Ralph Ewart Darby - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1242 |
| Age: | 13 (born 13 March 1887) |
| Whence received: | Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown mottled |
| Height: | 4 ft 8¼ ins |
| Particular marks: | + [cross?] right forearm, O left forearm, 8 left forearm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 25 July 1900 |
| Late residence: | 206 Green Lane, Walsall |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Schoolboy - has been an inmate of a truant school |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Offence: | Vagrancy |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad companions |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 23 July 1900; W J Pearman Smith; Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | Birched |
| For what: | Larceny |
| Father's name: | Daniel Darby |
| Occupation: | Chain maker |
| Mother's name: | Eliza Darby |
| 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: | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Constable, Walsall |
| Person making this return: | Alfred Haycock |
| Notes: | |
| 28 July 1900 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Walsall Advertiser Saturday 28 July 1900 p.5 col.6: QUALIFIED FOR A REFORMATORY. Ralph Darby, 13, of Green Lane, was that morning found by Police-constable Morris asleep in a cart shed at the rear of 244. Green Lane. He had been to truant school for 11 weeks, and had also been flogged with a birch rod for theft. His father said the boy had been away from home a week. - Mr Newman (deputy magistrates' clerk) said this was another case in which a magistrates' older had been ineffective - the boy had been sent to a truant school for a certain time, and released in 11 weeks. - The Mayor said the father had evidently been very negligent of the boy, and it would be better for him to go to a reformatory, where he would be made a man of. | |
| 13 March 1903 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Darby was licensed to go out and work for Mr Wakefield, Bredon, near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire | |
| 22 July 1904 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| No. in Admissions Register: | 505 |
| Age: | 15 |
| Whence received: | Stafford County Prison |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission and term: | 1 April 1874 5 years |
| Late residence: | Hanley |
| Parish he belongs to: | Tunstall |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Potting |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing a coat |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 1 January 1874, Hanley Petty Sessions, E T Bodley and J B Boothroy |
| Where imprisoned: | Stafford |
| Sentence: | 3 months prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | None |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Sarah Gardner |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Honest and sober, health good |
| Parents' wages: | None |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | None |
| Parents address: | Hanley |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
Notes:
John Pitt - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 158 |
| Date of admission: | 22 July 1859 |
| Whence received: | Warwick House of Correction |
| By whom brought: | - |
| On what terms: | Under committal |
| Friends interested in him: | |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | Small |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| Perfect vision? | Yes |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Sound intellect? | Yes |
| Use of all limbs? | Yes |
| Had cow or small pox? | Vaccinated |
| Particular marks: | Scar on forehead, cut on left hand |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 10 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | Birmingham |
| Parish to which he belongs: | Not known |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Iron tinning |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | None |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing five bottles of porter |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Being in company with other bad boys |
| Date of sentence: | 8 July 1859 |
| Where convicted: | Erdington |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Sentence: | 14 days prison, 5 years detention at Saltley |
| Previous committals and convictions: | None |
| Father's name: | John Pitt |
| Occupation: | Brewer |
| Residence: | Golden Cup Yard, Little Charles Street, Birmingham |
| Mother's name: | Mary Pitt |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Father's character: | - |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents: | Honest, sober, and industrious |
| Parents' wages: | Not known |
| Weekly amount parents will pay | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
Notes:
| 17 April 1864 Licenced to work for Richard Smith, Marshall Street, Holloway Head, Birmingham |
| Letter received by the school: Birmingham, 19th 1864: Sir, Mister Humphries, This is to say that the bearer of this, John Pitt, has turned out satisfactory to me I still wish to keep him as I believe he wished to remain. Yours &c...., Richard Smith, tailor, 9 Marshall Street, Birmingham |
| December 1865 Selling newspapers. Untidy in appearance but not recommitted. |
| October 1866 Selling newspapers. Untidy in appearance but not recommitted. |
| 27 December 1867 Selling newspapers. Untidy in appearance but not recommitted. |
Charles Green - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 731 |
| Age: | 15 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Hazel |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | Blue dot left arm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 19 September 1883 |
| Late residence: | 38 Lawrence Street, Birmingham |
| Parish he belongs to: | Birmingham |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Working in a cooper's shop |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing 1 bottle and 1½ pints of whiskey |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Says for the use of his companion |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 30 August 1883; A Hill; Birmingham Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Birmingham |
| Sentence: | 21 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 2 |
| Length: | 1) 4 days in prison; 2) 1 month in prison |
| For what: | 1) Stealing brass; 2) assault |
| Father's name: | Thomas Green |
| Occupation: | Coal dealer and cooper |
| Mother's name: | Betsy Green |
| Occupation: | No occupation |
| Parents dead? | Both alive |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Kind |
| Character of parents | Fairly respectable |
| Parents' wages: | Cannot be ascertained |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 38 Lawrence Street, Birmingham |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Superintendent Wilcox, Moor Street, Birmingham |
| Person making this return: | M Foster, H M Prison Birmingham |
| Notes: | |
| 30 August 1883 There was a report of the crime in the Birmingham Mail Thursday 30 August 1883 p.3 col.4: STEALING A BOTTLE OF WHISKY. Charles Green (15), 38, Tanter Street, and John Shannon (18), no address, were charged with stealing a bottle of whisky from the Birmingham Concert Hall bar, Coleshill Street. - John Loach, a waiter at the concert hall, said that he saw the prisoner Green climb up to the counter and snatch a bottle of whisky, which he ran off with. Witness caught him at the door, but by that time he had transferred the bottle to Shannon. Shannon, when apprehended by Police-sergeant Dabbs, said they had gone into the bar for a "nose-ender," which meant the stump of a cigar. The boys pleaded guilty, and having both been previously convicted,. Green was sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment, and five years' detention in a reformatory; and Shannon three months' hard labour. | |
| 13 September 1885 Absconded with Ward [boy 718] and Woodcock [boy 722] from the playground at 3.30 | |
| 14 September 1885 Brought back by his father | |
| 4 July 1886 Having been licensed to go out to work, the Committee Log Book records that he has a good report from his employer, Mr Hardiman | |
| 19 May 1886 The Reformatory Committee Log Book records receipt of a letter from Green, c/o Mr Hardiman, Manchester | |
| 14 June 1886 The Log Book records receipt of another letter from Green, address Hulme, Manchester, and yet another on 1 July | |
| December 1886 The Log Book records receipt of another letter from Green, address c/o Mr W. Hardiman, 183 City Road, Hulme, Manchester | |
| 6 May 1887 The Log Book records a good report from his employer, Mr Hardiman, 24 Ann Street, City Road, Hulme, Manchester | |
| 15 April 1887 The Log Book records receipt of a letter from Green, same address | |
| 29 September 1887 Discharged early from Saltley. The Log Books records that this is because: has been on licence nearly two years and has good reports [from his employers] during this period | |
| 5 April 1888 The Log Book records receipt of a letter from Green, Manchester | |
| 8 October 1889The Log Book records receipt of a letter from Green, Royal Artillery, Preston | |
Charles Prowett - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 988 |
| Age: | 11 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Nottingham |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 1 in |
| Particular marks: | Nil |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Slightly built |
| Date of admission: | 22 January 1892 |
| Late residence: | 6 Middleton Street, Nottingham |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | To school irregularly |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 4 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 4 |
| Offence: | Stealing a jacket and shirt |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 23 December 1891; J L Franklin and H F Smith; Nottingham Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Nottingham |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | 6 strokes with birch rod |
| For what: | Stealing a sovereign |
| Father's name: | Joseph Prowett |
| Occupation: | Lace warper |
| Mother's name: | Maria Prowett |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | For some reason the boy seems to have been beyond their control |
| Character of parents | Both reported as being "respectable" |
| Parents' wages: | Father earns 20s per week |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 5 Middleton Street, Nottingham |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 23 December 1891 There is a brief report of the crime in the Nottingham Evening Post Wednesday 23 December 1891 p.3 col.3: A JUVENILE OFFENDER. - Charles Prowett, a boy, from Beeston, was charged on remand with robbing his parents and absconding to Nottingham, where he was apprehended. The magistrates had considered the advisability of sending him to a reformatory, but Mrs. Prowett asked them to give him another chance. There was also a charge of stealing money from his sister. The Bench said the parents had shown their inability to take care of him, and decided to send him to a reformatory for four years. The father said he should prefer a training vessel, and the Bench promised to forward the request to the proper quarter. | |
| 28 November 1895 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Prowett was licensed to go out and work for Mr Assinder, Gosta Green, Birmingham | |
| 21 January 1896 Sentence expired while out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 11 October 1898 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Prowett, Beeston, Nottinghamshire | |