Saltley Reformatory

Phillip Knott - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	948
Age:	12
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	S Brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Height:	4 ft 8¼ ins
Particular marks:	Long cut mark on right cheek
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	2 June 1890
Late residence:	78 Mill Street, Brierley Hill
Parish he belongs to:	Brierley Hill
Customary work and mode of life:	Nil
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing 3 pipes
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Boy seems to have gone wrong in spite of decent parents. Probably bad associations were the cause of this
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	12 May 1890; H Smith and J A Payne; Brierley Hill Police Court
Where imprisoned:	h M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	21 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1 (3 March 1890)
Length:	12 strokes
For what:	Stealing 3 oil casks
Father's name:	Thomas Knott
Occupation:	Miner
Mother's name:	Mary Ann Knott
Occupation:	Charwoman
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Reported "good"
Character of parents	Reported as of good character. Father has been temporarily an inmate of the Stafford Lunatic Asylum
Parents' wages:	Not known
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	78 Mill Street, Brierley Hill
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

8 March 1890 A previous offence was reported in the Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, and County Express Saturday 8 March 1890 p.6 col.1: THEFT OF OIL CASKS. - Philip Knott (12), Mill Street, Brierley Hill, was charged with stealing three oil casks, of the value of 10s. 6d., between the 20th and 25th ult, the property of Benjamin Williams, general dealer, Moor Street, Brierley Hill. - Prosecutor said he kept oil casks in Albion Street. On the 21st ult. he missed two casks from the stores, and one on the 25th ult. - Bertha Carpenter (13), servant, in the employ of Mr. Bates, general dealer, Dudley Street, said she was ordered to give the prisoner 2s. 6d. for each of the tubs, on behalf of Mr. Bates. - Police-constable Booth said in answer to the charge the prisoner said "Quite right. I sold them to Mr. Bates for half a crown each." Prisoner also said he told Mr. Bates that a Mr. Harley wanted to know if Bates would buy them. - Prisoner was ordered to receive twelve strokes with a birch rod.

17 May 1890 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, and County Express Saturday 17 May 1890 p.7 col.2: SENT TO A REFORMATORY. - Philip Knott (13), Mill Street, was charged with stealing three pipes, on the 5th inst., of the value of 2s. 6d., the property of Mr. Henry Harris, hairdresser, High Street, Brierley Hill. - Sidney Green, assistant to the prosecutor, said in consequence of information from the police, he examined his master's window on the 6th, and missed three pipes which were safe on the previous day. - Henry Cartwright (13), said on the 6th he went to get a job in company with the prisoner and another lad. They went to a brook at Tackeroo, and prisoner said, "You see me conjure." He then got into the brook and fetched an old bucket out containing water. Prisoner then put his hand in and fetched two pipes out, one of which he gave witness, and the other to his friend. - John Hooper, Cottage Street, said on the 5th inst. he met the prisoner near the football field. Prisoner asked him to give him a penny for the pipe produced, so that he could see the football match. Witness gave him the penny for the pipe. - Police-sergeant Connolley said he arrested the prisoner, who admitted taking the pipes out of the window. - He was ordered to be imprisoned for twenty-one days', and afterwards to a reformatory school for five years.

2 November 1893 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Knott was licensed to work for The Manager, Bromley Iron Works, Brierley Hill

1 June 1895 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

9 June 1896 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Knott, Brierley Hill

9 February 1897 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Knott, Brierley Hill. (Doing well. Working with his father. Attending Sunday School)

10 August 1897 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Knott, Brierley Hill. (Lately married, living at a new address. Continues to attend Sunday School Bible Class. Makes kind enquiries)

George Summerfield - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1204
Age:	12 years 1 month (born 30 June 1887)
Whence received:	Walsall
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Light mottled blue grey
Height:	4 ft 4½ ins
Particular marks:	Small mark under left forearm, scar left fore arm, scar right fore arm, burn to right arm
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	12 July 1899
Late residence:	-
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Parents have no control - plays truant
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	13 July 1899; Joseph Clare; Guildhall, Walsall
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	4 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1 (9 May 1898)
Length:	6 strokes
For what:	Stealing an overcoat
Father's name:	Joseph Somerfield [surname spelled thus]
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Mary Ann Somerfield [surname spelled thus]
Occupation:
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	30 Wisemoor, Walsall
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	C A Loxton

Notes:

Brother of James Summerfield (boy 1221). Click here to go to his record.

14 May 1898 A previous offence was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 14 May 1898 p.5 col.7: THE BIRCH ROD. Richard Green (11), 4 court, Duncalfe Street, and George Somerfield (10), 5 court, Wisemore, were charged with stealing a boy's overcoat, value 8s., belonging to Zillah Brittle, of 67, Jessel Road, on the 3rd inst. - Prosecutrix deposed that she sent her son to the St. Andrew's School at the Birchills, and that he was then wearing the coat. He returned without it and witness informed the police. - David Tolley, boy, of 27, Penkridge Street, spoke to having met Somerfleld with another boy. Somerfield took him to a yard in Stafford Street, and showing him the coat, which was wrapped in some brown paper, mentioned that he had tried to pawn but could not. - John Pridmore, assistant to Mr. Holyland, pawnbroker, deposed that Green offered the coat in pledge, but as the sleeves had been cut out witness refused to accept it. - The prisoners were arrested by Detective Smith, and Somerfield, pointing to Green, said: "It was you who stole the coat," but Green rejoined "No, it was you who fetched it out of the schools in Hollyhedge Lane." - Green was ordered a birching of eight strokes, and Somerfield, who is younger than Green, one of six strokes.

17 September 1898 Another previous offence was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 17 September 1898 p.8 col.6: A CANAL SIDE "DOSS." George Pitt (13), 85, Burrowes Street; Patrick O'Brien (12), 68, Green Lane; and George Somerfield (10), 30, The Wisemore, were charged with sleeping out on Saturday night on the canal side in Bridgeman Street, without any visible means of subsistence. A police officer found the boys sleeping on the canal bank. Pitt stated that his father had locked him out. The boy also stated that he was selling papers till 11 o'clock at night, and that the door was locked when he went home. - Mr. Loxton (addressing the reporters) : Your papers are responsible for a great deal. - The Mayor expressed his opinion that in a great many cases it was the fault of the parents that boys were disobedient. - An adjournment for one month was ordered.

15 July 1899 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 15 July 1899 p.8 col.6: JUVENILE THIEVES AT THE RAILWAY STATION. John Hickman (14), St. Paul's Street, George Somerfield (12) [surname spelled thus], 30, Wisemore, and Wm. Brant (14), 5, St. Paul's Street, were charged with having stolen eight shirts, value 10s., the property of the L.and N. W. Railway Co., between the 8th and 10th July. - William Gill, warehouseman, in the employ of Messrs. Bliss, Ennals and Co., said that the shirts (produced) were part of a parcel of shirts that were sent to the railway station on Saturday, and Walter Smallwood, 36, Teddesley Street, spoke to having taken the parcel down to the station. - John Dunlaney, of New Street, said that on Monday Somerfield and Hickman came and asked him if he wanted to buy a shirt, Hickman producing one from under his coat. Witness purchased one for 2½d., and subsequently pawned it for 6d. - Francis Clifford, a pawnbroker, spoke to having received the shirt (produced) in pawn from the last witness. - Ann Thorngill, pawnbroker, said she received the shirt (produced) in pledge from a William Davis for 1s. 6d. - William Davis said that Brant asked him to buy the shirt (produced). He gave 2d. for it, and afterwards pledged it for 1s. 6d. - Detective Smith arrested prisoners, who now pleaded guilty. - Brant was put on his good behaviour for six months, and the other two were each ordered to be sent to reformatory for four years.

8 August 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Summerfield was licensed to go out and work for G Dewsbury & Son, Littleton Street, Walsall.

1 January 1903 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Summerfield was re-licensed to work for Mr Dakin, Normanton, Ashby

12 May 1903 Formally discharged from Saltley on account of being convicted of larceny along with his brother James. This was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 16 May 1903 p.5 col.7: SHARP PUNISHMENT. Patrick O'Brien, 69. Queen Street, William Mason, 20, Paddock Lane, James and George Sumerfleld, of 3, Birch Street, youths, were brought up charged with stealing a box of cigarettes and two papers, value 3s 5d, otherwise receiving the same knowing them to have been stolen. - Francis Ruddell, 196, Queen Street, identified the cigarettes (produced) as the property of his father, who kept a newsagent's and tobacco shop. About 10.30 the cigarettes were safe, but some time later he heard the papers in the shop being moved about. He looked into the shop, and saw a hand drawing the cigarettes through the window, which had been broken. On rushing outside he saw the prisoners a little further up the street, and went to them. They denied knowledge of the cigarettes and papers, but he saw them looking at a window-ledge. He looked, too, and saw the stolen articles. He picked them up, and then fetched a policeman. - Detective Burrell said that when he arrested Mason he accused the two Summerfields of committing the theft. When the Summerfields were arrested they blamed O'Brien, saying that he took the cigarettes and put them in their bag. - O'Brien accused the Summerfields of taking the papers, but admitted taking the cigarettes. O'Brien, Mason, and James Summerfield were sentenced to 21 days' hard labour, and George Summerfield was sent to a reformatory for three years. He was sent to the Reformatory Ship Akbar, Liverpool.

No. in Admissions Register:	263
Date of admission:	16 October 1863
Whence received:	Stafford
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
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?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	Burn on right arm
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not apparent
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	11
Illegitimate?	Not
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Burslem
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Potter
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing a dress and other property
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	25 September 1863
Where convicted:	Fenton, before B Rose
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	21 days prison, 4 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing clothing (21 days)
Father's name:	John Downs
Occupation:	Potter
Residence:	Burnt? Bank, Burslem
Mother's name:	Eliza Downs
Occupation:	Charwoman
Residence:	Church Street, Burslem
Father's character:	Bad – deserted his family
Mother's character:	Bad – cohabits with one James Mycock
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Bad
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	15s a week
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s 3d
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	P Povey, Burslem
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	-
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	16 Oct 1867 - Discharged at end of sentence

Notes:

8 August 1863 There is a report of his previous offence (but is incorrect about his going to a reformatory for it) in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 8 August 1863 p.7 col.6: JUVENILE THIEVES.-Joseph Downes and James Bell, two lads each about eleven years of age, were charged with stealing a pair of trousers, at Burslem. the property of James Steele, a collier. Downes, who was described as a particularly bad, idle lad. is a stepson to the prosecutor, and lodged in the same house. On the morning of the 31st July he got up and stole the trousers from his father's bedroom. It turned out that the theft must have been concerted, inasmuch as the other prisoner, who subsequently pledged the trousers at Mr. Turner's, pawnbroker, Tunstall, was waiting outside the prosecutor's house when they were stolen. Both prisoners were convicted under the Juvenile Offenders Act, and sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment each; Bell to be once whipped, and his companion to be transferred to a reformatory for four years.

26 September 1863 There is a short report of the crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 26 September 1863 p.8 col.6: TWO YOUNG THIEVES.-At the police-court held at Fenton, yesterday, before T. B. Rose, Esq., two lads, Joseph Downes, 10, and James Stacey, 11, were brought up, charged with stealing articles of wearing apparel, the property of Thomas Lockett, Victoria-street, Burslem. Downes, who had been convicted before was sent to the house of correction for 21 days, preparatory to being sent to a reformatory for four years; and Stacey was sent to the house of correction for three months with hard labour, and to be once whipped.

16 October 1867 Discharged

December 1868 Doing well at Burslem

January 1870 Doing well at Burslem

December 1870 Doing well at Burslem

David Mortimer Murdock - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	557
Age:	15
Whence received:	Birmingham
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Scar over left eye
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission and term:	3 October 1876 5 years
Late residence:	35 Toland Street, Oxford Street, London
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	On the stage
Whether illegitimate:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing a watch
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by who and court:	20 September 1876, Moor Street, T C S Kynnersley
Where imprisoned:	Birmingham Borough Prison
Sentence:	14 days prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	Not known
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	James Mortimer Murdock
Occupation:	Actor
Mother's name:	Maria Mortimer Murdock
Occupation:	Actress
Parents dead?	No
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	Not known
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	4 Stanhope Street, Glasgow
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

28 November 1881 Writes to say he is coming to London to the Princess Theatre, Oxford Street in a few days, but at the present time he is living at the George Hotel, George Street, Edinburgh

25 December 1881 Living at the Hen and Chickens, New Street, Birmingham

11 April 1882 Letter to the tailor - is now living at 508 New City Road, Glasgow

Frederick West - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	634
Age:	15
Whence received:	H M Prison Bristol
Description:
Complexion:	Fair
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Visage:	Oval
Particular marks:	Cut palm of tight hand
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Weight:	85 lbs
Date of admission:	11 March 1880
Late residence:	10 Grosvenor Road, St Pauls, Bristol
Parish he belongs to:	St Pauls, Bristol
Customary work and mode of life:	Driving pony cart
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Stealing iron, value 3s
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Associating with bad companions
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	19 February 1880; W A F Powell and Christopher Godson; Bristol Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Bristol
Sentence:	21 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	William West
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	Ann West
Occupation:	Washerwoman
Parents dead?	No
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Kind
Character of parents	Good; poor
Parents' wages:	Father has done but very little work for 3 years
Amount parents agree to pay:	Application to be made with Treasuerer, City and County of Bristol
Parents address:	10 Grosvenor Road, St Pauls, Bristol
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

20 February 1880 There is a report of the crime in the Bristol Mercury Friday 20 February 1880 p.3 col.3: JUVENILE PILFERERS. Frederick West and William Porter [boy 635], boys, were charged with stealing a large quantity of old iron from a house in Cheltenham-road. P.C. 121 A stopped them with bags containing the iron, and took West to the police-station. He afterwards discovered that the iron belonged to Mr. Walter Derham. Porter ran away, but West said he was with him when he took the iron from a void house in Cheltenham-road. Porter was apprehended at his father's house late at night, They lad each been previously convicted, and they were now each sentenced to 21 days' hard labour, and afterwards to five years at a reformatory.

27 July 1881 6 strokes on the hand for fighting