Saltley Reformatory

Harry Orme - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	969
Age:	15
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 7¾ ins
Particular marks:	Cut mark corner left eyebrow, etc
State of health:	See form Medical Officer's report [not attached to Admissions Register]
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	1 August 1891
Late residence:	8 court Herbert Street, Wolverhampton
Parish he belongs to:	Wolverhampton
Customary work and mode of life:	No occupation
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 2
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 2
Offence:	Stealing a loaf
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Lack of parental control
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	24 July 1891; N C A Neville; Wolverhampton Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	10 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1 (and once previously charged and discharged with a caution)
Length:	12 strokes with birch rod
For what:	Stealing sweets
Father's name:	Henry Orme
Occupation:	Blacksmith
Mother's name:	Phoebe Orme (step-mother)
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Mother
Survivor married again?	Yes
Parents' treatment of child:	Neglected
Character of parents	Both parents are reported by the police as being of drunken habits
Parents' wages:	22s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	8 court Herbert Street, Wolverhampton
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

19 July 1894 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Orme was licensed to go out and work for Messers Craddock Bros, boot manufacturers, Wolverhampton

1 August 1896 Sentenced expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley

9 December 1902 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Orme, Wolverhampton

11 August 1903 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Orme, Wolverhampton

Herbert Hartley - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1225
Age:	10 (born 19 February 1890)
Whence received:	Coventry Petty Sessions
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 5 ins
Particular marks:	Small scar right under jaw; 6 ink dots left forearm; 2 dots right forearm
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	9 April 1900
Late residence:	8 Jenner Street, Coventry
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Schoolboy
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 4
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 4
Offence:	Larceny of £2 17s 0d
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Lack of parental control
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	9 April 1900; J Maycock, Coventry
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1 (17 March 1900)
Length:	6 strokes
For what:	Larceny
Father's name:	Thomas Hartley
Occupation:	Carpenter
Mother's name:	Elizabeth Hartley
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:	8 Jenners Street, Coventry
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Chief Constable, Coventry
Person making this return:	James Shirley, Inspector

Notes:

23 March 1900 A previous offence was reported in the Coventry Herald Friday 23 March 1900 p.7 col.4: YOUTHFUL THIEVES. - Herbert Hartley (10), Adelaide-street, and Henry Stevens (12), Harnall-lane, two little boys, were summoned for attempting to steal a quantity of sweets from the shop of Miss A. Jukes, in Victoria-street, Hill-fields.- Complainant stated that on the previous Thursday week she heard a noise in the shop, and saw Hartley standing by the shop door and Stevens coming from behind the counter. Both of the lads ran away when they saw her. There were sweets exposed on the counter, and directly afterwards she missed some of them. - A little boy named Charles Dowse stated that the accused Stevens having told him afterwards that they had "been in the shop and had some sweets." - Police-constable Hutt said that when questioned both the boys admitted having been in the shop. - The Chief Constable said that both the boys had been behaving very badly of late, and might have been prosecuted before. - The Bench ordered them to receive six strokes of the birch each.

6 April 1900 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Coventry Herald Saturday 6 April 1900 p.7 col.2: TWO INCORRIGIBLES. - Two youths named William Thomas Jones (13). of 22, Cope-street, and Herbert Hartley (11), of 8. Jenner-street, were charged with stealing, on or since the 25th u!t., from a satchel at 27, Bishop-street, £1 17s , the monies of Harry Brown Shaw, plumber. - Prosecutor stated he had missed the money on Saturday last. - Inspector Imber gave evidence as to arresting prisoners. Prisoner Jones had stated to him that he met prisoner Hartley on the Friday, and that Hartley told him he had stolen the money on the previous day. Hartley denied this, and stated that Jones gave him 15s., with which he had bought a watch and chain, a pair of leggings, a knife, some cigarettes, and some sweets. - Both prisoners pleaded not guilty, and repeated the statements Inspector Imber had given in evidence. - From statements made by the Chief Constable, it appeared that prisoner Jones was out on ticket-of-leave from the Birmingham Industrial School, where his sentence did not expire until January, 1903. - Prisoner Hartley had been flogged for an offence only the previous week. - Jones' sister pleaded for leniency on his behalf. - The Bench ordered Jones to be sent back to complete his term at the Industrial School, and remanded Hartley to the Workhouse for a week. Sentence was passed the following week, as reported very briefly in the Coventry Herald Friday 13 April 1900 p.7 col.4.

4 November 1902 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Hartley was licensed to go out and work for Mr Maddox, Storridge, Malvern. On 1 April 1903, when his licence was renewed, the address is given as Mr Maddox, Stoke, Leominster

8 April 1905 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

No. in Admissions Register:	245
Date of admission:	8 December 1862
Whence received:	Birmingham Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark 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?	Smallpox
Particular marks:	Pock pitted; moles on neck
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	12
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Broad Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Steel rolling, but generally idle
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing 3 pairs of gloves
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence:	25 November 1862
Where convicted:	Moor Street
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing a pineapple (14 days)
Father's name:	William Evans
Occupation:	Helper at cab stable
Residence:	back of Harvey's grocer, Broad Street, Birmingham
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	Back of 5 Kent Street [this address is a little odd as his mother is given as dead]
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Mother
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Fair character but bad health
Parents' wages:	14s a week
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s a week
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	G Glossop
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:	8 Dec 1867 - Discharged on expiration of sentence

Notes:

26 November 1862 There is a report of the crime in the Birmingham Daily Gazette Wednesday 26 November 1862 p.4 col.5: JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.- Henry Wright, 8, residing in Hurst Street, no occupation, and Frederick Evans. 12, Broad Street, described as a steel roller, were charged with stealing a box of gloves from the shop window of James Burgess, 161, Ledsam Street, draper. From the evidence it seems that about six o'clock the previous evening, the prosecutor heard a noise in his shop, and looking through a small pane of glass in the parlour, observed the prisoner, Henry Wright, crawling out of the shop on his hands and knees. The prosecutor ran out of the parlour, and caught hold of the prisoner Wright, who had the box of gloves under his arm. He also found the other prisoner standing outside the shop door, evidently wailing for his companion. The prosecutor then brought them both into the shop, sent for constable, and on his arrival the prisoner Wright dropped two pairs of gloves upon the floor at his feet, and which the prosecutor picked up. The prisoners were then given into custody. They now pleaded net guilty, and the prisoner Evans, having been previously convicted, they were sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labour, and afterwards to be sent each to a reformatory for five years.

7 November 1865 Absconded with 290 [Nathaniel Newey] and 295 [John Webb], but was immediately retaken in Hand's fields [land adjoining the Reformatory]

5 January 1866 Absconded with 240 [Samuel Rowley]

24 August 1866 Apprehended and re-admitted

8 December 1867 Discharged

20 January 1868 Called at the school and said he was an ostler at the Bull's Head, Cookley, near Kidderminster

November 1869 In Birmingham. Doing pretty well

December 1870 In Birmingham. Doing pretty well

Thomas Partington - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	481
Age:	11
Whence received:	Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	-
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission and term:	5 April 1873 5 years
Late residence:	Rugeley
Parish he belongs to:	Rugeley
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	Not
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Obstructing railway
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Not known
Date of sentence, by who and court:	7 March 1873, Stafford Assizes, Mr Justice Honyman
Where imprisoned:	Stafford
Sentence:	1 month prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	John Partington
Occupation:	Engine tester
Mother's name:	Emma Partington
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	No
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Honest, sober, and health good
Parents' wages:	18s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s per week
Parents address:	9 Crossley Stone Terrace
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Captain Disney, Stafford
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

15 March 1873 There are two related reports in the same newspaper, one where the boy is a defendant, and the other as a witness. The first is in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 15 March 1873 p.6 col.2: A MISCHIEVOUS ACT. - NARROW ESCAPE OF A TRAIN, RICHARD HEATLEY, aged 11, and JOHN THOMAS PARTINGTON, 11 [first names given thus], were indicted for feloniously removing a certain signal upon a certain railway belonging to the London and North Western Railway Company, at the parish of Colton, on the 29th of December, with intent thereby to obstruct a certain engine and carnages travelling thereon, also to unlawfully and wilfully placing a trolly upon the said railway on the same day. , The charges were varied in several counts, and the prisoners pleaded guilty to those for misdemeanour. Mr MOTTERAM, who had been instructed for the prosecution, said the offences were of a most serious nature, and must have been designated as atrocious had they not been committed by children. It would appear that on Sunday, the 29th of December, the express train from London, containing no less than 200 passengers, was near Rugeley station, when it came upon a trolly, which had been placed on the line by the prisoners. Fortunately the weight of the train was so great that it did not leave the rails, but the engine caught the trolly and threw it off the track, smashing it to pieces, and scattering the wood in all directions. The prisoners had also removed a signal. The company had no desire to press the case against the two boys, but it was necessary that thir passengers should be protected against such dangerous acts. He left it with his Lordship to say what should be done with the prisoners. Mr UNDERHILL, who had been instructed for the defence said the real explanation of the matter was that these little boys had placed the trolly upon the line for the purpose of having a ride. It had been left on a siding and secured, but they had unfastened the padlock and pushed it on the main line. In reply to his LORDSHIP, it appeared that the prisoners were connected with a case heard on Saturday, in which one of their companions was charged with setting fire to a stack of hay. His LORDSHIP thought that the best thing that could be done was to send the boys to a Reformatory, but he would think the .matter over. On Thursday the boys were again placed in the dock, and his LORDSHIP said he had carefully considered what should be done with them. He did not like to keep boys in gaol, but they must remain there until the visiting justices could make arrangements for their admission into a Reformatory, which he was told look more time than in other counties. Mr.MOTTERAM said he believed it was a matter of more difficulty that in any other county. His LORDSHIP went on to observe how sad it was that boys so clever and intelligent should have proved themselves so mischievous. Not only had they committed this offence, but from the evidence they gave on Saturday against another little boy charged with setting fire to a stack there was no doubt that they were quite as bad as he. In this case they had shown considerable ingenuity and skill in placing the trolly on the line at a time when the Scotch express train was due, and ii was perfectly shocking to think of the loss of life which would have been caused had the train left the rails. He was very sorry he could not order the boys a good whipping, which would have been the best thing to do, but it was not in his power. They must be imprisoned for one month, and at the end of that time sent to a Reformatory School for five years. His Lordship directed that the boys should not be associated with the adult prisoners, and was told that this was never done in the case of boys so young, but that they would receive instruction in the prison school. His Lordship expressed his approval of this practice.

The second report is in the same issue of the Staffordshire Advertiser, p.10 col.1: ALLEGED ARSON AT RUGELEY. EDWARD HEATHERLEY, a little boy eleven years of age, was indicted for feloniously and maliciously setting fire to a stack of hay, at the parish of Rugeley, on the 3rd of December. Mr. C. Smith, who conducted the prosecution, observed, in opening the case, that it was lamentable that so grievous a charge should have to be preferred against so young a boy, but if the jury were satisfied with the evidence, it would be their duty to say that he was guilty. It was not necessary that they should believe that the prisoner bore any malice towards the prosecutor, but if they were satisfied that he wilfully and mischievously set fire the rick, they would justified in convicting him. The evidence would show that the prisoner and some other boys of his own age had made a fire of wood at some little distance from the prosecutor's rick, from which they afterwards took hay to bum. The prisoner took some lighted hay and tried to set fire to the stack. At first the light he carried went out, and he then returned the to bonfire several times to get fresh lights. He first threw the burning hay over the fence, and then got over himself and put it to the rick, which then took fire. The prisoner's companions, seeing the mischief he had done, did all in their power to extinguish the fire, but the rick was nearly all destroyed. Thomas Golding, the owner of the rick, stated that it contained more than two tons of hay, and was worth about £10. Joseph Brown, son of Jeremiah Brown, and John Thomas Partington, another boy, who were in the prisoner's company at the time, also gave evidence. Partington, who is only eleven years of age, was brought from the gaol, being in custody awaiting his trial at these Assizes on the charge of placing a trolly on the railway and removing the signal. From these boys' evidence it appeared that the prisoner assisted them in endeavouring to extinguish the fire. His LORDBHIP, in summing up, told the jury that the prisoner being under fourteen years of age the law presumed that he was incapable of that degree of malice necessary to constitute a felony of this kind, but this presumption coiild, of course, be rebutted by strong evidence. In this case there appeared an absence of malice. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Hit LORDSHIP, before the prisoner was discharged, advised him never to play with fire again.

13 February 1877 Licensed to work for [sentence ends here]

John Harwood - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	713
Age:	15
Whence received:	H M Prison Birmingham
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Blue
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Lost left leg and thigh
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Lost left leg and thigh
Date of admission:	1 January 1882
Late residence:	3 court 3 house Nelson Yard, Deritend, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Not any
Whether illegitimate:	Yes
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Vagrancy, begging
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Hunger and neglect
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	19 December 1882; J D Goodman and Charles Sturge; Birmingham Police Court
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Birmingham
Sentence:	14 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	14 days hard labour
For what:	vagrancy, begging
Father's name:	John Harwood
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Sarah Hartwood
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Both alive
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Neglected; allowed to loiter in street begging
Character of parents	Fairly good
Parents' wages:	Father 21s per week, mother nil
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	3 court 3 house Nelson Yard, Deritend, Birmingham
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	A Tinkler, Governmor, H M Prison Birmingham

Notes:

9 October 1882 There was a train collision reported in several newspapers, including the Birmingham Mail 9 October 1882 p.3 col.4, in which among a list of persons injured in the collision is: ...John Harwood, Nelson Yard, Deritend, legs hurt;''' This may be the cause of the boy losing his leg

14 April 1887 Formally discharged from Saltley by order of the Home Secretary, on account of emigrating to Canada, along with Stevenson [boy 709] and Edge [boy 758]

8 November 1887 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

12 June 1888 The Log Book report records receipt of another letter from Harwood, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

14 August 1888 The Log book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

22 April 1889 The Log book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

11 June 1889 The Log book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

8 October 1889 The Log book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada

10 August 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of another letter from Harwood, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

13 October 1891 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Ontario, Canada

9 February 1892 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Toronto, Canada

18 April 1893 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

12 February 1895 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Brantford, Ontario

11 February 1896 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Harwood, Brantford, Ontario