Saltley Reformatory

Samuel Venables - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

Image by permission of the Library of Birmingham. MS 244/4/1/3 Page 480.

No. in Admissions Register:	480
Age:	10
Whence received:	-
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Scar near right eye
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission and term:	3 April 1873 5 years
Late residence:	9 Moseley Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	Not
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Stealing 1 lb tobacco
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Not known
Date of sentence, by who and court:	21 March 1873, Birmingham Police Court, T C S Kynnersley
Where imprisoned:	Birmingham Borough Prison
Sentence:	14 days prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	One
Length:	3 days and whipped
For what:	Stealing 4 brushes
Father's name:	Edward Venables
Occupation:	Spoon files
Mother's name:	Jane Venables
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Not known
Character of parents	Not known
Parents' wages:	20s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	No sum mentioned
Parents address:	9 Moseley Street, Birmingham
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	G Glossop
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

13 October 1877 Licensed to work at Williams Tube Works, Pershore Street, Birmingham. Lives 27 Moseley Street

9 February 1888 Evan Williams [boy 541] reports that Venables lives in Vaughton Street, is married, and has a family. He is a spoon maker, and is gaining an honest living, and is very respectable

George Meek - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	914
Age:	15
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 8¼ ins
Particular marks:	Small mole left side of neck, towards shoulder
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	28 March 1889
Late residence:	35 Chapel Street, Kidsgrove, Staffordshire
Parish he belongs to:	Stoke on Trent
Customary work and mode of life:	Labourer
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Offence:	Stealing 2 pigeons
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad example of parents
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	28 February 1889; H C Greenwood; Tunstall Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) Fined; 2) fined
For what:	1) Stealing money; 2) vagrancy
Father's name:	George Edward Meek
Occupation:	Iron worker
Mother's name:	Annie Meek
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Father is a drunken man
Character of parents	Father is a drunken man
Parents' wages:	20s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	35 Chapel Street, Kidsgrove
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Superintendent Hall, Tunstall
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

9 February 1890 The Medical Officer reported: Influenza

7 September 1892 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Meek was licensed to work for Mr Lawton, Kidsgrove

27 March 1894 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley

John Cashmore - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1170
Age:	13 (born 16 March 1884)
Whence received:	-
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Dark grey
Height:	4 ft 7 ins
Particular marks:	Burn mark top left cheek
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	11 March 1898
Late residence:	17 Beet Street, Blackheath [131 High Street crossed out]
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Whether illegitimate:	Yes
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Offence:	Larceny (2 charges)
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	2 March 1898; J Walker and W W Wiggin; Old Hill
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Birmingham
Sentence:	10 days hard labour in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	Nil
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	John Orwell
Occupation:	Watchman
Mother's name:	Mary Ann Cashmore
Occupation:	Nail maker
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Surroundings of boy are very bad. No parental control. Encouraged by mother to steal. No hope of boy's reformation
Character of parents	Mother is very drunken and has lived in adultery for a number of years. No order has been obtained against the alleged father
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	17 Beet Street, Black Heath
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

5 March 1898 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Dudley Herald Saturday 5 March 1898 p.5 col.3: POCKET PICKING DETECTED AT CRADLEY HEATH. - A POLICEMAN COMPLIMENTED. - John Cashmore, a boy, of Beet Street, Blackheath, was charged in custody with stealing a purse belonging to Martha Parsons, of Cradley Heath. - Complainant said that on Saturday night she went to the market at Cradley Heath. She was in the act of purchasing a jug from a stall when, on feeling into her pocket for her purse, containing 17s 5¾d, which she had seen only a few minutes before, she discovered that it was missing. - P.C. Maisey said that on the evening in question, in consequence of complaints about pocket picking, he was on duty in plain clothes. when he saw the prisoner walking among the crowds of women and behaving in a very suspicious manner. When spoken to prisoner ran away, but he followed and caught him, taking him to the police station. Before entering the door he threw 2s on to the ground. He searched him and found the purse produced in his possession, together with 5s or 6s in money. He and Sergt. Newman subsequently searched the road along which he had chased prisoner, when he found half a sovereign covered with mud. - A second charge of a similar kind, that of stealing a purse and 12s. belonging to Selina Woodhouse, of Macefield Road, Old Hill, was also preferred against the prisoner. She, too, went to the Cradley Heath Market, and also missed her purse. - P.C. Maisey spoke to finding the purse in the pockets of Cashmore. - Prisoner, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, was sent to prison for ten days and two years in a reformatory afterwards. - Addressing P.C. Maisey, the Chairman said We cannot help but compliment you on the way in which you have looked after this case - it is very creditable - and I hope your shrewdness will be taken notice of in higher quarters.

1 February 1901 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Cashmore was licensed to go out and work for Mr Adams, Excelsior Works, Black Heath

10 March 1901 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

No. in Admissions Register:	286
Date of admission:	21 November 1864
Whence received:	Stafford Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Dark
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:	Lost end of right forefinger
Cutaneous disorder?	Not
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	Says not
Age last birthday:	15
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Wolverhampton
Parish he belongs to:	Wolverhampton
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not
Writes:	Not
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	20 October 1864
Where convicted:	Wolverhampton before J J Powell, Recorder
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	1 month, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	-
Father's name:	Edward Cuppage
Occupation:	Brass dresser
Residence:	Alma court, Little Brick Kiln Street
Mother's name:	Phoebe Cuppage
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	Good, but formerly addicted to drink
Mother's character:	Good
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Kind
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	16s per week
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:

12 October 1864 There is a lengthy report of the crime in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 12 October 1865 p.6 cols.3-4: A GANG OF JUVENILE THIEVES.- Five lads, named Robert Thompson [boy 289], 13, Frederick Wills [boy 287] , 14, Samuel Waters [boy 288], 13, Henry Cuppage [boy 286], 16, and Edward Cuppage, 12, were all charged with being concerned in various robberies from shopkeepers. The first case taken was for stealing a waistcoat, the property of a Jew clothier. Simon Aaron, residing in Berry-street. Prosecutor stated that on Monday morning last the prisoner Thompson and Wills came into his shop, and said they wanted to buy a waistcoat. Witness reached them one or two down to look at, but they said they were too high priced, as they wanted one for a shilling. They then left the shop, and seeing that they immediately joined two other lads (the prisoners Wafers and Henry Cuppage), who seemed to have been waiting for them outside, witness had his suspicions excited, and went into the shop and looked over his stock. He then missed the waistcoat produced, worth 3s. 6d., which had been lying on the counter just before the two lads came in. He at once ran up the street to try to find the prisoners, but they had disappeared. It appears that the waistcoat was pledged the same morning it was stolen by the prisoner Thompson the pawnshop of Mr. Griffiths, in Peel-street. He pledged it in the name of " George Jones."- In the second case, Miss Mary Green, assistant to the Misses Bate, milliners and hosiers, North-street, stated that about half-past ten o'clock on Saturday night last the prisoners Thompson and Walters came the shop, and asked to look at some scarves. She showed one or two to them, but after looking at them, Thompson said he had not sufficient money at the time to purchase the scarf he wanted, and they would go home and ask their mothers, and then come again. On the Wednesday morning, the prisoner Thompson came to the shop by himself, and again asked to look at come scarves. She showed some to him, and he then said he wanted a blue one, similar in pattern to one which his brother had. Witness said she had no scarves like the one described, and they then left the shop without purchasing anything. Witness did not miss any of the scarves on either occasion, but she identified the three produced as the property of the Messrs. Bate. They were similar in pattern and colour to the scarves she reached out for Thompson, on the Saturday and Monday, but she would not swear that they were the same.- Police-constable Evans stated that he apprehended the three prisoners, Thompson, Wills, and Walters, and they were each wearing a new woollen scarf, but they said nothing about them. On the following day he apprehended Henry Cuppage on the same charge as he had apprehended the other three. Seeing that he also had a new scarf round his neck, witness asked him where he got it, and in reply, Cuppage said " Thompson, Wills, and Walters got lot of them on Saturday night, at a shop near the Market, and they gave one to me, and another to my brother Edward." In consequence of this, witness then apprehended Edward Cuppage, and also found in his possession a new scarf, similar in appearance and quality to the others, and making five in all. He then took the scarves to the Misses Bates', North Street and three of the articles were identified by the last witness as the property of her mlstresses. He had not been able to find an owner for the other two scarfs, nor could find that any other shopkeeper in the town sold those particular kind of scarves, but the Misses Bates.-The third charge against the prisoners was for stealing three waistcoats from a shop at Bilston. - Mary Ann Neale, wife of Lewis Neale, clothier, of Church- street, Bilston, stated that about ten o'clock on Tuesday morning last Thompson and Waters came to her shop, and Waters said "I want a waistcoat, about 2s." Witness told him that she did not think she could find one for less than 2s. 6d., and she reached one or two down. The prisoner Waters then tried on a waistcoat at 2s. 6d., and, after pulling it off again, he said he would see what his elder brother said about it. He then called in the other prisoner, Henry Cuppage, and the latter, after looking at the waistcoat, said he thought it would do, and he would go to his mother, who was on the Wolverhampton road, and get another 6d. of her. They ail three then left the shop, and she did not see them again. On the following Thursday witness missed two waistcoats, and she identified the two now produced as the same. One of them was the same waistcoat as was tried on by the prisoner Waters. They were both together worth about 7s.-Theophilus Wedge, pawnbroker, Monmore Green, stated that about twelve o'clock on Tuesday last, the prisoner Wills came to his shop and offered one of the two waistcoats produced in pledge. Having a suspicion that the lad had not honestly obtained the article, although he asserted that he had been sent with it by his mother, witness questioned him still further, and ultimately refused to take the waistcoat in. After the lad had left his shop witness watched him. and seeing that as soon as he got a little way up the street, he was joined by the other three prisoners, Thompson, Walters, and Henry Cuppage, witness became convinced that his suspicions were correct, and he therefore followed after them. Shortly afterwards he met with Police-constable Evans, and he at once communicated to the officer what had been taking place. In the meantime the lads themselves had begun to suspect that their movements were being watched, and on seeing witness stop and talk to the policeman they all ran away, but were immediately followed by the officer, and the witness Wedge, and Thompson, Wills, and Waters were apprehended. Cuppage escaped at the time, but waa apprehended as above stated on Thursday. The two waistcoats stolen from Bilston and the scarfs were found in the prisoners possession, and inquiries being set on foot by the police, they ultimately succeeded in ascertaining from where most of the property had been stolen. -The Bench did not consider there was sufficient evidence against Edward Cuppage to implicate him in the robberies, and was therefore discharged. The other four prisoners-who, throughout the inquiry appeared to regard their position with the utmost indifference - were committed to take their trial at the next Borough Quarter Sessions. Thompson was before the Bench only a few weeks ago, on the charge of stealing money from his then employers, but escaped a conviction owing to the want of evidence. When arrested on the present charges, he was wearing one of the pairs of leggings obtained by the prisoner in the former case, George Groom.

[No date] Emigrated

25 December 1866 Hear of at Wolverhampton. Doing well

January 1868 Hear of at Wolverhampton. Doing well

January 1870 Hear of at Wolverhampton. Doing well

James Meek - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	583
Age:	12
Whence received:	Stafford Gaol
Description:
Complexion:	Fair
Hair colour:	Light
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	-
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission and term:	15 September 1877 5 years
Late residence:	Bilston
Parish he belongs to:	Bilston
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Stealing 1s 4d
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by who and court:	17 August 1877, Bilston Petty Sessions, T J Perry and F A Homer
Where imprisoned:	Stafford
Sentence:	1 month prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	Henry Meek
Occupation:	Puddler
Mother's name:	Harriet Meek
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Nothing known against them
Parents' wages:	6s per day when trade is good
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s per week
Parents address:	Hall Fields, Bilston
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	12 Jan 1882 Licensed to Mr Lowe of Bilston

Notes:

5 April 1881 2 strokes on the hand for indecent conduct, Mr Henry Meek, Allfields, Salop Green, Bilston

12 January 1882 Licensed this day to Mr Lowe, Bilston, (see license book)

27 March 1882 Meek calls and tells me he is earning 7s per week at Martin's factory, Bilston. Mr G Lowe still reports of him as doing well. Meek's parents reside at 1 Duke Street, Bilston

14 September 1882 Sentence expires