William Henry Round - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 961 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Hair [as written in Admissions Register] |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 7 ins |
| Particular marks: | Scar right side of forehead |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 18 March 1891 |
| Late residence: | 14 Waterloo Street, Dudley |
| Parish he belongs to: | Dudley |
| Customary work and mode of life: | None |
| Whether illegitimate: | Not reported |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing 4 tame pigeons |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | No information |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 9 March 1891; W Greenway and W Wilkinson; Dudley Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Sentence: | 10 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | 6 strokes |
| For what: | Stealing money |
| Father's name: | Thomas Round |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Mother's name: | Hannah Round |
| Occupation: | Seamstress |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Not reported |
| Character of parents | In poor circumstances |
| Parents' wages: | Father 18s per week. Six other children |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | Waterloo Street, Dudley |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 6 November 1891 The Medical Officer reported: Purpura haemorrhagica. By 12 November was improving. Then on 15 November diagnosed with meningeal convulsions, an emergency doctor was called. Seen by regular MO on 16 November at 7.45 am. Dangerously ill, was ordered champagne and beef steak. Seen at 8 pm same day, meningitis setting in. Improved next day, but on 19 November the sickness returned and brandy was ordered. He improved over the next few days and was able to sit up by 4 December. Then on 12 December had abdominal pain, with some peritonitis supervening. The pain subsided but he had a cough but by 19 December could sit up. He improved and by 11 January was better | |
| 9 February 1892 The Log Book report notes that: The boy Round is still far from well, being still very weak. He is, in my opinion, physically unfit for detention in a reformatory, and I shall be glad if the Committee will consider whether it is not advisable to secure his discharge as soon as he is strong enough to be safely removed | |
| 28 April 1892 The Log Book report records that Round is now quite convalescent | |
| 30 April 1894 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Round was licensed to go out and work for W Faithful, 2 Pear Tree Lane, Dudley | |
| 17 March 1896 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
Bertie Finney - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1216 |
| Age: | 12 (born 20 May 1887) |
| Whence received: | Smethwick Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh, very fair |
| Hair colour: | Light |
| Eyes colour: | Light blue |
| Height: | 4 ft 4½ ins |
| Particular marks: | One mole(?) dot right buttock |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 16 January 1900 |
| Late residence: | 4 Railway Terrace, Chapel Street, Handsworth |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Schoolboy |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Offence: | Found upon premises |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Lack of parental control |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 10 January 1900; W A Elliss; Smethwick Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 2 |
| Length: | 1) Birched; 2) birched |
| For what: | 1) Stealing pikelets; 2) stealing from Board School |
| Father's name: | Charles Finney |
| Occupation: | Iron worker |
| Mother's name: | Rose Finney |
| Occupation: | Housewife |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | - |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 4 Railway Terrace, Chapel Street, Handsworth |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | W Winfield |
| Notes: | |
| 11 January 1900 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Birmingham Daily Post Thursday 11 January 1900 p.9 col.5: A BAD START. - Bertie Finney (12), of Chapel Street, Handsworth, was yesterday charged, at the Police Court, with being on the premises of Charles Rhodes, boot dealer, of Booth Street, Handsworth, for an unlawful purpose, on Tuesday night. Police-constable Guntrip stated that he was called to the prosecutor's shop, and found the door open and the lad crouching down on a shelf. At the police-station he said he had been sent to get a new pair of boots, as his own were worn out. - The Bench cautioned the prisoner's father about allowing him to sleep out, and ordered the prisoner to be detained at Winson Green Gaol for seven days, and afterwards to be sent to a reformatory for five years. | |
| 6 February 1903 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Finney was licensed to go out and work for Mr Walker, Coleshill Hall Farm | |
| 11 April 1904 Returned to Saltley, as he had been deemed unsatisfactory | |
| 16 January 1905 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| No. in Admissions Register: | 83 |
| Date of admission: | 6 February 1856 |
| Weekly payments: | - |
| Age: | 14 |
| Education: | - |
| Previous employment: | Errand boy |
| Crimes, how often and in what prison: | First offence |
| Training in reformatory: | 22 May 1857 |
| When left reformatory: | - |
| Parentage and family: | Both living |
| Residence: | 12 Warwick Street, Birmingham |
| Trade of father: | - |
| With whom the boy is placed: | Mr Lowe |
| Address: | Nechells Green |
| Trade: | plumber |
Notes:
| 12 January 1856 Very brief details of his crime were published in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 12 January 1856 p.11 col.5: Henry Elkington, for embezzlement, the same sentence [as the previous person in this list, that is, one month in prison and three years at Saltley Reformatory]. |
| 9 June 1856 A short report on the failure of the boy's father to pay maintenance is given in Aris's Birmingham Gazette Monday 9 June 1856 p.4 col.6, which reads: Mr W Morgan, the agent appointed by the Secretary of State to proceed against the parents of juvenile offenders, in the Midland, Oxford, and Western circuits, applied to the magistrates for an order against Thomas Elkington, carpenter, Warwick Street, for the maintenance of his son, Henry Elkington, now in the Saltley Reformatory. The defendant's son was convicted of felony at the Quarter Sessions, and ordered to be sent to the Reformatory for three years. - After enquiry respecting the earnings of the defendant, the Magistrates made an order for 2s per week. |
| 4 April 1857 In the Reformatory Minute book is recorded: 423. Resolved: that an application be made to the Secretary of State for the dismissal of Elkington, Wright [boy 77], Lundy [boy 76], Brookes [boy 61], Dempsey [boy 86], and Campton [boy 54], and that Elkington and Wright be allowed to go to the masters who have applied to take them as apprentices; that Lundy and Brookes be placed under the care of Mr Pawson, who promised to find them work; and that Campton and Dempsey be assisted to emigrate. |
| 20 April 1857 The Minute Book states: 441. Mr Ratcliff reported that a situation was provided for Elkington with Mr Lowe, 340 Nechells Park Road, Aston. |
| Resolved: that Messrs Ratcliff and Morgan see the parent and arrange for the boy going to work, subject to a satisfactory arrangement as to payment of arrears of contribution for maintenance. |
| 3 June 1857 The Minute Book reports: As to Minute 441, Mr Morgan has arranged with Elkington's father and the boy is gone to work with every prospect of proving a creditable character. |
Thomas Oakley - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 333 |
| Date of admission: | 16 March 1866 |
| Whence received: | Stafford |
| By whom brought: | - |
| On what terms: | - |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | - |
| Complexion: | Fair |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| 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: | None |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 14 |
| Illegitimate? | - |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | Gornal, Sedgley |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Not at all |
| Writes: | Not at all |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Pocket picking |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence: | - |
| Where convicted: | - |
| Who prosecuted: | - |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 42 days' prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals and convictions: | Attempting to pick pockets (1 month) |
| Father's name: | John Oakley |
| Occupation: | Blacksmith |
| Residence: | Upper Gornal, Sedgley |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Father's character: | - |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parents dead? | Both living |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Nothing known against them |
| Parents' wages: | 24s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Justices think they ought to pay according to their means |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Hugh McCrea, Bilston |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
Notes:
| 7 February 1866 There is a report of the crime in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 7 February 1866 p.7 col.3: COMMITTAL TO A REFORMATORY.--On Friday, at the Police Court, before H. Ward and J. Perks, Esqrs., Thomas Oakley, 14, and Charles Henry Bradley, 12, were charged with picking pockets at Lower Gornal, on Monday last. It appeared that a "Cheap John" was pursuing his business in the village, and a crowd had collected round, and two women, named Harriet Smart and Emma Harris, had their pockets picked, Smart of 8s., and the other woman of 2s. The prisoners were in the crowd, and, being suspected, were apprehended when they admitted having taken the 8s., and divided it between them, and had some beefsteaks, and Bradley said he had had the 2s., but his companion denied having had share of that. The parents of the prisoners live at Gornal, but have, it seemed, given them up, in consequence of their bad habits. According to their own statement, they have been to Birmingham, learning to steal, and spending their nights in engine houses, and other places, where they could gain shelter. They now appeared in a neglected condition. One of them had been previously convicted before this Bench. The Magistrates now sentenced them to six weeks' imprisonment, and to five years in a Reformatory at the expiration of that time. Oakley thanked tbe Bench, and said he hoped what they had given him would do him good. |
| February 1869 Absconded, but returned and was readmitted |
| 12 July 1869 Licensed |
George Heath - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 706 |
| Age: | 11 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | Marks from bite of dog on left elbow |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 4 September 1882 |
| Late residence: | 35 Park Street, Fenton, Stoke on Trent |
| Parish he belongs to: | Stoke on Trent |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Potting |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing coal |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 4 August 1882; H C Greenwood, Stipendiary; Justices Court, Fenton |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | 1 day in police lockup |
| For what: | Stealing coal |
| Father's name: | Joseph Heath |
| Occupation: | Potter |
| Mother's name: | Elizabeth Heath |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Well and properly treated |
| Character of parents | Nothing known against parents as to honesty and sobriety. Father is now in Stoke Workhouse Infirmary and has been for 6 months |
| Parents' wages: | Mother does not work. 5 children at home, 2 work, one half-time the other full-time. Both earn between them 9s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Nothing |
| Parents address: | 35 Park Street, Fenton, Stoke on Trent |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | George Williams, Superintendent of Police, Longton, Staffordshire |
| Person making this return: | R Lamb, Assistant Clerk to Justices |
Notes:
| 14 December 1885 Medical officer reports: Mumps, convalescent by 18 December | |
| 8 June 1887 Formally discharged from Saltley, on account of emigrating, along with Platt [boy 792] | |