Saltley Reformatory

James Williamson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	225
Date of admission:	22 August 1861
Whence received:	Stafford
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Light
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Perfect vision?	No
State of health:	Tender - [can't read word]
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Dull
Use of all limbs?	Motion awkward
Had cow or small pox?	Smallpox
Particular marks:	Pockmarked
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not apparent
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	11
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Bradley, Sedgley
Parish he belongs to:	Sedgley
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	None
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing iron under mother's direction
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Poverty
Date of sentence:	2 August 1861
Where convicted:	Bilston Petty Sessions, J K Bagnall and H Ward
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	Stafford
Sentence:	21 days prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	None known
Father's name:	James Williamson
Occupation:	Collier
Residence:	Hall Bank, Bradley, Bilston
Mother's name:	Harriet Williamson
Occupation:	-
Residence:	Hall Bank, Bradley, Bilston
Father's character:	Nothing known
Mother's character:	Nothing known
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Not known
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	From 12s to 21s per week, when in work
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Hugh McCrea, Bilston
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	J W Hall, Bilston
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

10 August 1861 There is a brief report of the offence in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 10 August 1861 p.5 col.2: A DISHONEST MOTHER. -Harriet Williamson, Paul Griffiths, and James Williamson, were charged at the petty sessions on Friday with stealing iron on the previous Monday from the Bank Ironworks, the property of Messrs. Groucutt. The prisoner Paul Griffiths gave evidence against the two other offenders. He said that the prisoner Harriet Williamson had sent him and her boy James to steal the iron. Harriet Williamson was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment, and her boy to 21 days' imprisonment, and afterwards to be sent to the reformatory for five years.

30 November 1865 Licensed

January 1868 Bradley, Bilston. Doing well

Henry Woolhouse - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	908
Age:	12
Whence received:	H M Prison Wakefield
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Height:	4 ft 4 ins
Particular marks:	3 small scars right of forehead
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	14 February 1889
Late residence:	8 Dorset Place, Lyme Street, Masbrough, Yorkshire
Parish he belongs to:	Rotherham
Customary work and mode of life:	None - has attended school
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Very imperfectly
Writes:	Very imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing a bottle, some beer, and a supper from an ironworks
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Lack of parental control
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	1 February 1889; G Wragg and G Neill; Rotherham Police Court
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Wakefield
Sentence:	14 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) 2 years ago, 2 strokes; 2) 6 months ago, 6 strokes
For what:	1) Stealing caps; 2) stealing meat
Father's name:	Thomas Woolhouse
Occupation:	Collier
Mother's name:	Mary Woolhouse
Occupation:	Charwoman
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Fair, but no endeavour to restrain him
Character of parents	Not known
Parents' wages:	Not known
Amount parents agree to pay:	Not yet assessed
Parents address:	8 Dorset Place, Lyme Street, Masbrough, Yorkshire
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

6 August 1892 The Medical Officer reported: Sprain

2 September 1892 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Woolhouse was licensed to work for Messers J J Habershon and Sons, Holmes Mills, Rotherham

18 February 1894 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley

11 June 1895 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Woolhouse, Rotherham

8 December 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Woolhouse, factory hand, Rotherham. (Enclosed written character. 5 years in present situation)

Herbert Winter - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1164
Age:	15
Whence received:	Cardiff
Description:
Complexion:	Pale
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Height:	4 ft 8¾ ins
Particular marks:	Tattoo FB and two blue dots right forearm; cut scar right of forehead
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Date of admission:	26 October 1897
Late residence:	No fixed residence, father in the Cardiff Workhouse Infirmary
Parish he belongs to:	B [no other information]
Customary work and mode of life:	Shoe blacking in the street
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Breaking and entering a warehouse and stealing therefrom 20 packets of tea, etc
Circumstances which may have led to it:	No parental control. Got into bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	13 October 1897; The Recorder; Cardiff Quarter Sessions
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Cardiff
Sentence:	14 days hard labour in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	Nil (boy says none)
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	Edward Winter (father is an inmate of Cardiff Union [Workhouse])
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Mother
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Cannot say
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	Cardiff Union, Cardiff
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	Governor, H M Prison Cardiff

Notes:

31 July 1897 The remand hearing for the crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the The Cardiff Times Saturday 31 July 1897 p.6 col.3: A CARDIFF BURGLARY. Three Youths in Custody. Three boys - one of whom had been previously in trouble - named Wm. Jennings (17), Herbert Winter (15), and Charles Brooks (17), who looked dirty and diminutive for their ages, were at Cardiff Police Court on Tuesday charged before Stipendiary Lewis with having broken into a lock-up warehouse and office, in the occupation of Mr Charles Carey Thomas, at 48, Bute-street, between the hours of 2 p.m, on the 24th and 8 a.m. on the 26th inst., and stolen therefrom 20 half-pound packets of tea, 2 tins of potted rabbit, 1 tin of mutton, 1 tin of preserved apples, 1 bottle of jelly, 1 bottle of sauce, and a bottle of coffee extract, valued in all at £1 15s. 7d. Mr Thomas, jun., spoke to finding the door of the warehouse open and to the articles having been taken. Detective Gretton said that on Monday morning he, along with Detective Stephens, visited the warehouse and discovered that it had been entered from the back, the intruders gaining admission by climbing over a ten feet high hoarding. The window was broken near the catch, and in this way the entrance was got to the inside of the building, whence access was got to the office, and the door leading from the office to the shop was forced. Two screws had also been removed from the lock of the safe. In a common lodging-house at 30, Herbert-street, they found Winter and Brooks breakfasting on potted rabbit, there being also on the table a pot of jam, a bottle of coffee extract, some tea, and sauce. It was also explained that Jennings and Brooks had on their boots india-rubber soles, and these corresponded with certain marks on the premises. Detective Stephens said he asked the lads where the empty tins were, and they said, "In the backyard." There he found them. He arrested Jennings in bed in the same house. That lad told him he had sold nine packets of tea for 1s 6d. In the course of further evidence it was stated that the lads were practically parentless and waifs. - The Stipendiary said he should commit them for trial at the next Quarter Sessions in October, but as they might be admitted to bail he should defer making the formal commitment until the police had an opportunity of finding out whether any friends would come forward with the necessary sureties. The sentence was reported briefly in the same newspaper Saturday 16 October 1897 p.4 col.6

30 August 1899 The Medical Officer reported: Boils on both arms

1 August 1900 The Medical Officer reported: Sore throat and enlarged tonsils, doing well by 3 August

25 October 1900 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

11 December 1900 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winter, Cardiff

11 December 1900 The Log Book report notes that Winter, before his sentence expired, had desired to enlist. Evidently the School supported this request even though he had been discharged. The Log book notes: The enlistment of the boy H Winter has been postponed, on account of the need for a slight surgical operation. I obtained for him admission to the General Hospital where he remained an inmate for 14 days. He has to see the Army Medical Officer in a fortnight's time.

13 August 1901 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winter, Field force, South Africa [the Boer War was underway at this time]

15 July 1902 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winter, late of the Glamorgan Yeomanry, South Africa

10 June 1903 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winter, Cardiff

9 February 1904 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Winter, Cardiff

No. in Admissions Register:	642
Age:	13
Whence received:	H M Prison Warwick
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Blue
Visage:	Face freckled
Particular marks:	Pigeon breast. Hernia left side. Brown mark on chest. Bad mark each side small of back. Impediment in speech
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Date of admission:	22 May 1880
Late residence:	Warwick
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Very indifferent
Writes:	Very indifferent
Offence:	Embezzlement
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	3 May 1880; R D Vaughan, T B Dale, and F W Strickland; Court House, Warwick
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	21 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	-
For what:	Stealing his master's money
Father's name:	George Cox
Occupation:	Lamp lighter
Mother's name:	Sarah Jane Cox
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Father unable to control him - has 7 children
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s 6d per week
Parents address:	89 Sallisford, Warwick
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

8 May 1880 There is a report of the crime that sent him to Saltley in the Leamington Spa Courier Saturday 8 May 1880 p.7 col.1: STEALING A SHILLING. - The little boy, who, some weeks ago was ordered to be whipped for stealing money out of a till, but whose state of health would not permit of such punishment, named John Charles Cox, of the Saltisford, was brought up again charged with stealing a shilling on Saturday. - A woman named Mrs Allchurch, of West-street, said that she employed the prisoner on Saturday, the 1st of May, and she sent him up to Dr. Henning's with some potatoes. She told him he was to receive a shilling for them. He received the shilling and had the basket returned to him. but he never came back to witness. - A woman named Emma Richardson, who was at Dr. Henning's on Saturday, when the prisoner brought the potatoes, proved paying prisoner the shilling. - P.C. Rollason said he met the prisoner in Jury-street, and he asked him where the shilling and the basket were. He said he had spent the whole of the shilling and had hidden the basket in New-street, but the basket could not be found. - It took some trouble to get the prisoner to understand the usual questions with respect to being tried by jury, but at last he said he would be dealt with summarily. - His father said he could do nothing with him, and he was sent to gaol for twenty-one days, and then ordered to be detained in a reformatory for five years.

James Massey - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	200
Date of admission:	26 December 1860
Whence received:	Stafford Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Both
Particular marks:	None
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	14
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	No residence
Parish to which he belongs:	Stockport
Customary work and mode of life:
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	Has travelled about the country the last two years getting his living
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:
General ability:
Offence:	An attempt to commit a felony
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Habit of life and an apparent propensity to stealing
Date of sentence:	5 December 1860
Where convicted:	Leek Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	21 days prison, 3 years detention at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Only 2 known – vagrancy (7 days); larceny (6 months)
Father's name:	Thomas Massey
Occupation:	Operative in cotton factory
Residence:	7 Pownall Street, Stockport, near George Inn
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
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):	T Wollaston, Police Officer, Leek
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	T Wollaston, Police Officer, Leek
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory: 24 December 1863 Discharged on expiration of sentence

Notes:

11 August 1860 A previous offence was reported in the Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 11 August 1860 p.5 col.4: James Massey, a street shoe-black, charged with vagrancy, was sentenced to prison for a week [in Leek].

6 October 1860 Another previous offence is reported in the Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 6 October 1860 p.6 col.2: A DISHONEST SHOEBLACK. - A lad named James Massey, a shoeblack, from Stockport, was placed in the dock charged with stealing a pair of scales, a 1lb. weight, and a basket, the property of John Cope, fruit dealer, Hanley. The prosecutor stated that he left the articles produced in the Hanley covered market on Saturday night, and on Monday morning he found they were gone. About dinner time on Sunday the prisoner went to a woman named Ann Dudley, Etruria-road, and offered the things for sale, but she, suspecting he had stolen them, kept them until she found owner. The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to one calendar month's imprisonment, with hard labour.

25 October 1862 Absconded

26 October 1862 Apprehended at Coventry and brought back on the 29th

23 April 1863 Absconded before breakfast

30 April 1863 Caught at Lichfield

24 December 1863 Discharged

September 1867 Called at the school, in a poor plight, on tramp

January 1869 Wrote from Sunderland, on board a collier brig.