Saltley Reformatory

Stephen Lovatt - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	681
Age:	13
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	brown
Visage:	Oval
Particular marks:	Mole on chin
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	22 December 1881
Late residence:	Silverdale, Staffordshire
Parish he belongs to:	Wolstanton, Staffordshire
Customary work and mode of life:	Forge boy
Whether illegitimate:	Legitimate
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Stealing a pot of preserve
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Poverty
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	22 November 1881; T D Twemblow and H Coghill; Newcastle Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	John Lovatt
Occupation:	Forge man
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Mother
Survivor married again?	No
Parents' treatment of child:	Very much neglected and encouraged by father to steal
Character of parents	Father very dishonest; has been convicted several times. Given to drink, health very poor
Parents' wages:	22s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	Ought to be called upon to pay 1s 6d a week
Parents address:	John Lovatt, mineer, Vale Pleasant, Silverdale, Staffordshire
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	John Hall, Superintendent of Police, Tunstall, Staffordshire
Person making this return:	Clerk to the Justices, Newcastle, Staffordshire

Notes:

24 September 1881 A previous offence imvolving several members of the family wwas reported at length in the Staffordshire Chronicle and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 24 September 1881 p.6 col.4: A FAMILY CHARGED WITH SHOP-LIFTING. - Mary Lovatt, Lucy Lovatt, Annie Lovatt, and Stephen Lovatt, children, living at Vale Pleasant, Silverdale, were brought up in custody and charged with stealing two shirts, of the value of 4s., the property of Mr. H. A. Sissling, pawnbroker, Bridge-street, on the 19th inst,, and John Lovatt, forgeman, their father, was charged with feloniously receiving the shirts, knowing them to have been stolen. - A man named Snape, in the employ of the prosecutor, said the shirts were hanging up in the shop on Saturday morning, and were not missed until one of them was brought there by P.S. Bentley. - P.C. G. Dawson, of the county constabulary, proved that at about noon on Tuesday, the prisoner Mary Lovall was offering one of the shirts in pledge at Tunstall, and, being unable to give a satisfactory account of how she became possessed of it, the pawnbroker gave her in charge, and she was locked up. - Lucy Lovatt, who was with her sister, subsequently said the shirt "was stolen from the first shop in Newcastle, coming from Silverdale." The second shirt was found at Mr. Carrier's. the pawnbroker. - P S. Bentley proved searching the prisoner John Lovatt's house, and finding there a tin box, which contained a number of pledge certificates, and a tab from off a new coat. Witness found nothing in the tickets upon which he could found a charge of larceny. Witness charged the first four prisoners with the theft that morning, and Stephen Lovatt said that he and his sister stole the shirts on Monday night from the prosecutor's shop. John Lovatt, on being charged with receiving said, "Yes, I know they were stolen, and I told Mary and Lucy, at Tunstall, to make money ot them. Mary and Lucy made no reply, but the male prisoner said, "As we had no bread in the house to eat, I told them they must not do it again." - The Bench remanded the prisoners until Monday, accepting the elder prisoner's recognisances in the sum of £5 for their appearance. At the hearing the following week, becuase of the father's ill-health and pverty he was sentenced to one month in prison, and the children discharged, as reorted in the Staffordshire Chronicle and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 1 October p.6 col.3.

26 November 1881 The offence that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Staffordshire Chronicle and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 26 November 1881 p.6 col.2: Stephen Lovatt, a small boy, and Annie Lovatt, his sister, living at Chesterton were in custody on a charge of stealing a two-pound pot of preserve, value 10½d., the property of a grocer named Wood, carrying on business at Chesterton. Frederick Taylor, apprentice in the prosecutor's employ, stated that at about half-past seven, on Friday night, the prisoners came to his shop, ostensibly for the purpose of purchasing some treacle. Whilst he was serving them, he heard them whispering to one another, and saw the girl with something under her shawl. He followed her out, and subsequently found upon her the pot of preserve. He at once detained her until the arrival of a policeman. The boy walked off. It was pointed out to the bench that the children belonged to a forgeman named Lovatt, living at Chesterton, who with them and one or two other of his children was a short time ago convicted on a similar charge to the present. The Bench adjourned the case against the girl for a fortnight, in order to see in the meantime what could be done with her. The boy they ordered to be imprisoned for a month, and to afyerwards be sent to a reformatory for three years.

Robert Tilly - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

Image by permission of the Library of Birmingham. MS 244/4/1/3 Page 475.

No. in Admissions Register:	475
Age:	14
Whence received:	Birmingham
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Scar on forehead and right leg
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission and term:	5 October 1872 4 years
Late residence:	16 Carver Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Northampton
Customary work and mode of life:	Forger
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Vagrancy
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by who and court:	26 August 1872, Birmingham Police Court, J Goodrick and W Marton
Where imprisoned:	Birmingham Borough Prison
Sentence:	6 weeks prison (hard labour), 4 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None known
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father’s name:	Luke Tilley
Occupation:	Blacksmith
Mother's name:	Sarah Tilley
Occupation:	No trade
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents’ treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Good
Parents’ wages:	30s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	No sum mentioned
Parents address:	16 Carver Street, Birmingham
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:	none

Henry Birchall - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	881
Age:	15
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Dark grey
Height:	4 ft 10½ ins
Particular marks:	Cut over right eyebrow
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Slender
Date of admission:	23 May 1888
Late residence:	6 King Street, Willenhall
Parish he belongs to:	Willenhall
Customary work and mode of life:	Locksmith
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Rogue - ie being on private premises with intent to commit a felony
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company and parental neglect
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	23 April 1888; Josiah Tildesley; Willenhall Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month hard labour in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	14 days
For what:	Stealing money
Father's name:	James Birchall
Occupation:	Pipe maker
Mother's name:	Caroline Birchall
Occupation:	Domestic servant
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Well treated
Character of parents	James Birchall the father has not been heard of for the last 15 years. It is not known whether he is alive or dead. The mother, who is said to be honest and industrious, is in service at Park House, Park Street, Swallownest, near Sheffield, but she has very bad health
Parents' wages:	Not known
Amount parents agree to pay:	It does not appear that the mother will be able to contribute
Parents address:	6 King Street, Willenhall
Superintendent of Police to Collect Payment:	-
Person making this return:	Edgar Corbett clerk for Mr James Slater, Justices' Clerk, Willenhall

Notes:

19 June 1890 Discharged early from Saltley, on account of emigrating to Canada with Maund (boy 875) and Jones (boy 846)

Frank Stretton - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1140
Age:	13
Whence received:	Coventry Petty Sessions
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 8½ ins
Particular marks:	Mole left side
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	1 October 1896
Late residence:	3 Radford Jetty, Radford Road, Coventry
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Very imperfectly, Standard 2
Writes:	Very imperfectly, Standard 2
Offence:	Larceny of counterpane, underclothing, etc, value 18s 6d, from a bedroom
Circumstances which may have led to it:	19 February 1896 was implicated with a family of 5 (including father and mother) who were apprehended for larceny (in 2 cases) from shop doors. This boy was used as a witness, otherwise he would have been arrested too. He has doubtless committed a number of offences of larceny from shop doors and elsewhere
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	26 September 1896; James Marriott; Coventry Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	Detained at County Hall, Coventry
Sentence:	5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) (6 November 1893) -; 2) (24 August 1895)
For what:	1) Larceny; 2) larceny
Father's name:	Arthur Shelton
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	Caroline Shelton
Occupation:	Housewife
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Fairly good
Parents' wages:	Not stated
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	3 Radford Jetty, Radford Road, Coventry
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	Inspector James Shelley

Notes:

6 November 1893 A previous offence was reported by the Coventry Evening Telegraph Monday 6 November 1893 p.3 col.7: FANCY FOR RAT TRAPS. Thomas Stringer, 15, Gosford Street, ironmonger, appeared to prosecute three lads named Frank Stretton, 30, Castle Street, Charles Edward Britten, 4, Douglas Square, Cross Street, and John Burton, 6h., 9c, Well Street, for stealing from his shop entrance six iron rat traps value 4s on Friday night. Two of the lads took the traps home, and said they had been given to them, though when Detective-constable Imber apprehended the lads Stretton was made to appear the ringleader in the theft, and Burton was said to have divided them, two being afterwards found hidden in a hedgerow and the others on the bank of the Sherbourne. The lads pleaded guilty, and the father of Britten said that when he found the traps had been stolen he took them back to the prosecutor's shop. The Mayor administered a reprimand to the lads for their conduct, and discharged them on their fathers entering into bonds of £5 each to bring them up for judgment if called upon.

24 August 1895 Another previous offence was reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Saturday 24 August 1895 p.3 col.3: ...Before deciding on this case, the Bench dealt with another one, wherein George Henry Britten, of Cross Street, William Twitchins, machinist, 24, Castle Street, and Frank Stretton, 23, Castle Street, were summoned for stealing growing fruit, value 10s., the property of Edwards. The latter stated that plums and apples were stolen from his garden, and the trees were considerably damaged. A lad named John Goodman said Britten and Stretton had some of the fruit, and, when questioned by the Chief Constable, admitted that Twitchins lived at his home, and had told him to say that he had none of the fruit. The same defendant shouted from the adjoining field that he must bring him some fruit. Detective-constable Morris having spoken to the enquiries made concerning the matter, Twitchins still denied stealing the fruit, contending it was given him by the other lads. The Bench gave him the benefit of the doubt, and dismissed the case against him. In regard to the other defendants, Dr. McVeagh said the Bench were only sorry they could not give them some good strokes with a birch rod. He advised the parents to treat them to a thrashing when they got home. Each one would have to pay 8s. costs.

17 February 1896 Another offence with which the boy was involved was reported at length in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Monday 17 February 1896 p.3 col.4: EXTENSIVE THEFTS IN COVENTRY. PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN THE DOCK This morning the Coventry City Bench were called upon to investigate the charges of theft preferred against a number of juveniles, as also allegations against certain of their relatives, that they had received the goods the children were charged with purloining. George Milliner (12), and Walter Milliner (8), 3, Radford Jetty, and Alexander Ensor (12), 33c. 5h., Much Park Street, juveniles, were charged with stealing on the 6th inst. from a perambulator standing in Ironmonger Row a carriage rug, petticoat, a partly-knit wool sock, four knitting pins, and half a pound of butter, value 6s., the goods of Ernest Picking. A second charge against the three lads was that of stealing on or about the 31st ult., from No. 3. High Street, 27 composite candles, a comb and brush case, and a bag, value 2s. 6d., the goods of George Eaton, tea dealer. A charge .of receiving these articles knowing them to have been stolen was preferred against Henry Milliner, alias Sidwell, labourer, 3, Radford Jetty, and Annie Clay, a married woman, of the same address. Clara Milliner (14), machinist, likewise living at Radford Jetty, was charged with stealing, on Feb. 8th, from the Pneumatic Tyre Company's premises, Alma Street, a pair of scissors, value 2s. 6d. The same prisoner, in conjunction with Elizabeth Clay (11 years), of 3, Radford Jetty, was charged with stealing from 12, Broadgate, on Feb. 7th. a lady's umbrella, value 4s. 11d., the property of Clara Jane Hammerton, draper. Mr. Masser prosecuted, and opened the charges of theft against the lads by calling Martha Picking, wife of Ernest Picking, machinist, 108. Lower Ford Street, who said that on the evening of Feb. 6th she left her perambulator in Ironmonger Row. It contained the rug and other articles enumerated in the charge, and returning to it after a brief absence the contents had been abstracted. She reported her loss to the police, and identified the goods produced as those which were stolen. By whom they had been appropriated was told by Frank Stretton, a lad living next door to the Milliners. He was in their house about twenty minutes to eight on Feb. 6th when the three prisoners came in, and said to Mrs. Clay (or Sidwell), "We hunted a carriage in Ironmonger Row to get these, and at the same time produced and gave to her all the goods, save one, taken from the perambulator. Afterwards they returned to Ironmonger Row, the perambulator was still there, and from it, said witness, the petticoat was taken. Detective-sergeant Imber visited the house where the lads lived on Feb. 8th, and found the rug on a bed in the father's room, and other articles elsewhere in the house. The lads pleaded guilty to this theft, and that of robbery from George Eaton's premises was then gone into. Herband Jephson, called by Mr. Masser said he was manager to the Consumer's Tea Company, under which style Mr. Eaton carried on business. He recognised the majority of the articles produced by the police as his master's property. Witness had seen Walter Milliner and another boy outside his shop on Saturday week, and the bag which Milliner had in his possession, he identified as belonging to his company. He kept the bag, and obtained the boys' names. Answering the father of Milliners, witness said he believed the lad Stretton was the boy with Milliner. Stretton told the Bench that the three prisoners came home with the candles, comb case, and other articles on Jan. 31st, and said to the woman Sidwell, "We have been to the Consumers." Detective-sergeant lmber found the comb and brush case hanging behind the door at the lads' home, and the candles in the pantry. The lads again pleaded guilty. The Chief Constable said the lads had not been up before but they were connected, more less, with others, with over 50 distinct and separate charges of petty larceny. He asked that Ensor be sent to a reformatory, and that sentence on George Milliner be suspended until the charges against his father had been heard. Ensor was ordered to receive eight strokes with a birch rod, and his father was ordered to bring him up for judgment if called upon. Walter Milliner was sent to Gem Street Industrial School, and, as desired by Mr. Gray, the punishment of George MillinerI stood over. - The Bench then proceeded to hear the charges against the girls Milliner and Clay of stealing a lady's umbrella from Mrs. Hammerton's drapery premises. Philip Henry Clarke, an assistant to Mrs. Hammerton, identified the umbrella, which on the 7th February was placed in a case, with others, on the shop step, It was not missed until brought for identification by Imber. The lad Stretton said the prisoners came home on the night of the 7th having with them the umbrella produced. Mrs. Clay was present, and Clara Milliner said "Shan't I be a toff?" Imber found the umbrella in a cupboard at the house on the 8th, and at the police office Clara Milliner told him they took it from Hammerton's. The girls pleaded guilty. Sentence on Milliner was deferred, and Clay was sent to Leicester Street Industrial School until 16 years of age. The alleged theft by Clara Milnner of scissors from the Pneumatic Tyre Company's works was gone into. Victor Gillman, of Wren Street, in the service of the company, said prisoner was employed there , and the scissors produced were the company's property. They were found in the kitchen at the house of prisoner's father, and the girl said she had brought them home, but was going to take them back on Monday. "Guilty," said the girl in answer to this charge, and her punishment too was postponed. - The man Milliner and the woman Clay were then placed in the dock to answer the charges of receiving the articles previously identified, knowing them to have been stolen. - Mr. Masser said he was sorry to express the belief that these people, in addition to receiving the goods stolen, were actually the persons who incited the children to steal them. - Mrs. Picking repeated the evidence previously given by her, as did the boy Stretton, who testified to the articles said to have been stolen being handed by the lads to the female prisoner. - Detective-sergeant Imbert old the Bench that he informed Mrs. Clay that there were complaints about the lads having committed thefts in the city and taken the things home. She said, "Nothing of the sort, there has been nothing brought here." In Milliner's presence he repeated the conversation he had had with Mrs Clay, and he answered. "Oh no. What's in this house is mine. I bought and paid for it." The house was searched, the rug and petticoat being found on the prisoners' bed, between the sheets. Milliner, asked to account for their presence, said he had had them over two years. He took prisoners into custody. On the 13th the female prisoner volunteered the statement to him. She said, "It is no use for him saying that he knows nothing about it. He has seen everything that has been brought into the house, and knew where it had come from." The female added that she was a respectable woman before she got mixed up with Milliner. On the 14th witness saw, and cautioned the male prisoner. The latter said, "What I am going to say is the truth. It appears that this thing has been going on for a fortnight, but I did not know anything about it until Thursday last (the 6th), when I was told that my lids had been run, that they had taken 'summat' from a perambulator. I saw the wenches bring the umbrella home, but I thought they had found it." In every part of the house witness found stolen property - over 60 articles. - The male prisoner said he knew nothing about the articles - only the rug. The female stated that she was guilty, and the pair were committed for trial at the Sessions on the first charge preferred against them - that of receiving the rug and other articles in the perambulator. On the second charge - that of receiving the articles said to have been stolen from Eaton's premises, they were remanded till Wednesday. - The Bench then had the boy George Milliner brought forward, and he was ordered to sent to Gem Street Industrial School, Birmingham, until 16 years of age. Clara Milliner was remanded to the Workhouse until Wednesday for further consideration regarding what shall be done with her.

19 September 1896 The remand hearing for the crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Saturday 19 September 1896 p.3 col.4: COVENTRY BOYS IN COURT. ALLEGED THEFTS AND DRUNKENNESS. Bertie Henry Thomas, of 69. Albert Street, and Frank Stretton, 3, Radford Jetty, Radford Road, two juveniles, were brought before the magistrates at the Coventry Police Court this morning charged with stealing on the 15th inst., from No. 69, Albert Street, a counterpane, shawl, and various other articles, of the value of 18s. 6d., the goods Louisa Florence, of 69, Albert Street. Prosecutor identified the goods produced as her property, and said that she left the house at about seven o'clock in the morning, and they were then perfectly safe in her room. When she came home about a quarter to eight in the evening she missed the goods mentioned in the charge, and reported the matter to the police. Charles Smith, pawnbroker's assistant to Mr. Charles Thompson, Silver Street, stated that the articles produced were offered to him in pledge by a man who gave the name of Henry Batchelor, of Henry Street. Four shillings were lent upon them. Witness asked the man if the goods were his property, and he replied that they belonged to his aunt, Mrs. Shirley, of Henry Street. Witness noticed that the man did not go in the direction of the street named when he left the shop. There was no one else in the establishment at the time, or else witness would have gone after him. When Mr. Thompson came into the shop witness informed him of what had taken place, and then went to the address given by the man. He ascertained that no one of the name of Batchelor lived there, and the matter was reported to the police. Detective-constable Morris, as the result of inquiries, saw the lad Thomas in reference to the theft, and he stated that he climbed up the spout in front the house with the aid of another lad. The house was entered by the bedroom window, and the goods were thrown out to a lad who was in the street. Witness apprehended the lad Stretton, and when confronted with this boy, Thomas said, "Yes, that is the lad who pushed me up the spout. I threw the goods out into the street, and he made them up in two bundles. He carried one and I the other until we got in Cook Street, when Stretton pledged his bundle at Mr. Thompson's. Stretton then came back, and then took the second bundle to Mr. Mattocks's on the Binges, but he refused to take it in." Thomas further said they went across the Pool Meadow to Cox Street to pledge the bundle, but Stretton afterwards stated that he did not pledge the goods there, but got a man, whom he met, to pledge them for him. In answer to the charge, the boy Thomas said he was not guilty, and Stretton pleaded guilty. The boy Thomas said nobody climbed up the spout, neither did Stretton take the goods away. They were both up at the Hillfields Wake till three c.'clock in the afternoon on the day in question. The Chief Constable mentioned that the boy Thomas, who was only eleven years of age, was drunk when apprehended, having been drinking some brandy. Asked where he got the brandy from, he replied that it was in a bottle on the shelf in the room of the house from which the things were taken. The Bench remanded the lads in custody for a week for further inquiries to be made with a view of finding out the person who pledged the goods for the boys. The sentence was reported in the same newspaper, dated 26 September 1896 p.3 col.5. The man who pledged the goods could not be found. Streeton went to Saltley and Thomas was sent to Gem Street Industrial School in Birmingham.

23 November 1898 The Medical Officer reported: Peritonitis, better by 2 December

4 February 1901 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Stretton was licensed to go out and work for Mrs Clarke, Bentley Farm, Hurley, near Atherstone

1 April 1901 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Stretton was re-licensed to go out and work for Messers Phillips and Marriott, Coventry

25 September 1901 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

9 February 1904 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Stretton, Gibraltar

No. in Admissions Register:	334
Date of admission:	15 May 1866
Whence received:	Birmingham
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark 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?	-
Particular marks:	-
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	15
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Barford Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing clothing
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	2 May 1866
Where convicted:	Moor Street
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days' prison (hard labour), 4 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing pigeons (1 month)
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Ann Maria Checkley
Occupation:	-
Residence:	Malt Shovel Yard, Moland Street, Birmingham
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	Not able 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:	28 May 1868 - Emigrated to Canada

Notes:

3 May 1866 There is a report of the crime in the Birmingham Daily Post Thursday 3 May 1866 p.6 col.3: NIGHTLY THIEVES. - Mark Checkley (15), nail caster, Bissell Street, and William Smith (16), Charles Henry Street. were charged with having stolen a quantity of wet linen from the premises of Mr. Hirons, Ravenhurst Street. Early yesterday morning Police-constable Parker met the prisoners in Cheapside, with the linen, and as they could not satisfactorily account for the possession of it, took them into custody, subsequently ascertaining that the linen had been stolen from the premises of the prosecutor, which had been entered. Detective- sergeant Dutton said robberies ot a similar description were being committed every night by a gang of thieves, who obtained entrance into brewhouses and helped themselves to whatever goods they found there. Both prisoners pleaded not guilty. Smith was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, Checkley to fourteen days' imprisonment, and at the expiration of that time five years' confinement in a reformatory school.

6 June 1866 Absconded last night - went up the dormitory chimney and down the roof of the schoolroom

13 June 1866 Caught by the police and sent to prison for six weeks for assaulting with a poker the constable who captured him

25 July 1866 Brought back from the Borough Prison in a very defiant spirit

17 October 1866 Attempted to abscond from the dormitory window in the night. Had to be taken into the cell and punished before he would be quiet. He tried to get a brick loose to break the window with. Got me up three times in the night.

28 May 1868 Emigrated to Canada

October 1870 Heard of doing well