Saltley Reformatory

Thomas Walker [641] - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	641
Age:	12
Whence received:	Stafford Prison
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Visage:	Oval
Particular marks:	Small mole left side
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	5 May 1880
Late residence:	Uttoxeter Heath, Staffordshire
Parish he belongs to:	Uttoxeter
Customary work and mode of life:	Groom
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing eggs
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Poverty
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	21 April 1880; A F Dawson and J Waterpark
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	14 days in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	John Walker
Occupation:	Brewer's labourer
Mother's name:	Harriet Walker
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Honest, sober, health good
Parents' wages:	16s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	Nothing. Parents are very poor with a large family
Parents address:	John Walker, The Heath, Uttoxeter
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Williams, Leek, Staffordshire
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

24 April 1880 There is a report of his crime in the Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial and General Advertiser Saturday 24 April 1880 p.6 col.2:FOWL-STEALING. - Three boys - named Thomas Walker, aged thirteen; Alfred Baxter, aged eight; and William Statham, aged seven years -were charged by Henry Mycock with having killed and stolen some fowls, and also with having taken a quantity of eggs, belonging to his mother, on the 5th inst. - The prosecutor said that on the day in question he went to a barn near the mill, on the Heath, where he kept a number of fowls, and found that the door had been broken, and one hen lay the floor dead, and others were missing. He went again the same day about half-past seven, and found two of the defendants, Walker and Statham, in the loft, and they had got five hens up in a corner. Witness asked what they were doing, to which they replied, " Nothing." He then charged them with stealing the fowls.-There was no evidence against the boy named Baxter, and he was accordingly dismissed ; and the evidence of Statham was taken against Walker, who said he went with Walker to the barn, and Walker threw some hay on a fowl and then caught it, and killed it, and afterwards cut its comb off, they found nineteen eggs, which Walker took to Uttoxeter, and got a boy named Roberts to sell for one shilling, and then they spent the money -The boy Roberts was called, and said that Walker asked him to go into a shop and sell the eggs, which he said were his mother's; he did so, and received a penny for his trouble.- Defendant's father said he was bad boy, and had given him a great deal of trouble, and he should leave it to the magistrates to do what they liked with him.-The boy pleaded guilty, and wished the case to be settled at that Court.-The magistrates warned the parents of the other boys to be very careful what company they allowed them to get into, they had had a narrow escape.-Walker was committed to gaol for fourteen days, at the end of which he was to be sent to a reformatory for three years.

29 May [no year given] 6 strokes on the hand for handling another boy in an indecent manner

4 May 1883 Returned to parents on expiration of sentence

John Abley - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	918
Age:	14
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Blue
Height:	4 ft 8 ins
Particular marks:	Cut mark centre of forehead; mole by right thumb; burn mark left hand
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	18 April 1889
Late residence:	New Invention, near Wolverhampton
Parish he belongs to:	Wolverhampton
Customary work and mode of life:	Locksmith with Mr Hill, Willenhall
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Very imperfectly
Writes:	Very imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing a gold brooch
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	18 March 1889; Henry Vaughan; Willenhall Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	-
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	Edward Abley
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Emily Abley
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	Average about 15s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	New Invention, Wolverhampton
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

9 February 1890 The Medical Officer reported: Influenza

7 April 1890 The Medical Officer reported: Boils. Convalescent by 12 April

16 September 1890 The Medical Officer reported: Slight sprain of wrist. Malingering

13 March 1893 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Abley was licensed to go out and work for c/o Mr S Foster, Stapleford

20 September 1893 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Abley, Stapleford

3 February 1894 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Abley, Stapleford, Nottinghamshire

17 April 1894 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

14 December 1897 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Abley, iron worker, Stapleford. (Still a member of the Salvation Army. Will visit here at Christmas)

William Cooper - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1174
Age:	14 (born 4 December 1883)
Whence received:	Longton
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Grey mottled
Height:	4 ft 7¼ ins
Particular marks:	Large scald mark on calf of right leg; near sighted
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	19 May 1898
Late residence:	-
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Whether illegitimate:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Very little
Writes:	Very little
Offence:	Stealing 12 bottles of stout, value 2s
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Reported as incorrigible ring leader of gang of young thieves
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	19 May 1898; A Edwards; Longton
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	4 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) (12 May 1898) 6 strokes with birch rod; 2) (12 May 1898) 6 strokes with birch
For what:	1) Stealing tools; 2) stealing keys
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Emma Elizabeth Cooper
Occupation:	Charwoman
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Mother - bad character
Parents' wages:	Not much
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

14 May 1898 Two previous offences were reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 14 May 1898 p.7 col.4: THEFTS BY BOYS. -Edwin Cooper. 14, and Hamlet Cooper, 12, living in New-street, were charged with another boy, James Hill, of Edward-street, with stealing two axes, three crate-knives, and other articles, the property of Sidney Malbon, who worked as a cratemaker for Mr Williamson, in Georges-court. The boys were ordered to be birched. An extra dose was allotted to the Coopers in conjunction with Arthur Nicholls, 11, for stealing a quantity of keys and tools from an unoccupied brickyard in Heathcote-road. Emma Cooper, mother of the boys of that name, was convicted of receiving, and fined 20s. and costs, or a month's imprisonment in default.

21 May 1898 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 21 May 1898 p.3 col.4: BOYS BEYOND CONTROL. - Edwin Cooper, New street; Thos. Riley, Arthur-street; Arthur Nicholls, New-street; and Henry Hammersley, Victoria-road, boys, of 11 to 14, pleaded guilty to stealing 12 bottles of stout from the cellar of the Dog and Pheasant beerhouse, New-street. It was stated that the boys, who had been In trouble before, had got beyond parental control, and the Bench sent Cooper to Saltley Reformatory for four years, and the other three to an industrial school till they are 16 years old.

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

1 January 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Cooper was re-licensed to go out and work for Mr Derricourt, Amington, Tamworth

18 May 1902 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

No. in Admissions Register:	3
Date of admission:	6 November1848
Weekly payments:	-
Age:	12
Education:	none
Previous employment:	none
Crimes, how often and in what prison:	not committed
Training in reformatory:	Shoemaking
When left reformatory:	February 1853
Parentage and family:	Both living
Residence	London
Trade of father:	Labourer
With whom the boy is placed:	-
Address:	-
Trade:	-

Notes:

Possibly [Brother of John Daily (boy 2)

George Miller - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	129
Date of admission:	21 November 1857
Whence received:	Stafford County Gaol
By whom brought:	Mr Mountford
On what terms:	Committed
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Light
Hair colour:	Light 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?	Small pox
Particular marks:	Scar on forehead; pockmarked
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	15
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Mill Street, Leek
Parish to which he belongs:	Leek and Lowe, Staffordshire
Customary work and mode of life:	Silk picker
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing a driving rein
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Playing truant when sent by his parents to school
Date of sentence:	7 November 1857
Where convicted:	Leek Petty Sessions before Rev J Sneyd and John Russell Esq.
Sentence:	14 days in prison, 2 years at Saltley
Where imprisoned:	-
Previous committals and convictions	Not known
Father's name:	Elias Miller
Occupation:	Silk twister
Residence:	Mill Street, Leek
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Mother died
Survivor married again?	Yes, stepmother Hannah Miller -
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents:	Good as far as known, good health
Parents' wages:	15s per week
Weekly amount parents will pay:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	[cannot read name], justices clerk, Leek
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-
Notes:

Notes:

14 November 1857 There is a short report of his crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 14 November 1857 p.7 col.6: LEEK. - SATURDAY (Before the Rev John Sneyd and John Russell, Esq)

George Miller, Silk picker, aged 15, and Thomas Bloore, mill piecer, were charged, the former with stealing a driving rein from the carriage of John Ridgeway, Esq., Mayor of Hanley, while in the yard of the Swan Inn, Leek, on Sunday 1st Nov., and the latter with receiving it. Miller pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to fourteen days imprisonment, with hard labour, and then to be detained two years in a reformatory school. Bloore was discharged.

10 January 1858 Absconded in company of J Finn [boy 101] while other boys were washing themselves. Brought back on the 14th January by the Inspector of Police, Leek. Costs 25s

22 November 1859 Left and returned to Leek to work for Mr Cross

1 November 1860 The Reformatory Minute Book records: 727. Mr Humphreys reported that George Miller, formerly an inmate, being out of employment has returned to the Institution'

Resolved: that Mr Humphreys be allowed to employ George Miller as Assistant Gardener till next month.

728. A letter was read from Mr Lloyd, Mayor of Birmingham, offering to send 4 boys within the next 6 months as emigrants to Australia at his cost, exclusive of outfit and enclosing the requisite Emigration Order.

729. Mr Humphreys then recommended the following boys for emigration: West (121), Oswald (124), Berry (137) and Miller (129).

Resolved: that steps be taken to obtain the consent of the parents of the boys for their emigration before deciding on the question.

November 1860 Temporarily employed at the school but was suspected of attempting to steal a pair of boots and sent home to Leek.

5 January 1863 Heard from him at Macclesfield. Is married and a hawker.

6 November 1879 Called at the school. In good circumstances. Is in trade in Cincinnati as a manufacturing hosier. [A business card is attached to this note. It reads: George Miller, Manufacturer of plain and fancy knit hose, and dealer in all kinds of knitting yarns, jackets, etc, Cincinnati Seamless Knitting Factory, 34 East Fifth Street, Cincinnati, O.]