Richard Withers - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1246 |
| Age: | 15 (born 30 April 1885) |
| Whence received: | Walsall Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Dark |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 8 ins |
| Particular marks: | Small scar top of head, 4 vacc. [marks] left arm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 18 October 1900 |
| Late residence: | - |
| Parish he belongs to: | Walsall |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 3 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 3 |
| Offence: | Indecent assault |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Police report - the boy has not lived with his father for the past 12 months but resided at the house where he committed the offence against one of the daughters of the family |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 9 October 1900; James Russell; Guildhall Police Court, Walsall |
| Where imprisoned: | Not |
| Sentence: | Detained at Saltley until the age of 19 |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | Nil |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Richard Withers |
| Occupation: | Brass worker |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Mother |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Not good |
| Character of parents | Nothing known against him |
| Parents' wages: | Not stated |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not yet assessed |
| Parents address: | Portway Road, Wednesbury |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Chief Constable, Walsall |
| Person making this return: | Alfred Haycock, Police Office, Walsall |
| Notes: | |
| 13 October 1900 The crime that sent him to Saltley was briefly reported in the Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Chronicle Saturday 13 October 1900 p.7 col.1: SENT TO A TRAINING SHIP. - Richard Withers (15), of Wednesbury Road, Pleck, was summoned for indecently assaulting a girl of six on Monday. - This boy had been adopted by the father of the girl. - The magistrates decided to deal with the case themselves and sent the boy to a training, ship, to be remanded to the workhouse until necessary arrangements could be made. Clearly the boy could not be sent to a training ship, a kind of floating reformatory, as he was sent to Saltley. | |
| 1 August 1903 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Withers was licensed to go out and work for Messers Wilkinson & Sons, Saltley | |
| 29 April 1904 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| James Giles - Saltley Reformatory Inmate | |
| No. in Admissions Register: | 495 |
| Age: | 12 |
| Whence received: | - |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission and term: | 23 December 1873 2 years |
| Late residence: | Stafford |
| Parish he belongs to: | Stafford |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Shoemaker |
| Whether illegitimate: | Not |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing a knife |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 24 November 1873, Stafford Petty Sessions, J Kelsall and H W Gibson |
| Where imprisoned: | Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month prison (hard labour), 2 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | None |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | James Giles |
| Occupation: | Shoemaker |
| Mother's name: | Sarah Giles |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Good |
| Parents' wages: | At least 20s |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Won't promise but deemed able to pay 2s per week |
| Parents address: | Queen Street, Stafford |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| When and How Left Reformatory | 22 Dec 1875 on expiration of sentence |
Notes:
| 29 November 1873 There was a report of the crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 29 November 1873 p.7 col.2: LARCENY BY A BOY. - James Giles, aged twelve, the son of a shoemaker residing in the Broad Eye, was charged with stealing a pocket-knife from the shop of Mr Henry Finlow, Greengate Street. On Saturday night the prisoner was observed by Mrs. Finlow to enter the shop and to take therefrom a pocket knife (produced). She caught hold of him as he was leaving, but proved too strong for her. and eluding her grasp by nearly knocking her down, made good his escape. Information was given to Police Sergeant Stretton, who apprehended the boy the same night at his father's house. The youthful delinquent, who had been twice previously beaten with the birch rod, was ordered to be Imprisoned for a month, and then sent to a reformatory for two years. |
| 22 December 1875 Discharged - returned to Stafford |
David Platt - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 640 |
| Age: | 12 |
| Whence received: | Stafford Prison |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light brown |
| Eyes colour: | Light blue |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | None |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 24 April 1880 |
| Late residence: | Wolverhampton |
| Parish he belongs to: | Wolverhampton |
| Customary work and mode of life: | None |
| Whether illegitimate: | Yes |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing a satchel |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad example and bad training |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 27 March 1880; M Underhill and M Ironmonger; Wolverhampton Court of summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 28 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 4 |
| Length: | 3 days and whipped |
| For what: | Stealing |
| Father's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Mother's name: | Mary Ann Platt |
| Occupation: | Charwoman |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good (taught to steal) |
| Character of parents | Not good |
| Parents' wages: | Mother lives principally by stealing |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Will probably not be able to pay anything |
| Parents address: | Mary Ann Platt, Brickiln Street, Wolverhampton |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Major Hay, Chief Constable, Wolverhampton |
| Person making this return: | - |
Notes:
| 27 March 1880 There is a report of the crim that sent him to Saltley in the Wolverhampton Express and Star Saturday 27 March 1880 p.3 col.2: YOUTHFUL HIGHWAYMEN. - Davi4 Platt, alias Lowbridge (11), Little Brickkiln-street, David Henry turner (11), Oxford-street, and William Turner (9), were brought up in custody charged with stealing a satchel and 9d,. from the person of Ann Lawson, a young girl, in New Hampton-road, on Thursday last, .and Platt's mother was charged with receiving a portion of the money with a guilty knowledge. - The boys threatened to throw the girl into a pool if she did not give up the satchel, and thus succeeded in getting it from her, along with the money, which was inside it. Platt afterwards gave his mother 5½d. - Mrs Platt and the two Turners were cautioned and discharged, and David Platt, who bears a bad character, was committed to gaol for a month and a reformatory for five years. |
| 29 December 1887 A crime committed after he left Saltley is reported in the Birmingham Daily Post Thursday 29 December 1887 p.3 col.6: A YOUNG CRIMINAL. - At the Police Court yesterday, David Platt (17), of Brock Street, Salop Street, was charged with stealing an apron, valued at 10d, the property of Fanny Hibbert, widow, of New Hampton Road. The apron, which was missing from a clothes line, was found in the possession of the prisoner. - The Stipendiary (Mr. Neville) stated that although the prisoner was only seventeen years. of ago he had already been charged with seven offences, and had been sentenced to five years' detention in a reformatory. He had commenced the life of an habitual criminal, which would end in penal servitude. - Prisoner was sentenced to three months' hard Iabour. |
William Kirk - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 778 |
| Age: | 12 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | Good |
| Particular marks: | None |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Date of admission: | 18 September 1885 |
| Late residence: | Stafford Street, Walsall |
| Parish he belongs to: | Walsall |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Attended school |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Offence: | Stealing 4s 6d in money |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Led astray |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 5 September 1885; A E G Calthorpe and W M Ellis; West Bromwich Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 14 days hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | - |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Thomas Kirk |
| Occupation: | Caster |
| Mother's name: | Janie Kirk |
| Occupation: | No occupation |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Kindly treated |
| Character of parents | Honest, sober. Father has bad health [However, a footnote says Family are thieves. Parents are lazy and neglect their children] |
| Parents' wages: | Average 15s weekly |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | The father of this boy this day to H M Prison Stafford for 10 days for non-payment of contribution for his child John, now detained in this school |
| Parents address: | 16 The Buildings, George Street, Walsall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | J W Caber, Walsall |
| Person making this return: | |
| Notes: | |
| Brother of John Kirk (boy 734). Click here to go to his record | |
| 8 July 1885 A possible previous offence was reported in the Wolverhampton Express and Star Wednesday 8 July 1885 p.3 col.3: Joseph Poxon and William Kirk, two boys, were charged with stealing 1s. 4d. out of a shop till, the property of Prim Butler, and were sentenced to six days' imprisonment; Kirk, who had been previously convicted, to receive six strokes with a birch rod. | |
| 12 September 1885 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Chronicle Saturday 12 September 1885 p.5 col.4: A GANG OF YOUNG THIEVES. - At the West Bromwich Police Court, on Saturday, David Kirk (17), Charles Wilkinson (16), John Richards (14), and William Kirk (11), all of Walsall, were charged with stealing 4s. 6d. from a till in the shop of John Preston. general dealer, 234, Spon Lane, on the 27th ult. - Evidence was given by Mrs. Preston as to two of the boys coming into the shop for some sweets, and to her missing 4s. 6d. from the till. - Police-sergeant Bishop arrested the prisoners Wilkinson and David Kirk, in a lodging-house in Spon Lane and received the others in custody from the Smethwick police. When charged, Wilkinson said he and young Kirk went into the shop while the other two waited outside. - There were three other charges of larceny against the prisoners, but they were not proceeded with. - Wilkinson and David Kirk were sentenced to three months' hard labour each; Richard's to a month's hard labour, and four years in a Reformatory; and William Kirk to fourteen days' hard labour, and four years in a Reformatory. | |
| 9 February 1889 The Register of Boys on Licence reports that Kirk was licensed to go out and work for Mr Wood, Lyttleton Street, Walsall | |
| 17 September 1890 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |
Lewis Stanley - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 992 |
| Age: | 12 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | - |
| Hair colour: | - |
| Eyes colour: | - |
| Height: | - |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Date of admission: | 1892 |
| Late residence: | 99 Wood Street, Willenhall |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | - |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 1 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 1 |
| Offence: | Stealing a woollen shawl |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 1 February 1892; J Tildesley; Willenhall Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 10 days in prison, 3 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (15 December 1890) |
| Length: | Let off on account of youth |
| For what: | Theft |
| Father's name: | Lewis Stanley |
| Occupation: | Caster |
| Mother's name: | Sarah Stanley |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents | The police report that the father of the boy has been frequently convicted of drunkenness and other offences |
| Parents' wages: | 25s to 30s per week. There are 10 other children |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 99 Wood Street, Willenhall |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 9 February 1895 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |