Thomas Leech - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 412 | |
| Age: | 10 | |
| Whence received: | Stafford Gaol | |
| Description: | ||
| Complexion: | Fresh | |
| Hair colour: | Brown | |
| Eyes colour: | Grey | |
| Visage: | Long | |
| Particular marks: | - | |
| State of health: | Good | |
| Able-bodied? | Yes | |
| Date of admission and term: | 25 August 1869 5 years | |
| Late residence: | Handsworth [Birmingham] | |
| Parish he belongs to: | Handsworth | |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Farm work | |
| Whether illegitimate: | No | |
| State of education: | ||
| Reads: | Imperfectly | |
| Writes: | Imperfectly | |
| Offence: | Stealing 3 pigeons | |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company | |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 24 July 1869, West Bromwich Petty Sessions, H Williams and J Hanbury Esqs | |
| Where imprisoned: | Stafford | |
| Sentence: | 1 month prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley | |
| Previous committals: | ||
| Number: | None | |
| Length: | - | |
| For what: | - | |
| Father's name: | George Leech | |
| Occupation: | Button maker | |
| Mother's name: | Sarah Leech | |
| Occupation: | - | |
| Parents dead? | - | |
| Survivor married again? | - | |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good | |
| Character of parents | Father given to drink, mother a well-conducted woman, Health good | |
| Parents' wages: | Father 20s per week. Mother sells milk | |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - | |
| Parents address: | Church Street, Handsworth | |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | J Woolaston, West Bromwich | |
| Person making this return: | - | |
| Notes: |
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Thomas Wilshaw - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 624 |
| Age: | 13 |
| Whence received: | Stafford Gaol |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Light brown |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | Both little fingers crooked |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Date of admission: | 30 October 1878 |
| Late residence: | Stoke upon Trent |
| Parish he belongs to: | Stoke upon Trent |
| Customary work and mode of life: | None |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing money |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 30 September 1878; H C Greenwood |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | Fined 10s and costs or 14 days in default |
| For what: | Stealing pigeons |
| Father's name: | George Wilshaw |
| Occupation: | Horse dealer |
| Mother's name: | Emily Wilshaw (step-mother) |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Mother dead |
| Survivor married again? | yes |
| Parents' treatment of child: | good |
| Character of parents | Honest, sober, health good |
| Parents' wages: | 20s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | About 1s 6d |
| Parents address: | George Wilshaw, horse dealer, Sandy Fold, Tunstall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Superintendent George Hirston, Tuntall |
| Person making this return: | - |
Notes:
| 2 October 1878 There is a short report of his offence in the Birmingham Daily Post Wednesday 2 October 1878 p.8 col.4: AN EARLY START. - At Hanley Stipendiary Police Court, on Monday, Thomas Wilshaw, a lad of 14, was charged with stealing £10. 5s. belonging to his brother, George Wilshaw, horse dealer, of Stoke, with whom he lived. The lad was left in charge of the house on Saturday, and abstracted the money from a small clock in an upstairs room. On being apprehended the next day, he had in his possession £8. 4s. and a watch and chain. The lad pleaded guilty, and was sent to gaol for a month, and ordered at the expiration of that time to be sent to reformatory for five years. |
| 2 July 1881 3 strokes on the hand and 2 days in the cell on the cell diet for stealing bread from the bread hay |
| 1 July 1882 Sent to his brother 416 Spilgate Street, Stoke |
| September 1882 Sentence expires whilst on licence |
James West - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 874 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| Height: | - |
| Particular marks: | Mole on back of neck |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 11 February 1888 |
| Late residence: | 16 King Edmund Street, Dudley |
| Parish he belongs to: | Dudley |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Errand boy |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing the sum of £4 in money |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 3 February 1888; George Thompson and J Bellings; Dudley Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Sentence: | 10 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | 21 days hard labour |
| For what: | Stealing a pair of boots |
| Father's name: | Frederick West |
| Occupation: | Pointsman |
| Mother's name: | Elizabeth West |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Kindly |
| Character of parents | Not known |
| Parents' wages: | About 25s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not yet assessed |
| Parents address: | 16 King Edmund Street, Dudley |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Superintendent Wilcox, Council House, Birmingham |
| Person making this return: | M Elliott, Clerk to the Justices, Birmingham |
| Notes: | |
| 4 February 1888 There is a report of the crime in the County Advertiser and Herald for Staffordshire and Worcestershire Saturday 4 February 1888 p.8 col.2: SHOP ROBBERY. - James West (15), King Edmund-street, and Francis Malugani (16), Stone-street, were charged with stealing four sovereigns, the property of George Whitford. bookseller, High-street. - On Friday week the money was missed from a shelf behind the prosecutor's counter. In the temporary absence of Miss Whitford West took the money, whilst Malugani watched outside. Since he was remanded on Monday, West went with Police-sergeant Allard to a disused closet in the Inhedge, and pointed to a place in the roof where three of the sovereigns were concealed. The other pound was divided between the prisoners, and 7s. were found tied in West's shirt tail. - Prisoners now pleaded guilty, and were each sent to gaol for ten days, and for five years to a reformatory. | |
| 16 February 1888 The Medical Officer reported: Incontinence of urine at night. Symptoms of stone in the bladder | |
| 12 June 1888 The next Log Book report says that in the period since the previous report, West was admitted to the General hospital, Birmingham, returned to the School, but was then readmitted to the Hospital | |
| 2 January 1890 The Medical Officer reported: Incised wound of forearm, well by 16 January | |
| 5 February 1890 The Medical Officer reported: Influenza | |
| 31 March 1890 The Register of Boys on Licence records that West was licensed to go out and work for Mr Turner, Dudley | |
| 18 November 1890 Formally discharged early from Saltley whilst out on licence, as he enlisted in the military | |
| 14 April 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from West, soldier, Bradford | |
| 9 February 1892 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from West, Durham Light Infantry, Aldershot | |
| 3 February 1894 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from West, Bradford | |
Harry Rowley - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1130 |
| Age: | 14 (born 7 December 1881) |
| Whence received: | Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Bluish-grey |
| Height: | 4 ft 5 ins |
| Particular marks: | Right cheek swollen, marked in 3 places |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 2 April 1896 |
| Late residence: | 187 Queen Street, Walsall |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Going with boatmen |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 1 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 1 |
| Offence: | Larcenies |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Lack of good parental training - the boy's father brought to the station a packet of cigarettes, requested the officer to give them to the boy |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 1 April 1896; B Beebee and J Thorpe; Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Not |
| Sentence: | 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | Nil (but was previously arrested for suspected larceny but was discharged) |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Henry Rowley |
| Occupation: | Labourer on boats |
| Mother's name: | Clara Rowley |
| Occupation: | Housewife |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | Good as far as known |
| Parents' wages: | Not stated |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 19 Queen Street, Walsall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | F S Howe, Assistant Magistrates' Clerk |
| Notes: | |
| 16 November 1895 A previous offence was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 16 November 1895 p.8 col.5: AN UNSUSTAINED CHARGE. Harry Rowley (14), Adams Street, was charged with stealing 28s. from the person of Thomas Hale, boat steerer, Whitehall Road, Great Bridge. - Prosecutor said that he was on his boat at the top lock at Walsall awaiting his turn, and was lying down in the cabin with about 28s. in his pocket, when about 8.40 the prisoner came into the cabin. While he was there witness dropped asleep, and awaking about nine found that his pockets had been rifled. - Detective Harper said he arrested prisoner, who replied, "I wasn't in the man's cabin at all." In his jacket pocket he found three packets of cigarettes and a box of matches. - The Bench decided that the evidence was insufficient, and discharged the accused. | |
| 1 April 1896 There is a newspaper cutting attached to the Admissions Register with details of the crime that sent him to Saltley. It is from the Birmingham Mail, Wednesday 1 April 1896 p.3 col.5: A GANG OF JUVENILE COAL THIEVES. At Walsall, to-day, for stealing one ton of coal, belonging to Messrs. Hunt. Lea Brook. Thomas Rathbone (19) was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment, and 14 days for a second robbery. - Harry Rowley (14) was sentenced to four years' detention in a reformatory, and Thomas Rowley (12) to six stripes with a birch rod, and James Hawkins (15) was put upon his good behaviour for six months. The lads, with others, pushed a couple of empty boats across the canal at the Birchills, and used one to get a barrow from the commissioners' yard, whilst on the other they put more than a ton of coal, taken from a loaded boat belonging to the prosecutors. It was said that boatmen were really afraid to protect their cargoes from the crowds of young thieves in the habit of congregating about the locks, and that often a couple of tons were taken. | |
| 31 March 1900 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |
| 11 February 1902 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Rowley, Walsall | |
| 12 August 1902 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Rowley, Walsall | |
| 11 August 1903 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Rowley, Walsall | |
| No. in Admissions Register: | 54 |
| Date of admission: | 17 May 1854 |
| Weekly payments: | 4s |
| Age: | 14 |
| Education: | None |
| Previous employment: | - |
| Crimes, how often and in what prison : | Coventry |
| Training in reformatory: | Farm labourer |
| When left reformatory: | Absconded 4 April 1856 |
| Parentage and family: | Both living |
| Residence: | - |
| Trade of father: | - |
| With whom the boy is placed: | - |
| Address: | - |
| Trade: | - |
Notes:
| 4 April 1856 Absconded with William Burns [boy 25] and Mark Tremble [boy 64] |
| 20 June 1856 Caught stealing an alpaca coat and sent to prison in Coventry before being returned to Saltley. A report in the Coventry Herald 20 Jun 1856 p.4 col.5 says: Samuel Campton was charged with stealing an alpaca coat, the property of Mr William Pitman Collingbourne. The boy pleaded guilty. Mr John Ellis, Master of the Saltley Reformatory, said he [Compton] had been in the Reformatory two years: he was in a state of reformation. He had given him a week’s holiday, and had heard nothing against him. He was willing to take him back. It took four years to reform a boy. This boy ought to be in three years longer; he had made a confession, and was willing to make restitution; if a boy fell once, he might be reclaimed. He was committed for fourteen days; after that he was again to be sent to the Reformatory at Saltley. Mr Jeffcoat recommended the boy, when he went back ,to endeavour by good conduct to regain the place he had lost, and not to be led away by other boys. They had given him a very slight punishment, in order that he might be sent to the Asylum, The Master had spoken well of him, and he trusted he would from this time act very differently. After his term of imprisonment had expired, he would go back to the Asylum f or three years. The Master, Mr Ellis, said this boy had been articled to a shoemaker; they were all very well pleased with his conduct, and he was astonished at his leaving. They had a bootmaker employed, a very efficient man, a tailor, and a carpenter. Some of the boys work out of doors, on five acres of garden land. There were five divisions of labour – boot-making, tailoring, carpentering, gardening, and house work. They work seven hours, schooling two hours and a half, and the remainder of the time employed in recreation and gardening. They rise at half past five, at the sound of a horn. Each boy has a garden of his own. They retire to rest at nine o’clock at night. The Reformatory had been established three years. There were 40 boys in the establishment, and some of the specimens of the work would be exhibited in London on Thursday, at Willis’s Room. He (Mr E) said the boys generally were remarkably clever, and that they reformed seven out of ten effectually. There were three classes of privileges:- First class boys had a greater degree of liberty, also better clothes, being the effects of their own industry; the second class were those who could not leave the field; and the third class were those who first came in and misconducted themselves. The first class boys were invested with some authority, and in fact were overlookers over the other boys; this was very essential. The Institution, as an experiment, was considered most successful, and no doubt if the boy had not been half reformed he would have taken the breeches as well, and not have been satisfied with the coat only. |
| 4 April 1857 In the Reformatory Minute book is recorded: 423. Resolved: that an application be made to the Secretary of State for the dismissal of Elkington [boy 83], Wright [boy 77], Lundy [boy 76], Brookes [boy 61], Dempsey [boy 86], and Campton, and that Elkington and Wright be allowed to go to the masters who have applied to take them as apprentices; that Lundy and Brookes be placed under the care of Mr Pawson, who promised to find them work; and that Campton and Dempsey be assisted to emigrate. |
| 424. Resolved: that Mr Grove, who is about to emigrate to New Zealand, be induced to take under his charge Catchpole [boy 12], Walker [boy 47], Campton, and Dempsey, and that Mr Ratcliff report at next meeting. |
| 20 April 1857 The Minute Book notes: 445. Mr Ratcliff reported that Mr Grove had decided not to leave England. |
| 3 June 1857 In a list of ‘disposals’, the Minute Book reports that Campton has been sent to Peckleton Reformatory [in Leicestershire, on 6 May 1857] |