Saltley Reformatory

No. in Admissions Register:	306
Date of admission:	22 June 1865
Whence received:	Stafford
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Perfect vision?	-
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	None
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not apparent
Subject to fits?	None
Age last birthday:	15
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Wednesbury
Parish he belongs to:	Wednesbury
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Parents' bad conduct
Date of sentence:	21 March 1865
Where convicted:	Wednesbury before J Lolley and J Marshall
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	3 months in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Four – larceny and vagrancy
Father's name:	James Bird
Occupation:	Furnaceman
Residence:	Workhouse Lane, Wednesbury
Mother's name:	Elizabeth Bird
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Nothing known against them
Parents' wages:	£2 to £2 10s a week
Amount parents agree to pay:	I am of opinion they ought to pay not less than 2s 6d per week
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	J T Holland, Wednesbury
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	J Lolley, Toll End, Tipton
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

2 June 1860 There is a report of an earlier offence in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 2 June 1860 p.7 col.5: Joseph Bird, of Wednesbury. was charged with stealing two brass taps, the property of Thomas Hughes The prisoner was apprehended by Sergeant Carroll, on the 18th May. with the taps in his possession; but the owner not then being known he was discharged, after having been kept in custody several days. After the prisoner had been discharged, it was discovered that the taps belonged to the landlord of the Talbot Inn. where the prisoner had been, and was relieved on the day he was apprehended. The prisoner was again taken into custody, and pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to a month's imprisonment with hard labour.

29 August 1863 Another previous offence was reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 29 August 1863 p.7 col.4: OLD IN CRIME.-A lad named Joseph Bird, who, though only 14 years of age, had been in prison five or six times, was charged with having been on premises with intent to commit a felony. Thomas Newton, living in King Street, found the prisoner on his premises on Sunday night, and he attempted to climb the wall when detected. He was sentenced to a fortnight's imprisonment and a flogging.

3 January 1867 Licensed

19 October 1867 Shortly after leaving the reformatory he was in trouble again, as reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 19 October 1867 p.6 col.6: A HEARTLESS ROBBERY. JOSEPH BIRD, 18. puddler, was indicted for stealing £5, the moneys of Mary Keay, at Wednesbury, the 20th ult. The prisoner is a lad of bad character, and on the 19th of September, when he had not long been out of a reformatory, the prosecutrix, an old blind woman, a grand-aunt of his, took him to stay at her house, and while there got up in the night time, forcibly took the money in question from a box in a chest of drawers in his room, and went away. He was found guilty. It was stated that he had been in custody eleven times on charges of felony. He was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. Upon leaving the dock he commenced crying bitterly, and, turning to the prosecutrix, said, "Thank you, aunt. Seven years!"

Thomas [Herbert] Jackson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	688
Age:	13
Whence received:	H M Prison Derby
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	Oval
Particular marks:	Cast in right eye; mole on left side of neck
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	13 February 1882
Late residence:	Marehay, Ripley, Derbyshire
Parish he belongs to:	Pentrich, Derbyshire
Customary work and mode of life:	Labourer at earthenware works
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	House breaking
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	4 January 1882; Quarter Sessions
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Derby
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	Nil
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	Herbert Jackson
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Amy Jackson
Occupation:	House keeper-
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	No
Parents' treatment of child:	Indifferent
Character of parents	The mother, Amy Jackson, living with a man; states as house keeper
Parents' wages:	3s and board per week as house leeper
Amount parents agree to pay:	Nil
Parents address:	Amy Jackson, Marehay, Ripley, near Derby
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Mr Superintendent Hancock, Langley Mill, Nottinghamshire
Person making this return:	C E Gargahan, Governor, H M Prison Derby

Notes:

[Although the Admissions Register gives his forename as Herbert, the newspaper report and the 1881 census give his name as Thomas]

4 January 1882 There is a lengthy report of the crime in the Derby Daily Telegraph Wednesday 4 January 1882 p.3 cols.3-4: HOUSEBREAKING BY BOYS AT PENTRICH. Thomas Jackson, 13, potter, and Albert Lancashire, 16. collier, surrendered to their bail and were indicted for having broken and entered the dwelling house of Samuel Parker, and therein stolen 3s., a purse, and a gold ring, the monies and goods of the said Samuel Parker, at Pentrioh, on November the 6th, 1881. - Mr. Tonman Mosley appeared for the prosecutor, and Mr. Weightman for the defence. - The case for the prosecution was that the prosecutor, who is a blacksmith, went out with his wife, on Sunday, November 6th, about three o'clock ia the afternoon, and returned about a quarter to ten at night. When they went out of the house they had shut all the doors, and closed all the windows, except one, which was left partially open. During the prosecutor's absence from home, the prisoner's were seen with other boys lingering and loitering about the back- door of the house. When the prosecutor came home he found that a work-box had been moved, and brought downstairs, had been broken open. He missed trousers, a ring, a purse, and other articles. He gave information to the police and they the next morning apprehended the two prisoners and two other boys. They were pat together and charged with housebreaking. Jackson then said (pointing to a lad named Hulland, who was also in custody), "Don't tell a lie, didn't you shove me up to the bedroom window?" Jackson also said "We are all as bad as one another." On the 3rd of November, the Thursday before the Sunday in question, the prisoner Jackson wont the back door of the prosecutor's house, and asked for some tobacco, which was sold by the prosecutor. A short time before he did so, the key was in the door, but it was found to have disappeared shortly after he left. In consequence of this, the door could not be locked between that day and the one on which the robbery was committed; but, it had merely to be latched. It was so left when the prosecutor went out on the Sunday, but, curiously enough, when he returned the door was locked, and it was believed that one of the boys locked it at the time of the robbery. When apprehended, Lancashire had a knife in his pocket, and there were marks under one of the windows, which was opened in order to commit the robbery, which corresponded with the blade of the knife. - Mr. Weightman submitted, justly, that the charge had not been proved at all. None of the stolen property had been found on either of the prisoners, although they were apprehended the very next morning after the robbery. In the second place, he said that even if the prisoners did get into the house, they were but the tools of elder boys (who should stand instead of them in the dock, if anyone ought to do so.) As regarded Jackson, he further submitted that Jackson could not be convicted, as he was between the ages of seven and 14, and therefore was incapable of having a guilty knowledge that he was doing wrong. That was a question for the jury to consider, and he contended that the prosecution had failed to prove that Jackson was eo capable, was moreover a lad of mischievous tendencies. - The jury found both the prisoners guilty, but strongly recommended them to mercy, especially Jackson. - Mr. Weightman asked the Court to grant him a case in reference to Jackson, on the ground that there was no undisputed malicious propensity proved against him; but the Court refused to grant the case.- Lancashire was sent to gaol for two calendar months' hard labour, and Jackson was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, and five years' detention in a reformatory, the Chairman explaining that it was necessary to send him to gaol for a time, during which a school might be found for him, and that be was ordered to go to a reformatory, as it appeared that he really had no "home," although his mother is living.

Charles Smith - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	277
Date of admission:	14 June 1864
Whence received:	Birmingham Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Perfect vision?	-
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	Scars and moles on body
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	Not
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	54 Ladywood Lane, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Leamigton
Customary work and mode of life:	Errand boy
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing £4 and 180 receipt stamps
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Idleness
Date of sentence:	1 June 1864
Where convicted:	Moor Street before T C S Kynnersley
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days hard labour, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	None
Father's name:	William Smith
Occupation:	Greens Assistant
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Mary Smith
Occupation:	None – about to go into service
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Living separate for some years. Father at present in the hospital.
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	Nothing at present
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:

2 June 1864 There is a report of the crime in the Birmingham Daily Gazette Thursday 2 June 1864 p.5 col.5: A NICE BOY.-A boy named Charles Smith, about twelve years of age, residing in Ladywood Lane, was brought up on remand, charged with stealing £4. and 15s. worth of receipt stamps from the shop of Mr. Osborne, stationer, Bennett's Hill. It appeared from the evidence, that on Friday last Detective sergeant Spokes took the prisoner into custody at a low lodging house in Hill Street. He had then in his pockets a number of receipt stamps, which he stated he had stolen from shop at Wolverhampton. He was taken to that town, when he stated that his story as to committing the robbery at Wolverhampton was false. He had taken the receipt stamps and also four sovereigns from Mr, Osborne's shop, where he had been employed. In the evening he concealed himself in the shop, stole the money and stamps, and let himself out of the shop in the morning. It was stated that the prisoner had been sent to prison at Longton, in the Potteries, for felony, and he was such a had lad that his parents would not own him. -The prisoner was sentenced to fourteen days* imprisonment with hard labour, and to be afterwards sent to a reformatory for five years.

29 July 1864 Absconded from work, caught immediately by J Kirk and brought back

22 February 1867 Absconded when horse boy in the morning

December 1870 Gone to sea and unknown

William Taylor - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	822
Age:	12
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 1 in
Particular marks:	Cut over right eye
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	5 August 1886
Late residence:	Bucknall Road, Hanley
Parish he belongs to:	Hanley
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing a rat trap, etc
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	6 July 1886; C Adams; Hanley Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:
Length:
For what:
Father's name:	George Bush
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Mary Ann Bush
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Well treated
Character of parents	Father has been away 5 years. Mother living with a man named Sam Brown
Parents' wages:	Can earn 10s per week but is unable to work at present being near her confinement
Amount parents agree to pay:	Order should be obtained for at least 1s per week
Parents address:	Bucknall Road, Hanley
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Herbert Windle, Chief Constable, Hanley
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

5 December 1887 The Medical Officer reported: Conjunctivitis. Ordered lotion

16 February 1888 The Medical Officer reported: Sore eyes

16 November 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Taylor was licenced to go out and work for Mr Wilkes, Bucknall New Road, Hanley

21 October 1890 The Reformatory Committee Log book report records receipt of a letter concerning Taylor, Hanley [no details given, but see next note]

2February 1891 The Log Book report records that he was readmitted to the School from on licence because of bad conduct

4 August 1891 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

Arthur Plant - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1078
Age:	14 (born 13 November 1879)
Whence received:	Lichfield Petty Sessions
Description:
Complexion:	Sallow
Hair colour:	Black
Eyes colour:	Iron grey
Height:	4 ft 6½ ins
Particular marks:	2 scars left shoulder blade; 3 moles left shoulder blade to neck
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	1 October 1894
Late residence:	23 Chesterfield Terrace, Lichfield
Parish he belongs to:	St Mary's, Lichfield
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 2
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 2
Offence:	Felony - stealing 4s from a till
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Past parents' control - who are very respectable
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	27 September 1894; J Gilbert and George Birch; Lichfield Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	Lichfield Workhouse
Sentence:	3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1 (19 June 1893)
Length:	12 strokes birch
For what:	Stealing ginger beer from pavilion
Father's name:	Richard Plant
Occupation:	Platelayer on railway (LNWR)
Mother's name:	Emma Plant
Occupation:	Housewife
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Both good
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	23 Chesterfield Terrace, Lichfield
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	A W Barnes, Justices' Clerk, Lichfield

Notes:

23 June 1893 A previous offence was reported in the Lichfield Mercury Friday 23 June 1893 p.8 col.2: THEFT OF GINGER BEER FROM THE CRICKET PAVILION. - Eli Turner, John Plant, Elijah Swann, Frederick Litherland, Jas. Wootton, George Litherland, and Arthur Plant, boys, all of Lichfield, were charged with breaking into the Pavilion at the Cricket field on June 4th, and stealing therefrom 25 bottles of stone ginger-beer, value 4s. 2d, the property of William Widdowson. -The latter, who lives at Chesterfield Terrace and is a professional cricketer, proved that on June 3, 25 bottles of stone ginger- beer belonging to him were taken to the Pavilion at the Lichfield Cricket Field. - John Cannon, Sandford Street, stated that on Sunday, June 4th, he was in the Cricket Field, between three and four o'clock in the afternoon, when he saw some boys near the Pavilion. He could not recognise any of the boys. He saw them run away with something in their hands. - Mr. C. Birch, Dam Street, said he was in the Cricket Field on the day in question about four o'clock. He saw a number of boys near the Pavilion. He could not say whether any of the defendants were there, as he did not know the boys. - P.S. Mulrooney, stationed at Lichfield, deposed that on the 6th of June, from information received, he proceeded to the Cricket Field and examined the Pavilion. He found that the building had been broken into and had been entered by a window at the back, the shutters having been removed and apparently used as steps. He searched the field and found a number of ginger-beer bottles similar to the one produced. They were stamped "Simms, Lichfield," and a great many were broken. On Saturday, the 17th inst., he arrested defendants and charged them jointly with breaking into the Cricket Pavilion on June 4, and stealing therefrom 25 bottles of ginger-bee, the property of William Widdowson, professional cricketer. He read to them a statement which had been made by Eli Turner. - The Mayor : Did you caution them? - Witness: No, sir. - Mr. Sharratt (deputy clerk): You did not caution them? - Witness: No, I did not. - Witness continuing stated that John Plant, in answer to the charge, said, "We went and had two bottles each. My brother was not inside." Frederick Litherland replied "I had two bottles, but my brother was not inside the Pavilion." Arthur Plant said, "I only had one bottle of beer," and Jas. Wootton made a similar admission. Elijah Swann, George Litherland, and Eli Turner each admitted having taken two bottles. - Defendants now pleaded guilty, and after some consideration the Bench fined Turner, John Plant, Swann, Frederick Litherland, and Wootton 10s each including costs, and ordered George and Arthur Plant, the younger defendants to receive 12 strokes each with a birch rod. - The Mayor said that himself and his brother magistrate regretted very much to find young men in Lichfield pleading guilty to a charge like that. They felt that there was really a great deal of mischief going on in the outskirts of the City, especially on Sundays, a fact which was much to be regretted. It was most painful to the Bench to have to deal with such young people who had pleaded guilty to a serious charge, but on this occasion they had taken a very merciful view of the case.

21 September 1894 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Lichfield Mercury Friday 21 September 1894 p.8 col.5: THEFT OF MONEY BY AN ERRAND BOY. - Arthur Plant (14), who lives with his parents at Chesterfield Terrace, Birmingham Road, was charged with stealing, on Wednesday, the sum of 4s, belonging to Messrs. Phillips and Parkes, fishmongers. Bird Street, Lichfield. - Prisoner pleaded guilty. - Louisa Morrell, wife of Walter Morrell, assistant to Messrs. Phillips and Parkes, said she lived on the premises, adjoining the shop. Whilst she was in the sitting room at the back of the shop on Wednesday she saw prisoner, who was at work there, put his hand in the till twice, and then go out of the shop.- Mr. E. Parkes, fishmonger, in partnership with Mr. A. Phillips, carrying on business in Bird Street, said that in consequence of a communication on Wednesday he went into the stable after the prisoner, took hold of him, and insisted upon him turning his pockets out. On doing so he produced one florin and two shilling pieces. Witness charged him with taking the money from the till, aud prisoner denied having done so. When told he would be locked up he admitted having stolen the money, and said he was very sorry for what he had done. Prisoner was occasionally employed in the shop, and witness had previously missed money. - The Clerk (Mr. A. W. Barnes) said this was prisoner's third appearance before the magistrates, his first offence having been theft of apples and his second breaking into the Cricket Pavilion.- An order was made for prisoner's detention in an Industrial School for three years.

28 November 1894 The Medical Officer reported: Boils, better by 5 December

20 September 1897 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Plant was licensed to go out and work for Mr Simpson, shoemaker, Market Street, Lichfield

30 September 1897 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

12 December 1899 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Plant, Lichfield

11 October 1904 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Plant, China Station, Tientsin