Saltley Reformatory

Peter Walter Atkinson - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	957
Age:	11
Whence received:	H M Prison Wakefield
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Sandy
Eyes colour:	Grey
Height:	4 ft 0 ins
Particular marks:	Cut left of forehead
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	10 November 1890
Late residence:	5 Gladstone Terrace, Foundry Street, Prince Street, Barnsley
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	School
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Very Imperfectly
Writes:	Very Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing 3s 3d from a public house till
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Lack of parental control
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	3 November 1890; J Dyson and E Lancaster; Barnsley Police Court
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Wakefield
Sentence:	7 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	2
Length:	1) Lockup; 2) 6 strokes
For what:	1) Stealing a horse; 2) stealing money from a shop till
Father's name:	Walter Atkinson
Occupation:	Blacksmith
Mother's name:	Alice Atkinson
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Nothing reported
Parents' wages:	Nothing reported
Amount parents agree to pay:	Nothing reported
Parents address:	5 Gladstone Terrace, Foundry Street, Princes Street, Barnsley
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

8 December 1888 A previous offence was reported in the Barnsley Chronicle Saturday 8 December 1888 p.3 col.2: BARNSLEY. - A CHILD'S FONDNESS FOR HORSES. - A STRANGELY VENTURESOME LAD. - Peter Walter Atkinson, a little fellow of ten years old, son of a blacksmith, living at Rockingham-square, Foundry-street, was brought up on the charge of stealing a horse, the property of Robert Stephenson, manager of a dairy, at Doncaster-road. Barnsley, on Sunday. - Mr. Kane said this was the second time the lad had been found at this sort of thing or he would have sent him home to his father. On Sunday he entered Mr. Stephenson's stable at Doncaster-road, where there was an unbroken pony. He got on the pony's back and was riding away when he was seen and stopped. He seemed to have a longing to be on the back of a horse, because in the previous week he went to a field, got Mrs. Sproat's pony and took it on as far as Sheffield before they could get it back again.- Mrs. Atkinson said the lad did not steal that, he went to borrow it for some one whom she named. - Mr. Kane said it was supposed was after that case that the parents would look after the child, but here was another case. The lad had got 150 yards from the stable when the owner of the pony saw him, but he got a good deal further before he was stopped. - Replying to questions Mrs. Atkinson said the prisoner was not a bad lad. He went regularly to school, and he would like her to buy him a horse, but, of course, she could not afford that. - The prosecutor did not think the lad wanted to steal the horse as he had heard from one of his men that he had taken it before, and brought it back. The lad was sent home with his mother, who promised to punish him.

25 October 1890 Another previous offence was reported in the Sheffield Independent Saturday 25 October 1890 p.3 col.6: ANOTHER JUVENILE THIEF AT BARNSLEY. - Peter Walter Atkinson, aged 11 years, of Barnsley, was charged with having stolen 5s. 3d. from the till in the shop of Arthur Outwin, greengrocer, etc., New street, Barnsley, on the 22nd inst. - In the forenoon of the day named the lad was seen to run out of the shop. He was afterwards caught by Mrs. Outwin. A bag was found on him, and also some money. On looking into the drawer the money was missed. - The lad had previously been in custody on a charge of stealing a pony. - To receive six strokes with a birch rod.

4 November 1890 The crime that sent him to Saltley quickly followed the previous conviction, as reported in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph Tuesday 4 November 1890 p.7 col.5: AN UNCONTROLLABLE BOY BEGS FOR THE LASH. Peter Walter Atkinson, a schoolboy, who was dealt with last week and flogged for larceny, was again brought up charged with having stolen 3s. 6d. from the till at the Shakespeare Hotel, Wellington street. - The Iad's father, a respectable working man, a blacksmith in the employ of the Corporation, was present, and evidently felt the matter keenly. - Mrs. Brook, wife of the landlord of the hotel, said she was in the commercial room at half-past six o'clock on Tuesday, the 28th ult., and heard a noise in the bar. She ran to the place, and found the till drawer open and the prisoner coming away. She seized him, and he begged to be let go, but she detained him and sent for the police. He had 2s. 3d. in his hand when she seized him, but more than that was missing from the till. - Police-constable Uttley proved that he was sent for to the hotel, and took the lad into custody. On searching him he found 1s. in one of his pockets. The lad's father, replying to the Bench, said he had a family of eleven children, four older than the prisoner. They were all orderly, well-behaved children except this one. He had tried every way with this lad, but could neither Induce nor compel him to be good. - The Bench talked of sending the prisoner away, and he begged piteously to be flogged again. His father might fasten him In the garret, if he liked, if he did it again. "Give me the rod," he said, "but don't send me away."- The father said when the lad was flogged a week ago he had forgotten all about it in an .hour. - The Bench said it was a very strange case. The lad must go to prison for a week and to a reformatory for five years.


29 January 1894 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Atkinson was licensed to go out and work for Mr H Thompson, Sheffield Road, Barnsley

30 April 1895 The Log Book report records that Atkinson returned to the School because whilst out on licence he was apprehended by the police and charged with attempting to rob a till. There is a brief report in the Barnsley Chronicle Saturday 27 April 1895 p.7 col.1: Peter Walter Atkinson, aged 16, shoemaker's apprentice, was charged with a similar offence. Supt. Kane said Mr. Ryder seemed to be very unfortunate in having people go into his shop to rob the till. On the very same day as the last case this boy entered the shop about a quarter to one and was about to help himself at the till when the bell gave the alarm and he was caught in the same way. This was the prisoner's fourth appearance for larceny. He had been convicted twice of till robbing, and once of stealing a pony. He was now out on license from the reformatory. Remanded for a week. [the case immediately dealt with in this newspaper report was of a girl who had attempted to rob the same till on the same day. The shopkeeper had rigged up an electric bell to alert him when the till was opened]

9 November 1895 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

Joseph Price - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1212
Age:	14 (born 15 October 1885)
Whence received:	Transferred from the Hardwicke Reformatory
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	Blue
Height:	4 ft 8 ins
Particular marks:	+ [cross] left forearm; left leg missing
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	No - has lost the left leg and one of his fingers
Date of admission:	24 October 1899
Late residence:	Hardwicke Reformatory, near Gloucester
Parish he belongs to:	Merthyr, South Wales
Customary work and mode of life:	Nil - tramping the country and living on charity
Whether illegitimate:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	22 October 1897; J H Crawley Bowey; Little Dean Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	Detained at Saltley until 19 years of age
Previous committals:
Number:	Nil (but twice charged with vagrancy and once sent to Dr Barnado's Homes)
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	Morgan Price
Occupation:	Collier
Mother's name:	Elizabeth Price
Occupation:	Housewife
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	4 Field Street, Cefn-coed, near Merthyr
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

23 October 1897 The crime that sent him to the Hardwicke Reformatory in Gloucestershire was reported in the Gloucester Journal Saturday 23 October 1897 p.7 col.2: LITTLE DEAN. PETTY SESSIONS, YESTERDAY. - William Reed (13, of Swansea, and Joseph Price (14), of Merthyr (the latter on crutches), were charged with stealing a truck, value 30s., the property of James Reynolds, carpenter, Westbury. It appeared that the lads took the truck from prosecutor's garden to Gloucester, where they offered it for 10s. to George Stroud, lodging-house keeper, Westgate-street. They said it was a rag and bone truck given to them by Lord Llangattock, of Monmouth, "who is always very kind to cripples." Stroud lent them 2s., saying that if what they said proved to be true he would try the truck. P.C. Jackson arrested the boys on the Quay. They then had a perambulator, which they said they had bought with one of the shillings given them by Strong. The cripple had absconded from Dr. Barnardo's Home. They were sent to a Reformatory until they are 19 years of age. A slightly shorter report in the South Wales Daily News Saturday 23 October 1897 p.5 col.6 adds the detail that the fitter boy wheeled the crippled boy in the stolen truck for the 10 miles from Westbiry to Gloucester.

17 April 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Price was licensed to go out and work for the Manager, Cyfartha Pit, Merthyr

14 October 1902 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley

No. in Admissions Register:	81
Date of admission:	12 January 1856
Weekly payments:	-
Age:	16
Education:	None
Previous employment:	Match maker
Crimes, how often and in what prison:	3
Training in reformatory:	Absconded 1 March 1857
When left reformatory:	-
Parentage and family:	Father dead
Residence:	Brearley Street, 34 Hanns? Terrace, Court 2, Birmingham-
Trade of father:	-
With whom the boy is placed:	[difficult to read]
Address:	-
Trade:	-

Notes:

1 September 1855 A lengthy report of the crime was in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 1 September 1855 p.5 col.6: BURGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF WEARING APPAREL. - On Thursday, at the Public Office, before S. Thornton and D Malins Esqrs, two lads, well-known to the police, Thomas Earp residing in Brearley Street, and Bartholomew Finton, of exceedingly diminutive appearance, and described as having no home, were placed in the dock charged with having burglariously entered a dwelling house, occupied by Enoch Yardley, gun maker, in Hatchett Street, and stolen thence a large quantity of wearing apparel. Amongst the articles stolen were three waistcoats, a pair of trousers, a dress, two shawls, a black cloth mantle, two children's coats, a child's frock, several neck ties, and other minor articles, and two pairs of boots. The prisoner Earp is fifteen, and is companion is thirteen years of age. It appeared that about ten minutes after three o'clock that morning, Police Constable Day saw the two prisoners and another lad in Lichfield Street. The prisoners were each carrying a large bundle. Day followed the lads into a court in Old Cross Street, where he found them in a privy, apparently in the act of dividing the spoil, which consisted of the articles above enumerated, some of which were strewn upon the floor. They said they picked up the goods at the fire in Cecil Street. Day then took them into custody. At the police station the lads repeated their former statement to Police Constable Johnson. That officer told them he did not believe they were telling the truth, and Finton then admitted to him that they had stolen the goods from a house in Hatchett Street, to which place he offered to accompany him. Accordingly, Johnson took the lad into Hatchett Street, and the latter went to the door of the prosecutor's house, and opened it, telling the officer that that was the house they had robbed. The constable then aroused the inmates, and on Mr Yardley coming downstairs it was discovered that a chest of drawers in the kitchen had been completely ransacked, and all the articles in question taken away. Access to the house had been obtained by the cellar window, which had been left unfastened on the previous evening. Finton's shoes were found underneath the chest of drawers in the kitchen, and the lad said he had placed them there whilst the robbery was going on. He also said that his companion had entered the house first by means of the cellar grating. These youthful burglars are well known to the police. About a week ago Finton was brought up before the Magistrates, having been found concealed in a cellar in Oxford Street. Earp has also been convicted of felony. There was another charge of burglary against the prisoners of a similar nature, but it was not gone into, and they were committed for trial at the Assizes on the present charges.

19 December 1855 A brief report of the committal is given in the Coventry Times Wednesday 19 December 1855 p.10 col.1: THOMAS EARP, aged 15, and BARTHOLOMEW FENTON, aged 13, were charged with feloniously breaking open the house of Enoch Yardley, at Birmingham, and stealing therefrom 3 waistcoats, 3 coats, one pair of trousers, and other articles. They both pleaded Guilty and were both sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for one month, and then to be removed to Saltley Reformatory Institution, and kept there for two years. [In a similar report in Aris's Birmingham Gazette the boy was erroneously named as John Earp. Bartholomew Finton/Fenton did not go to Saltley]

21 March 1857 A piece in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 21 March 1857 gave details of a crime committed after Earp had absconded from the Reformatory: STEALING A COAT AT HANDSWORTH. - THOMAS EARP, 16. closer. THOMAS HARRIS, 15, tailor, and JAMES FARRELL, 15, tailor, were indicted for stealing on the 3rd of March, 1857, at the parish of Handsworth, one coat, the property of John Jones. Mr. Holroyd conducted the prosecution; the prisoners were undefended. Earp was found guilty ; the other prisoners were acquitted. One of the witnesses, Mr. Ellis, master of the Saltley Reformatory School, said that the prisoners had been inmates of the school, and that on Sunday, the 1st of March, they absconded. Mr. Ellis also said that since he had been master of the school he had issued 250 tickets of leave of seven days each, and that not three per cent, of that number had been abused. Two previous convictions were proved against Earp, and sentence deferred. At the close of the case hit Lordship asked Mr. Ellis whether he could take back Harris and Farrell to the reformatory school. Mr. Ellis replied that he should be happy to do so, but the regulations of the establishment would not admit of it, and that Mr. Adderley had expressed his conviction that boys who had absconded ought not to be taken back. His Lordship said it would be a great pity to send the boys out upon the world again, upon which Mr. Hill expressed the pleasure it would give him to communicate with Mr. Adderley upon the subject, and his Lordship accepted the offer of Mr. Hill, after learning from the lads that they were willing to back to the reformatory school and remain in the gaol until Saturday.

25 March 1857 An item in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 25 Mar 1857 p.7 col.3 gave a slightly different account of the verdict on the coat stealing: THOMAS EARP, a youth who had been twice previously convicted, and had absconded from the Saltley Reformatory School, inducing two smaller boys to accompany him, and had now been convicted of felony for the third time, was sentenced to three months with hard labour. As to the two boys whom he had induced to accompany him, the learned Judge said he should make intercession to get them re-admitted into the establishment, and if that could not be done they must be given up to their parents.

Nathaniel Newey - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	290
Date of admission:	5 December 1864
Whence received:	Birmingham
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark 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:	Scars on body
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	15
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Brass founder
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing 5 brushes and a shovel
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence:	22 November 1864
Where convicted:	Moor Street before T C S Kynnersley
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	None
Father's name:	Josiah Newey
Occupation:	White washer
Residence:	3 court 1 house Bow Street, Birmingham
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	Honest but fond of drink
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Health bad and in miserable circumstances
Parents' wages:	5s per week and one boy 4s
Amount parents agree to pay:	None
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	T C S Kynnersley
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

26 November 1864 There is a report of the offence. Although his first name is not given here, a previous report of his remand hearing does name him fully. The crime is recorded in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 26 November 1864 p.2 col.6: STEALING AND RECEIVING. - … A lad named Newey was charged with stealing, and Thomas Eggington with receiving, five brushes and a shovel, the property of Arthur Langford, 100, Charles Henry Street, lamp manufacturer. A boy named Davis was called as a witness, and it transpired that he stole the articles at the instigation of Newey, who received them of him and sold them to Eggington. Davis was then put in the box as a prisoner, and charged with complicity in the theft. Eggington pleaded guilty to having received the articles, but denied that he knew they were stolen at the time. He was committed to the Sessions. Newey was sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, and at the expiration of that time to be sent to a reformatory school for five years. The prisoner Davis was remanded for a week.

29 December 1864 Absconded with 289 [Robert Thomson]. Captured and returned next day

7 October 1865 Attempted to abscond with 245 [Frederick Evans] and 295 [John Webb] but was immediately caught and brought back

July 1870 At Plymouth. Doubtful [character]

John Carroll - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	702
Age:	15
Whence received:	H M Prison Birmingham
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Blue
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Scar left side of forehead
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Date of admission:
Late residence:	Bread Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Filer
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing 2 lbs of bread
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	18 May 1882; T C S Kynnersley; Birmingham Police Court
Where imprisoned:	H M P Birmingham
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	-
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	Thomas Carroll
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Mother
Survivor married again?	No
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Sober
Parents' wages:	Not known. Boy says 25s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	Bread Street, Birmingham
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-
Date Left Reformatory:	16 June 1887 : Sentence Expired

Notes:

18 May 1882 There is a short report in the Birmingham Mail Thursday 18 May 1882 p.3 col.3: STEALING BREAD. John Carroll, Bread Street, a small boy, was charged with stealing bread from the shop of William Hodgkiss, baker, Ludgate Hill The prosecutor having lost many cakes recently, a young man was set to watch the shop yesterday, and he saw the prisoner crawl in on his hands and knees and return with two pieces of bread. He was captured and given into custody. - The lad, who was said to live in a wretched hovel, amidst bad surroundings, was sent to gaol for a month, after which time he will be detained in a reformatory for five years.

14 June 1882 There is a letter attached to the Admissions Register which reads: 37 Waterloo Street, Birmingham. 14 June 1882. Dear Sir, a boy named Carroll, committed by Mr Kynnersley for 14 days, will be brought from the Boro' Gaol on the 17th and you will please receive him, though the usual forms have not been yet received. I have been in correspondence with Mr Kynnersley about the case and will explain it to you on your return home. I trust you are deriving much good from your holiday. Your truly W Morgan. [Addressed to Mr Plummer, Saltley Reformatory, Small Heath]

24 September 1886 Medical officer reports: Ischus rectal abcess. Opened abcess, deemed cured by 26 September

7 October 1886 Licensed to go out and work for Messers J Upton, 81 Charles Street, Birmingham, to 31 December 1886; then to Messers Smart, Mary Street, Birmingham from 1 January 1887 to 27 April 1887

27 April 1887 Readmitted to Reformatory from being out on licence

4 May 1887 Medical officer reports: Gathered finger

16 June 1887 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley