10 days, and at the end of that time to go to a reformatory for 2 years. The boy Charlesworth was discharged and advised to keep better company. | |
| 2 October 1895 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |
Joseph Thompson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1297 |
| Age: | 13 (born 12 June 1888) |
| Whence received: | Rotherham Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Greyish blue |
| Height: | 4 ft 8 ins |
| Particular marks: | Burn mark right hip; 6 vacc. marks right arm; small cut left eye; turned up nose |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 31 January 1902 |
| Late residence: | 16 Morgan's Yard, Quarry Hill, Rotherham |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Selling papers, no fixed occupation |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Offence: | Larceny from a house |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Home surroundings are bad and no parental control existed |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 30 January 1902; W L Winks and John Cox; Rotherham Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Police Office |
| Sentence: | 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 5 |
| Length: | 1) Fined; 2) fined; 3) fined; 4) fined; 5) birched, 12 strokes |
| For what: | 1) Obstruction; 2) obstruction; 3) obstruction; 4) obstruction; 5) larceny |
| Father's name: | Frank Leonard Thompson |
| Occupation: | Puddler |
| Mother's name: | Jane Thompson |
| Occupation: | Housewife |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Not good |
| Character of parents | Doubtful |
| Parents' wages: | Not stated |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 16 Morgan's Yard, Quarry Hill, Rotherham |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Constable, Rotherham |
| Person making this return: | John Cox |
| Notes: | |
| 17 January 1902 There is a report of the crime that sent him to Saltley in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph Friday 17 January 1902 p.3 col.3: YOUTHFUL SHOPBREAKERS AT ROTHERHAM. Yesterday, at the Rotherham Borough Court, Joseph Thompson, 13, and William Tagg, 17 pit lads, were charged with housebreaking. On Sunday night last the premises of William Richardson, newsagent, Wellgate, were entered by means of a window at the back, and five packets of cigarettes, ¼lb tobacco, and a quantity of food, of the value of 3s, were taken. The house had been left in charge of a younger son of the prosecutor, and during the evening he went out, A crowd had collected on his return, and he found the window open. The door had been fastened by placing a box behind it. The Grahams, who lived next door, heard an unusual noise, and a son aged 12 saw the blind of the window move and afterwards a boy ran down the passage. Thompson was identified, and Tagg was connected with the robbery through a statement Thompson had made. - Tagg was fined costs, and the other 10s. and costs, and the other defendant was remanded pending inquiries relative to a reformatory school. | |
| 18 November 1903 The Medical Officer reported: Gathered ear, better by 25 November | |
| 1 February 1906 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Thompson was licensed to go out and work for Mr T Mercer, Bringstye, Worcester | |
| 29 January 1907 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |