Saltley Reformatory

John William Winfield - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1070
Age:	11 years
Whence received:	Loughborough Petty Sessions
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Sandy
Eyes colour:	Light brown
Height:	4 ft 2½ ins
Particular marks:	Mark left side of posterior
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	14 May 1894
Late residence:	14 Dead Lane, Loughborough
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Schoolboy
Whether illegitimate:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Offence:	Stealing eggs
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	2 May 1894; Lord Seymour; Loughborough Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	Not
Sentence:	5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) (17 January 1894)3 strokes; 2) (24 January 1894) 6 strokes
For what:	1) Stealing silver thimble; 2) stealing rabbit skins
Father's name:	William Winfield
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	Louisa Winfield
Occupation:	Housewife
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Mother convicted for receiving stolen goods
Parents' wages:	Not stated
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	Superintendent Smith

Notes:

24 January 1894 Two previous offences were reported in the Nottingham Evening Post Wednesday 24 January 1894 p.4 col.4: LARCENIES BY BOYS. - Arthur Glover, 11, John Winfield, 10, Arthur Harriman, 12, William Ward, 13, and Thomas Ward, 10, school boys, of Loughborough, were charged by Mr. H. Lochwood, school attendance officer, with stealing a box of chalk, two dozen tin saucers, a small quantity of beads, some letter cards, cotton, two and a half dozen thimbles, box of slate pencils, and two penholders, valued together at 5s. 8d., the property of the Loughborough School Board, on January 15th. Miss Fraser, mistress at the Orchard-street Board school, said that from the 8th to the 15th inst. several articles had been missing from the school. They were not kept in a cupboard, but downstairs, and must have been taken sometime between school hours. Thomas Winfield, aged 8, said he went with the boys to the school on Saturday, the 13th, about twelve o'clock. He saw them take away several things, chalk, pencils, and beads. No one was about at the time, and the door was closed, but not locked. P.S. Agar stated that he found part of the articles stolen at Harriman's home, and these Miss Fraser identified as part of the school property. The magistrates decided to hear another case in which some of the defendants were concerned before convicting on the first charge. - John Winfield (10), Edwin Hall (11), Thomas Ward (10), William Ward (13), and Arthur Glover (11), school boys, of Loughborough, were charged with stealing four rabbit skins, value 4d., the property of Thomas Pallett, carrier, of Shepshed, on January 20th. The skins were taken from defendant's cart, and evidence to prove this was given by a lad named Gregory. Inspector Smith took the boys into custody, when they admitted having stolen the skins, which they sold to different people in the town. The skins were identified by Mr. Hutchinson, rag and bone dealer, of Shepshed. Arthur Smith, 14, Alfred Holland, 13, James Kilburn, 12. and Arthur Harriman, 12, school boys, were then charged with stealing three bottles of ginger beer, value 4½d., the property of Frank A. Elliott, hairdresser, Loughborough, on January 19th. P.C Beardsrmore said he was watching the premises of the prosecutor, in Derby-square, on the date named, and saw the defendants enter a shed and take away the ginger beer. Witness took two of the boys to the police-station, and the others were afterwards apprehended. Glover, Winfield. Harriman, and Kilburn were sentenced to receive six strokes with the birch rod. Smith and Holland were fined 5s. each, or in default five days' hard labour. The defendants Hall and Ward were discharged.

5 May 1894 The crime that sent him to Saltley also involved his mother, as reported in the Leicester Chronicle Saturday 5 May 1894 p.7 col.8: STEALING TURKEYS' EGGS. - John Winfield and Jonas Jarrom, schoolboys, Loughborough, were summoned for stealing 13 turkeys' eggs, valued at 13s., at Loughborough, on the 23rd ult., the property of Frederick Caldwell, hosiery manufacturer, Loughborough, and Louisa Winfield, married woman, was summoned for receiving the eggs. - The case having been proved, Mrs. Winfield said she did not know the eggs were stolen. - The Bench convicted all the defendants, and as Mrs. Winfield was the mother of five children, the eldest of whom was the defendant John, she was fined 7s. 6d., including costs, or five days' hard labour. The boy Winfield had been three times convicted of stealing, and was ordered to receive six strokes with the birch rod and to be sent to a reformatory for five years; Jarrom was ordered to receive three strokes with the birch.

21 February 1899 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Winfield was licensed to go out and work for Messers Tucker and Sons Brick Works, Loughborough, Leicestershire

1 May April 1899 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley

11 August 1903 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winfield [spelled Wingfield], Ireland

14 June 1904 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winfield, the Barracks, Newry, Ireland

No. in Admissions Register:	128
Date of admission:	21 November 1857
Whence received:	House of Correction, Westminster
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	Committed
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fair
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	-
Particular marks:	-
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	35 Rochester Row, Westminster
Parish to which he belongs:	Unknown
Customary work and mode of life:	Unknown
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Scarcely knows the alphabet
Writes:	-
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing a pair of snuffers and hay
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Unknown
Date of sentence:	31 August 1857
Where convicted:	Police Court, Westminster before J Arnold, Esq.
Sentence:	3 months in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Where imprisoned:	-
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing old carpet (14 days and whipped)
Father's name:	William Benzye
Occupation:	Carter
Residence:	35 Rochester Row, Westminster
Mother's name:	Mary Benzye
Occupation:	Washerwoman
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	No
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents:	Both drunkards; good health
Parents' wages:	average about 2 pounds per week
Weekly amount parents will pay:	9d
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:

2 October 1860 left on leave to work with his father

December 1861 Working with his father driving a horse and cart; behaving well

November 1862 Circular returned by Post Office; gone no address

George Hoose - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	468
Age	14
Whence received:	Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	-
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission and term:	20 March 1872 3 years
Late residence:	Burton upon Trent
Parish he belongs to:	Burton upon Trent
Customary work and mode of life:	Working at a brewery
Whether illegitimate:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing wine, etc
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by who and court:	20 February 1872, Burton Petty Sessions, C W Lyon and J O Lovett
Where imprisoned:	Stafford
Sentence:	1 month prison (hard labour), 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	One
Length:	7 days and whipping
For what:	Stealing a walking stick
Father’s name:	William Hoose
Occupation:	Labourer at brewery
Mother's name:	Fanny Hoose
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents’ treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Honest, sober, and good health
Parents’ wages:	17s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s per week
Parents address:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-
When and how left reformatory:	1 Jan 1875 - licensed to work just prior to end of sentence

Notes:

24 February 1872 There is a report of the crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 24 February 1872 p.7 col.3: A BAND OF JUVENILE THIEVES. - Francis Wardle, of Union Street, Henry Baxter and Arthur Baxter, sons of a shoemaker in High Street, George Hoose, of Stanley Street, James Gavan, of New Street . and John Stephen Harlock. cooper's apprentice, were brought up on custody - Wardle charged with four robberies, Henry Baxter with three. Arthur Baxter with one, Harlock with one. Hoose with two, and Gavan with two. Mr Wilson defended the Baxters, and Mr. Stevenson appeared for Harlock. Two charges only were gone into, vis . those of stealing, on the 14th inst. a pound cake, from the shop of Mrs Heath, baker and confectioner, High-street; and, on the 10th inst, stealing two bottles of British wine and a tin of potted salmon, from the shop of Mr Bates, grocer, Station-street. The first charge was against Wardle, Gavan, and Harlock only, and it was proved that when the pound cake was missed suspicion fell upon the prisoners, who were in company near the shop They were accordingly apprehended, and on their being charged. Gavan said that Wardle had taken the cake from Mrs Heath's window and afterwards divided it with himself and Harlock Wardle admitted that Gavan's statement was true, and Harlock confessed to having lent him his knife with which to take the cake. In the second case Henry Baxter, Francis Wardle, George Hoose, and Arthur Baxter, were charged only, and from the evidence of three youths, who were watching the movements of the prisoners, it appeared that while prosecutor was busy attending to customers Henry Baxter and Hoose went Into the shop for some sweets, and on coming out again the elder Baxter took two bottles of wine from a shelf, and the younger Baxter a tin of potted salmon from the shop window. The prisoners were afterwards seen in Union street drinking the wine. Henry Baxter had been previously convicted for wilful damage to a door, Hoose had suffered seven days' imprisonment and been flogged for theft, and Harlock. who was described as a very violent youth, had been three times forgiven for different offences in Burton, and In 1869 charged with stealing apples at Winshill, Derbyshire. Gavan was the son a run-away glazier, and had for some time past been allowed to run wild in the streets, and Wardle, who was the son of a respectable widow, had, it appeared, been educated at several the local grammar schools. The sentence of the Bench was that Gavan and Hoose be sent to gaol for one month and three years to a Reformatory. Wandle and Henry Baxter each to gaol for one month, Arthur Baxter to fourteen days' imprisonment, and Harlock, who pleaded not guilty and elected to have his case tried elsewhere, to take his trial at the Adjourned Quarter Sessions.

1 January 1875 Licensed to work with his father. Stanley Street, Burton

9 October 1875 Called at the school. Doing well at a brewery

Jesse Smith - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	204
Date of admission:	26 January 1861
Whence received:	Birmingham Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Yes
Particular marks:	Cast of eyes
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	About 8, apparently
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	2 Camden Drive, Camden Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Errand boy
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes ability:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing 2 toy fiddles, etc
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	7 January 1861
Where convicted:	Moor Street, Birmingham
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	21 days prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Has been twice previously before the magistrates but not imprisoned
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Hannah [Smith – surname not given]
Occupation:	Lacquerer
Residence:	2 Camden Drive, Camden Street, Birmingham
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	No
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:	T C S Kynnersley
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

8 January 1861 There is a report of his offence in the Birmingham Daily Post Tuesday 8 January 1861 p.2 col.6: A COUPLE OF JUVENILE THIEVES. - Two ragged little fellows, named Andrew Mason and Jesse Smith, both living in Camden Street, were charged with stealing 10s from the till of Henry Shaylor, provision dealer, Icknield Street East. They were remanded from Saturday for the attendance of their parents, they having been found guilty of sneaking into the prosecutor's shop and stealing 10s. On being searched at the station by Police-Constable 22, two small fiddles and a small leather bag were found In their possession. The officer made enquiries, and ascertained that they had been stolen from the shop of Edward Walker, toy dealer, Icknield Street West. Sergeant Teggins stated that both prisoners had been In custody before for felony, and had brothers in Reformatory Schools. The prisoners were each sentenced to twenty-. one days Imprisonment with hard labour, and after the expiration of that term to be sent to a Reformatory school for five years.

1 October 1867 Doing middling - not reconvicted

Henry Benton - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	814
Age:	14
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Ruddy
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	Light hazel
Height:	-
Particular marks:	Blue scar corner of left eye
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Slender
Date of admission:	27 May 1886
Late residence:	Rolling Mill Street, Walsall
Parish he belongs to:	Walsall
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Stealing money
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	14 May 1886; J Newman and John Day; Walsall Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	14 days in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) 3 days, 6 strokes; 2) 6 days, 12 strokes
For what:	1) Felony; 2) felony
Father's name:	Jonah Benton
Occupation:	Miner
Mother's name:	Mary Benton
Occupation:
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Well treated
Character of parents	Respectable people, nothing known against them
Parents' wages:	At present out of employ. Wife's 20s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	Nothing offered. Could not afford about 1s per week
Parents address:	Rolling Mill Street, Walsall
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Chief constable, Walsall
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

15 May 1886 There is a report of the crime in the Walsall Observer, and South Staffordshire Chronicle Saturday 15 May 1886 p.5 col.6: ROBBERY FROM THE PERSON AND WILFUL DAMAGE. - Henry Benton, Rollingmill-street; John Andrews, Rollingmill-street, and George Sanders, Brineton-street, lads whose ages ranged from 12 to 15 years, were charged with stealing 2s. 2½d. from a little boy, named Charles Craddock, in Bridgeman-street, on Monday night. - The little fellow said the lads came to him and took the money out of his pocket, and tore his clothes in doing so. He did not know them, and was not talking to them. - Detective Higgins stated that he apprehended prisoners on the night in question, charging them with the offence One of them said Sanders took the money, which they spent sad divided amongst them. Witness took them to the station and locked them up. - Andrews and Benton were then charged, in conjunction with John York, another lad of about the same age, with entering the brickworks of Mr. Henry Boys, Queen-street, and breaking two laths, value 6d, on the 29th ult. - William Marlow stated that he saw the prisoners go into the place and break the laths with an iron bar, but be could not say which of the prisoners had the bar in his hand. - Geo. Wilcox, foreman to Mr. Boys, stated that a great deal of damage had been done by lads getting into the works for the purpose of sleeping there by trampling amongst the bricks. - The charges were all dealt with as one case. - Mr. Newman said, to use a common phrase, prisoners were "fly to any game." They were intelligent lads. and not mere dummies, and he sincerely wished they would devote their talents to legitimate and honest purposes, as by so doing they would make good men. It was difficult to know what to do with them. - Prisoners were each sentenced to 14 days in gaol, and to be afterwards detained in a reformatory for three years.

31 December 1888 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Benton was licensed to go out and work for Mr King, Wolverhampton Road, Walsall

26 May 1889 Sentence expired. Discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence

10 February 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Benton, Walsall

14 February 1893 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Benton, Walsall