George Thompson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 806 |
| Age: | 15 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | - |
| Hair colour: | - |
| Eyes colour: | - |
| Height: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Date of admission: | 20 February 1886 |
| Late residence: | 44 Burns Bank, Burslem |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Working at Allcock's Potteries |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Not at all |
| Writes: | Not at all |
| Offence: | Stealing a watch |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad companions |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 25 January 1886; H C Greenwood; Hanley Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (January 1886) |
| Length: | 7 days |
| For what: | Stealing eggs |
| Father's name: | Charles Thompson |
| Occupation: | Caster |
| Mother's name: | Elizabeth Thompson |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | "Mother treats him unkindly" |
| Character of parents | Mother is dishonest and drunken; father is a respectable man |
| Parents' wages: | Father 25s weekly |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 44 Burns Bank, Burslem |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 15 August 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Thompson was licensed to go out and work for Messers Davis and Shaw, Tunstall, Staffordshire | |
| 14 April 1890 The Reformatory Committee Log book report records that Thompson was discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence on the expiration of his sentence | |
Charles Kear - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1061 |
| Age: | 12 (born 18 September 1881) |
| Whence received: | Cardiff Police |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light brown |
| Eyes colour: | Dark grey |
| Height: | 4 ft 3½ ins |
| Particular marks: | mole mark left leg |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 8 March 1894 |
| Late residence: | 8 Eclipse Street, Roath, Cardiff |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | For some time a barber's assistant, and for the last 3 months has done nothing but roam the streets |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 3 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 3 |
| Offence: | Stealing a piece of baize and a quantity of fruit from the Borough Market during night time |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 7 March 1894; M Lewis; Cardiff Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | 1 day and 6 strokes |
| For what: | Stealing an overcoat |
| Father's name: | James Kear |
| Occupation: | Coal forgeman |
| Mother's name: | Jane Kear (step-mother) |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Mother |
| Survivor married again? | Yes |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Boy says that his father was kind to him but that he could not agree with his stepmother |
| Character of parents | Police report both father and step-mother to be respectable |
| Parents' wages: | Not stated, boy says about £4 per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 8 Eclipse Street, Roath, Cardiff |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Constable, Cardiff |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 9 March 1893 He was in the news, but not because of committing an offence, as reported in Evening Express [Cardiff] Thursday 9 March 1893 p.3 col.6: Small-pox at Cardiff. NO FURTHER CASES. It was announced by a local contemporary this morning that a lad named Charles Kear, who had run away from home and had been sleeping out in the streets, had been removed to the Hamadryad Hospital Ship on Wednesday suffering from small-pox. Upon inquiry we find that statement is incorrect. It is true the lad was seen by a medical gentleman and sent down to the Hamadryad Ship, but upon examination Dr. Hughes, the medical superintendent, found that the lad was free from the taint of small-pox, and he was not detained. The three patients under treatment at the infectious diseases wards at the Docks are continuing to make progress towards convalescence. | |
| 3 February 1894 A previous offence was reported in the Western Mail Saturday 3 February 1894 p.8 col.5: YOUNG SCHOOL THIEVES. ORDERED TO BE BIRCHED AT CARDIFF. PROCEEDINGS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST PAWNBROKERS. At Cardiff Police-court on Friday (before Mr. T. W. Lewis, stipendiary, Alderman Thomas Bees, and Alderman Richard Cory, two lads, Charles Kear and Frank Barnett, respectively twelve and eleven years of age were brought up charged with stealing four overcoats, one from Metal street Schoolroom, on the 23rd of January, two from Adamsdown Board School, on the 29th of January, belonging to Lydia Merrett, and the other on the 30th of January, belonging to Emily Hill; they also took one from Adamsdown School on the 31st ult., the property of Sarah Parr. - Detective Davey said he had made inquiries, and found out that the coats had been pledged in different pawnbroker' shops. When charged the boys admitted taking the coats. Witness had found four other coats stolen by the boys, which had not been identified. They had pawned two of them, and when he saw them they were trying to pledge two others, and last Saturday he saw the two prisoners knock another boy down and took 2s. from him The Bench ordered each of the boys to be kept in prison for one day each and to receive six strokes of the birch, The Stipendiary ordered the police to take proceedings against the pawnbrokers for taking goods in pledge from a boy apparently under the age of twelve years. | |
| 7 March 1894 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Evening Express [Cardiff] Thursday 7 March 1897 p.2 col.7: A CARDIFF HOPEFUL To go to a Reformatory for the Next Five Years. Charles Keir [surname given thus], a lad of twelve years, was this morning brought up at Cardiff Police-court before Mr. Williams and Sir Morgan Morgan) on a charge of stealing threepennyworth of almonds from a stall in the Cardiff Market, occupied by Mr. Charles Williams, green-grocer, of Wood-street. Keir was about three weeks ago chastised with the birch and detained in prison for a day for stealing overcoats from the porches of different board schools in the town. He will be sent to a reformatory for five years. | |
| 22 January 1896 The Medical Officer reported: Injured elbow | |
| 5 October 1898 Discharged from Saltley by Order of the Home Secretary, on account of enlisting in the Army | |
| 11 October 1898 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Kear, Gosport | |
| 13 December 1898 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Kear, Gosport | |
| 8 August 1899 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Kear, Isle of Wight | |
| 10 October 1899 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Kear, Candia [now Heraklion, Crete] | |
| No. in Admissions Register: | 403 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | Stafford Gaol |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Hazel |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission and term: | 3 May 1869 5 years |
| Late residence: | 2 Kent Street, Hanley |
| Parish he belongs to: | Birmingham |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing beef |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 2 April 1869, J E Davis Esq, Fenton Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | 14 days |
| For what: | Stealing stockings |
| Father's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Hannah Bennett |
| Occupation: | Charwoman |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Good |
| Parents' wages: | 5s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Nothing |
| Parents address: | 2 Kent Street, Hanley |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Mr Baker, Hanley |
| Person making this return: | - |
Notes:
| 3 April 1869 There is a brief report of the offence in the Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 3 April 1969 p.5 col.2: YOUNG THIEVES. - Arthur Bennett, Jeremiah Bogey, and John Smith young boys, were charged with stealing a knife and a piece of beef from the shop of Charles Phillips, butcher. Stoke. - Bennett and Bogey were sent to prison for a month, prior to being sent to a reformatory for years. Smith was remanded. |
| 26 October 1872 Lord Leigh got him a berth on the C. Gladstone government emigration ship. C. Allwood took him to London today to 65 Fenchurch Street, Captain Forster; and is to get his outfit and Hemmings of Blackwall Cross, to the amount of £4 16 shillings, beside a new cloth suit, hat and boots that he goes in. |
| 17 February 1874 Wrote to Captain Forster respecting him |
| 6 (?) March 1874 Heard from Captain Forster that he had left his ship and stayed a… Dunedin, Otago in New Zealand. |
| 23 February 1874 Letter from the Government Emigration Office, St Katherine Dock, Tower Hill: Dear Sir, the Charlotte Gladstone has since Oct '72 made the voyage and nearly home to New Zealand, since which she has gone to New Orleans and is now on the way home. The captain of '72 has been changed, so that I may have some little difficulty in finding the lad, but I will do so as soon as I can and write you, I remain, M A Forster |
| Follow up letter from Captain Forster at the same address: Dear Sir, I heard yesterday from the then captain of the C Gladstone that the lad you are interested for left the ship at Dunedin in New Zealand. Technically, of course, he deserted, but sailors do often, especially in emigrants vessels, leave their ships for a trial of colonial life, that he may simply be said to have left his ship at New Zealand. Yours respectfully, M A Forster. |
Joseph Slater - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 531 |
| Age: | 13 |
| Whence received: | - |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission and term: | 8 March 1875 5 years |
| Late residence: | Burton on Trent |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Blacksmith |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing a muffler |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad conduct of parents |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 9 February 1875, Burton Petty Sessions, R Tomlinson and C J Clay |
| Where imprisoned: | Stafford County Prison |
| Sentence: | 1 month prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | None |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Thomas Slater |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Mother's name: | Emma Slater |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Drunken and dishonest. Health good |
| Parents' wages: | 20s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | 1s per week |
| Parents address: | Nutt's Yard, Park Street, Burton |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | |
| Person making this return: | - |
Notes:
| 11 February 1875 There is a report in the Burton Chronicle Thursday 11 February 1875 p.5 cols 5-6; A GANG OF YOUNG THIEVES.- Charles Hardy and Joseph Slater, two boys, were charged with stealing a muffler, value 2s. 6d., on the 4th inst., the property of Thomas Sharpe; and William Jackson, Joseph Slater, and Joseph Siddals, three boys, were charged with stealing a muffler. value 2s. 6d., on the 6th inst., the property of Thomas Sharpe. All the prisoners pleaded guilty. Mr. Wilson appeared for Jackson. On Saturday night the three last named prisoners were seen by a young man named Horne standing near the prosecutor's shop. After a time Siddals handed something to Jackson, and they walked away. The prosecutor had been attracted to his shop door by hearing a noise, and, seeing that a muffler had gone from the door, went into the street. The prisoners then ran away, and Jackson threw the muffler into the Congregational Chapel yard. The prosecutor pursued Jackson. and ultimately found him concealed in a waggon in Messrs. Allsopp and Sons' yard. The other prisoners were apprehended on Sunday morning by Sergeant Gilbride. Slater was apprehended at his home, and the officer noticed on his first entrance into the house that he was wearing a muffler. Before his actual apprehension he went upstairs and when he came down again he was minus the muffler. The officer, supposing that it had been stolen, made the boy go upstairs again and point out to him where he had put it, and it was then found concealed in a box. On examining it, the officer found that it had been torn into two parts, and on questioning Slater he admitted that a boy named Hardy had taken it from Mr. Sharpe's shop. Hardy was then arrested, and he produced the other half of the muffler. Slater, Jackson, and Siddals were charged with the robbery of the second scarf, and Jackson in answer said, "I came into the market after leaving work, and I met the other two prisoners. Slater said to us, 'let us go down High Street : I know a shop where we can get something from : darkie and I got a muffler from there last Wednesday.' We all three went down High Street and went to Mr. Sharpe's shop door, and Slater gave me the muffler. I saw a man coming, and I ran away and threw it into the chapel yard." -- The Bench, after questioning the parents of the boys, considered that the best and kindest thing they could do was to send each boy to gaol for a month, and order them, at the expiration of that time, to be kept in a reformatory for five years. The prisoners left the court howling and crying piteously. |
Edwin C. Chadwick - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 807 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Strangeways, Manchester |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Rather dark |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 5½ ins |
| Particular marks: | Blue mark back of the left part of left hand. Also 5 dots |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Slender |
| Date of admission: | 24 February 1886 |
| Late residence: | 49 Bow Street, Little Bolton, near Salford |
| Parish he belongs to: | All Saints, Manchester |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Assisting his father |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, 3rd Standard |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, 3rd Standard |
| Offence: | Stealing money 55s |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Wanted to see the Manchester Pantomime |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 4 Feb 1886; Walmsley and J Long; Bolton Borough Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Strangeways, Manchester |
| Sentence: | 21 days in prison, 2 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | Nil |
| Length: | Nil |
| For what: | Nil |
| Father's name: | Thomas Lyons Chadwick |
| Occupation: | Last maker |
| Mother's name: | Emma Chadwick |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Father's treatment has been severe |
| Character of parents | Father is a drunkard |
| Parents' wages: | Uncertain |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not assessed |
| Parents address: | 49 Bow Street, Little Bolton, near Salford |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | John Hall, Superintendent of Bolton Police |
| Person making this return: | C W Preston for Stipendiary Magistrate |
| Notes: | |
| 11 March 1887 The Medical Officer reported: Injury to hand. Fracture of metacarpal bone. Improving by 17 March | |
| The Register of Boys on Licence records Chadwick as being let out to work for Mr Heaton, Bolton | |
| 23 February 1888 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence | |
| 5 April 1888 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton | |
| 12 June 1888 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton, Lancashire | |
| 9 October 1888 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, shop boy, Bolton, Lancashire | |
| 11 June 1889 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton, Lancashire | |
| 6 August 1889 The Log Book report records receipt of another letter from Chadwick, Bolton, Lancashire | |
| 10 August 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton | |
| 13 October 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton | |
| 11 October 1892 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton | |
| 22 May 1893 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton | |
| 11 October 1904 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Chadwick, Bolton | |