Saltley Reformatory

Francis Turner - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	213
Date of admission:	28 March 1861 (should have been 28 February)
Whence received:	Warwick Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	Good
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?	-
Particular marks:	-
Cutaneous disorder?	Just recovering from bad head
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	10
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	At Spring Hill, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Gun stocking
Schools attended:	St Stephen's Sunday
By whom and where employed:	Mr Dawson, Priory
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
General ability:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing 7 cigars
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence:	1 February 1861
Where convicted:	Erdington, A Dean and J Colmore Esqrs
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	28 days prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	One: stealing thimbles, 3 months
Father's name:	Osbaldiston Turner
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Mary Turner
Occupation:	Charwoman
Residence:	Cabbage Row, Stewart Street, Spring Hill, Birmingham
Father's character:	Deserted his family
Mother's character:	Good
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good by mother
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	Just able to keep herself
Amount parents agree to pay:	Not able to pay
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	G Glossop
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	-
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

2 February 1861 There is a report of his offence in Aris's Birmingham Gazette Saturday 2 February 1861 p.5 col.4: ERDINGTON PETTY SESSIONS. - At the Petty Sessions yesterday (Friday), before A. Dixon and T. Colmore, Esqrs., William Bermond. a middle-aged man, and Francis Turner, a child ten years old, were convicted of stealing cigars from the shop of Mr. Jackson, Aston Road. While the elder prisoner engaged the attention of the shop-woman, the boy committed the theft, and he afterwards confessed that he had been similarly engaged at many shops in Birmingham and elsewhere. at the elder prisoner's lodgings an extensive variety or articles were found, evidently the produce of a series of robberies, and about fifty pawn tickets. They were each sentenced to 28 days' imprisonment, the boy to be afterwards sent to a reformatory for five years. The police will in the meantime make enquiries respecting the elder prisoner

13 February 1864 Licensed to live with his brother and attend the military school at Shoeburyness

9 July [no year given] Came back to the school

12 July 1865 Licensed to work for his mother

July 1867 Called at the school. Doing well

June 1868 Saw him in town on his way to work

November 1869 Saw him in town on his way to work. Doing well

Enoch Clayton - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	898
Age:	13
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 3½ ins
Particular marks:	6 blue dots back left arm
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Slender
Date of admission:	7 January 1889
Late residence:	11 Poultney Street, Wolverhampton
Parish he belongs to:	Wolverhampton
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing a pair of boots
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	8 December 1888; C Newham and C Ness; Wolverhampton Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1 (but 6 previous charges against Clayton)
Length:	1 day and 12 strokes
For what:	-
Father's name:	James Clayton
Occupation:	Pump maker
Mother's name:	Sarah Ann Clayton
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Well treated
Character of parents	Parents both honest but rather given to drink. Father suffers from rheumatism
Parents' wages:	Father 92s per week, mother 7s per week at Lock works
Amount parents agree to pay:	No offer made, not yet assessed
Parents address:	11 Poultney Street, Wolverhampton
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Major Hay, Chief Constable, Wolverhampton
Person making this return:	W Chambers, Clerk to Justices, Town Hall, Wolverhampton

Notes:

20 April 1892 The Medical Officer reported: Slight synovitis. Well by 27 April

20 May 1892 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Clayton was licensed to go out and work for Mr Jones, 8 Little Brick Kiln Street, Wolverhampton

3 September 1893 Re-admitted to the School because of bad conduct whilst on licence

6 January 1894 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

Lewis Lymer - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1154
Age:	13 (born 14 September 1883
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Slate blue
Height:	4 ft 7½ ins
Particular marks:	Small scar left of forehead
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	14 April 1897
Late residence:	Short Street, Uttoxeter
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	-
Writes:	-
Offence:	Larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Appears naturally vicious
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	31 March 1897; S Blount and S B Bamford; Uttoxeter Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	14 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	4
Length:	1) (26 June 1895)fined 5s and costs; 2) (10 July 1895) 6 strokes; 3) (3 February 1897) fined 1s and costs; 4) (3 March 1897) fined 10s
For what:	1) Wilful damage; 2) Larceny; 3) breach of peace laws; 4) stealing pigeons
Father's name:	John Lymer
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	Alice Lymer
Occupation:	Housewife
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Fair
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	Short Street, Uttoxeter
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	A A Flint, Magistrates' Clerk

Notes:

28 June 1895 A previous offence was reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph Friday 28 June 1895 p.4 col.3: ASSAULT. - Thomas Mitchell, of Short-street, Uttoxeter, was charged by a lad named Louis Lymer with having assaulted him on the 17th inst. by striking him in the street. - Louis Lymer was also charged with breaking Mitchell's window, damage 1s. - Mitchell was fined 1s. and 11s. costs for the assault, and Lymer was fined 5s., 1s. damage, and 6s. costs.

12 July 1895 Another previous offence was reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph Friday 12 July 1895 p.4 col.4: A BAD BOY. - Lewis Lymer, aged 11 years, of Uttoxeter, was charged with having stolen a pocket- knife from a little boy named James Beetham. The defendant was before the Bench at the last court day for doing wilful damage. - Inspector Gilbride said he was constantly hearing of the mischief this boy was doing. He robbed gardens, fowl-pens, shops, &c., continually. - It was decided to give him six strokes with a birch rod, his parents to be allowed to be present if they chose.

5 February 1897 Yet another previous offence was reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph Friday 5 February 1897 p.4 col.3: THROWING SNOWBALLS. - Louis Lymner, William Greenhough, Ernest Udale, and Henry Buckley were charged by Kettle with snowballing in High Street on the 27th ult. - They were ordered to pay 1s. each.

10 March 1897 Another previous offence was reported in the Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times Wednesday 10 March 1897 p.5 col.1: THEFT OF PIGEONS BY BOYS. - Three Uttoxeter boys, named Louis Lymer, Henry Buckley, and William Greatorex, were charged with having stolen on the 22nd ult., eight pigeons, belonging to Arthur and Henry Hutton, of Dove Bank. The pigeons were fastened up on the night of the 21st, and the following morning were missing. Some wire netting had been broken down, and footprints in the garden corresponded with the boots of Lymer and Buckley. - David C. Newman, of the Highwood, said the boys came to his house on the 23rd ult., and asked whether his boy wanted to buy any pigeons, they at the time having four with them. A little later he saw them with a piece of string tied to one of the pigeons. - Police-constable Felmingham stated that Greatorex told him that he waited whilst the others fetched the pigeons at 12.30 midnight. - The charge against Greatorex was dismissed, but the others, against whom there were several previous convictions were fined 10s. and 12s. costs each, or a month's imprisonment.

24 March 1897 The remand hearing for the crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times Wednesday 24 March 1897 p.5 col.1: SPECIAL POLICE COURT. MONDAY. Before S. B. Bamford, Esq. PRECOCIOUS YOUTHS. - Henry Buckley and Lewis Lyrner, youths, of Uttoxeter, were charged by Thos. Alfred Seaton (whose parents live in the Blacksmith's Yard, Balance Street), with stealing a quantity of milk. The case was proved by P.c. Felmingham. It appears that on Friday morning, Seaton was returning from Church Street, with a can of milk when the accused youths met him. One of them seized the can and drank his fill, and then passed it on to his companion, who, when he drunk what he wanted, flung the remainder against a wall. Prisoners were remanded to the workhouse till next Petty Sessions. The sentence was briefly reported in the Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times Wednesday 7 April 1897 p.5 col.3

19 May 1897 His father was in trouble, as reported in the Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times Wednesday 19 May 1897 p.5 col.2: A MAINTENANCE CASE. - John Lymer, labourer, was ordered to pay 1s. per week towards the maintenance of his son, Lewis Lymer, who, a weeks back, had been sent to a reformatory school at Saltley, Birmingham

4 August 1899 The Medical Officer reported: Fracture of radius, going on well by 23 August

24 July 1901 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Lymer was licensed to go out and work for Messers Isaac Ward and Sons, Uttoxeter

early 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Lymer enlisted at B...don, Staffordshire [place unreadable]

13 April 1902 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

No. in Admissions Register:	373
Date of admission:	6 January 1868
Whence received:	Stafford Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	-
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Tunstall
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	A little
Writes:	A little
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing clothing
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence:	5 December 1867
Where convicted:	Tunstall before J E Davis
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	1 month prison (hard labour), 4 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	None, but consorting with bad characters
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Ann Cooper
Occupation:	Potter
Residence:	Henry Street, Tunstall
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
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:	-
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

[brother to James, boy 372]

7 December 1867 There is a report of the crime in the Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 7 December 1867 p.6 col.3: YOUNG HOUSEBREAKERS. - James Cooper, aged I 3, and William Cooper, aged 11, brothers, were charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of William Poole, potter, Tunstall, and stealing therefrom a pair of trousers, a waistcoat, petticoat, and other articles. On Wednesday the prosecutor and his wife left the house for a short time, and, on their return they found that somebody had been in. Proceeding upstairs, they discovered that the articles named had been stolen. Prisoners pledged the things the same day at a pawnshop, and were found the same night at the theatre. The elder boy ran away, but the younger one was at once taken. He acknowledged to the theft. The mother of the prisoners was called, and she said that she did not know anything of the matter; she was at work in a manufactory at the time; she was a widow. The lads presented a very dirty and utterly neglected appearance, Mr. Davis committed them to prison for a month, intimating that after that time they would be sent to a reformatory for four years [A report in another newspaper says that they broke into the house of William Ball, in Henry Street, Tunstall, which was next door to their house, and they got in by using their mother's house key]

William Manning - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	28
Date of admission:	10 May 1853
Weekly payments:	-
Age:	12
Education:	None
Previous employment:	Errand boy
Crimes, how often and in what prison:	Birmingham, 2
Training in reformatory:	Farm labour
When left reformatory:	24 January 1856
Parentage and family:	Both living
Residence:	-
Trade of father:	-
With whom the boy is placed:	Mr McCorkindale [would-be agent for colonisation], to Port Natal
Address:	12? Summer? Terrace in? Yardley? [can’t read]
Trade:	-

Notes:

16 April 1853 A possible report of his crime is given in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 16 April 1853 p.7 col.5. It states: A PERSERVERING JUVENILE. – An unfortunate little boy, who had several times been convicted of felony, before the same Bench, was brought up, charged with stealing a piece of meat from a butcher’s shop, in Dale End. It appeared that, on Tuesday evening, he was taken to the police station, on a charge of having stolen some cheese, but as the person to whom it belonged refused to prosecute, the boy was discharged the same night. Early the following morning, however, he was again taken to the station on the present charge. The boy, who said his name was William Manning, laid all the burden of the charge upon a friend of his named “Jack Ragg,” whom he represented as being perpetually on the alert to entice him into mischief, and who he said had been the instigator of each of the crimes in which he had been detected. Notwithstanding his acquaintance with Jack Ragg, he was committed to the House of Correction for twenty-eight days as a rogue and vagabond.

14 December 1855 In the Reformatory Minute book it is recorder that: Mr McCorkindale [a would-be colonist] attended the committee and explained his views with reference to the proposed emigration to Natal, and it was agreed that the following boys be allowed to go to Natal on the necessary consents being obtained, viz. Williams (aged 14) [boy 68], Manning (aged 14) [boy 28], Devaney (aged 15 next May) [boy 57], Peechey (aged 16 next July) [boy 69], Hopcraft (aged 13 next May) [boy 65], Hook (aged 14) [boy 74).

The President undertook to write to the Home Secretary for his consent to the arrangement as far as concerned the boys detained under the Youthful Offenders Act, or by conditional pardon, and Mr Morgan engaged to deliver the letter personally at the Home Office.

Mr Ellis produced the consents of the boys’ parents.

Mr McCorkindale explained to the boys in the presence of the Committee the terms of their engagement and all signified their assent.

Resolved: that proper Indentures be prepared and that £8 be paid Mr McCorkindale for outfit and passage money for each boy.

22 December 1855 In the Minute Book it is recorded that: the President laid before the Committee the consent of the Home Secretary for the emigration to Natal of the four boys detained under sentence.

14 February 1856 The Minute Book records that: all the boys … except Devaney had sailed with Mr McCorkindale in the brig Portia for Natal on November 4th instant, the necessary consents from the Government and Parents having been first obtained. They were accompanied by Alfred John Taylor [boy 83], a well-educated boy, who had been committed at the Worcester Sessions a [few?] days previously, and by James Hines, who was selected instead of Devaney.

Mr Ratcliff inspected the vessel before the boys joined, and afterwards visited them on board, where they all expressed gratitude for the kind treatment in the Institution, and for the opportunity afforded them to emigrate. They all evinced much courage and determination to do well in their future career.

11 August 1857 The Minute Book notes a letter from Mr McCorkindale: Dunbar 10 April 1857. Sir, I have the satisfaction of informing you that all the boys from the Saltley School are well, tho’ not with the circumstances which I will fully explain next post, or you may get explained by a copy of my letter from the Rev’d Sidney Turner Redhill will put you in possession of why they left my employ. I have now been round the country twice to look after them and their interests and find everything as I could wish, all that I hear from their employers tends to assure me of their rapid and, I trust, steady improvement in morals. I do not doubt but all will write to Saltley or to their friends. I send however, an account of what each is doing, as far as I know.

…Manning is well, I hear, but have not seen him or master as they are often out and my time precious to me. He is brick making…