Saltley Reformatory

John Handy - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1251
Age:	13 (born 17 May 1887)
Whence received:	Birmingham Assizes
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	Bluish grey
Height:	4 ft 7½ ins
Particular marks:	3 dos and X [cross?] left arm, 3 dots and J H right arm, cut over right eyebrow
State of health:	Fair
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	17 December 1900
Late residence:	59 Upper Gough Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Selling newspapers
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Offence:	Throwing iron horse shoes at a railway train
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Parental neglect. Street hawking
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	10 December 1900; Sir John Compton Lawrence; Birmingham Assizes
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	3 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	Fined 1s and costs or 3 days in prison
For what:	-
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Elizabeth Handy
Occupation:	Paper seller
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	No
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	59 Upper Gough Street, Birmingham
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Chief Constable, Birmingham
Person making this return:	W Wingfield

Notes:

20 July 1903 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Handy was licensed to go out and work for Mr Hines, Nechells Place, Birmingham

18 September 1903 Absconded from employer, police were informed who arrested him and he was returned to Saltley

16 December 1903 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

Luke Gold - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	270
Date of admission:	25 January 1864
Whence received:	Stafford Prison
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	Birthmark outside right leg
Cutaneous disorder?
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	Not
Age last birthday:	12
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Kinver
Parish he belongs to:	Kinver
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	Enville
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	House breaking
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Loss of parents and having no home
Date of sentence:	3 January 1864
Where convicted:	Stafford Quarter Sessions
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	21 days, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	None
Father's name:	James Pleavey (stepfather)
Occupation:	-
Residence:	The Woodhouse, near Kidderminster
Mother's name:	Sarah Pleavey
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	Not known
Parents' treatment of child:	Not known
Character of parents	Not known
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	Mr Fulford
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

9 January 1864 There is a brief report of the crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 9 January 1864 p.6 col.7: LUKE GOLD, 12. labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Samuel Cope, at Kinfare, and stealing therein the sum 1s 7d., one pencil, one handkerchief, and other articles. The prisoner was sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment, and was ordered to be afterwards confined in a reformatory for three years.

18 May 1866 Licensed to work for Mr Gover, Woodlands Farm, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire

June 1867 Heard of doing well

25 December 1867 Heard of doing well. "Much improved"

May 1868 Kinver. Doing well

James Plant - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	294
Date of admission:	20 January 1865
Whence received:	Stafford
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Hazel
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Neither satisfactorily
Particular marks:	Long scar right of face
Cutaneous disorder?	Not
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not apparent
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	14
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Wolverhampton
Parish he belongs to:	Wolverhampton
Customary work and mode of life:	Gunlocksmith
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Breaking into a schoolhouse and larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	20 October 1864
Where convicted:	Wolverhampton
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	3 months, 3 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Two
Father's name:	William Plant
Occupation:	Packer
Residence:	Ablow Street, Wolverhampton
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Brought up by grandparents
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	12s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	W Fulford, Stafford
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

10 August 1864 There is a report of a previous, crime in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 10 August 1864 p.4 col.4: BREAKING INTO ST PAUL'S SCHOOL.-Two lads about twelve years of age. named James Plant and John Welch, were brought before J, Hawksford (the Mayor), T. S. Simkiss, and C. B. Mander, Esqs., at the Police Court, yesterday, charged with having broken into St. Paul's Schools, in Merridale Street, and stealing therefrom the sum of £2. Mr. Sowray, the schoolmaster, stated that he left the two missionary boxes produced and twelve others, in the school on Sunday afternoon, and on the following Monday morning he discovered that the school had been entered by someone, in the interval, and the fourteen boxes, which were kept in a cupboard, and their contents taken away. Mrs. Groves, the person employed to clean the school stated that she was the first person to into the schools on Monday morning, and found the cupboard doors in the boys' room, and the entrance door to the girls' room to the class room burst open. She afterwards gave information to the schoolmaster.-A youth, named Robert Lee, said that between nine and ten o'clock on Sunday night, he saw the two prisoners coming over the privy wall leading from the girls' playground in connection with the above schools, and after dropping into an adjoining field, they both ran off.-lt was in consequence of the information thus received that the prisoners, who are both old offenders were arrested on suspicion.-On the application of the Chief Constable, the Bench remanded them until Saturday next, to give Inspector Butler an opportunity of obtaining additional evidence.

26 October 1864 The crime that sent him to Saltley is very similar, with a very brief report in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 10 August 1864 p.4 col.4: THE ROBBERY FROM ST PAUL'S SCHOOL - JAMES PLANT, JOHN WEBB, and THOMAS ROACH, three boys, for breaking into Si. Paul's school-room and stealing the contents of the missionary boxes, each three months' imprisonment, to be followed by three years at a Reformatory.

Herbert Timms - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	738
Age:	12
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Pale
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Cut left side of forehead, 2 moles on right shoulder
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Date of admission:	4 October 1883
Late residence:	3 Thomas Street, Burton on Trent
Parish he belongs to:	Burton on Trent
Customary work and mode of life:	No occupation
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Sacrilege
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	5 November 1883; Sir John Pearson; Court of Assize
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	-
For what:	Stealing pork pie
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	Hannah Timms
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	No
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Good. Circumstances very poor
Parents' wages:	Not in any employment, supported by the parish
Amount parents agree to pay:	See previous question
Parents address:	3 Thomas Street, Burton on Trent
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	James Gilbert, Superintendent of Police, Burton on Trent
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

Brother of William Josiah Timms (boy 737). Click here to go to his record.

5 October 1883 There is a report of the crime in the Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal Friday 5 October 1883 p.8 col.7: BURGLARY AND SACRILEGE BY BOYS. - At the Police Court, Tuesday, before Col. Levett, M.P., H. Wardle, M. Richardson, and G. W. Peace, Esqs., five boys, named Downes, of Thornley-street; Wm. Timms, Herbert Timms, and Smith, Victoria-street; and Hickinbottom, Thornley-street; whose ages ranged from nine to fifteen years, were charged with breaking into a warehouse belonging to Mr. Harrison, auctioneer, Derby-street, and stealing 54 bottles of lime juice and glycerine, 16 cigar cases, two albums, and other articles, value £3, on the 25th. ult. Mr. Wilson defended Hickinbottom. - Police-constable Shaffery gave evidence to the effect that in consequence of information received he and police-constable Buggy secreted themselves inside the warehouse, and just before eleven o'clock at night, they heard a horse and cart drive up. Smith and the elder Timms entered the warehouse and carried out a basket, which contained the things mentioned, and which it is supposed they had previously packed, to the cart. The officers followed them, and saw Downes and the younger Timms on the cart. Downes attempted to drive off, but was prevented, and all four prisoners were removed to the police station. Each of the prisoners tried to lay the blame on the other, Wm. Timms saying that Hickinbottom was present. - Mr. Wilsom contended that there was no evidence against the latter, who was discharged. - The other four prisoners were further charged with stealing s set of harness, value £1, on the 25th. ult. - this was the harness found on the horse. The horse and cart had since both been identified, one belonging to one man and the other to another, and the harness to prosecutor, a beerhouse keeper at Little Burton. - There was a third case of breaking into the Hunter-street Church, on the 25th. ult., and stealing five altar cloths, a wash leather, a sponge, an ink bottle, some keys, and two boxes of matches, value £2. - The prisoners were suspected of this theft, and upon making enquiries, the police found that they had sold the altar cloths to Mrs. Jones, a second-hand clothes dealer in Waterloo-street, for 2s. 6d., and the wash leather to a Mrs. Preece, in Horninglow-street, for 2d. The sponge and keys were found on Smith, and the inkstand and matches on the elder Timms. - Mrs Timms asked the Magistrates to deal leniently with her children, but Col. Levstt said it was the worst case that had ever come before him. It was something extraordinary that boys so young should have kept up such a a system of robbery, and it only showed the Bench that the parents must have known something of their conduct. - All the prisoners were committed for trial at the Assizes, the younger Timms being admitted to bail.
10 November 1883 The sentences were handed down a week later, as reported in the Birmingham Daily Post Saturday 10 November 1883 p.6 col.5: STAFFORDSHIRE AND SALOP ASSIZES. - YESTERDAY. - Before MR. JUSTICE PEARSON. - SENTENCES� William Archibald Downes, William Josiah Timms, George Smith, and Herbert Timms, four lads who were convicted this previous eveninig of stealing goods from a warehouse, at Burton-on-Trent, were sentenced to one month's imprisonment and five years in a reformatory; his lordship requesting that thee boys should be sent to different reformatories.

9 January 1887 The Reformatory Committee Log Book records that Timms had been licensed on 31 December to be let out to work for H Rivett Esq., Lancashire Mills, Stockport

30 June 1887 The Log Book now records Timms as like his brother, working for Messrs Smith, Higher Hillgate Mill, Stockport

5 April 1888 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Herbert and William Timms. Stockport, Cheshire

December 1888 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence

George Smith - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	997
Age:	14
Whence received:	H M Prison Shrewsbury
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Brown
Height:	4 ft 4½ ins
Particular marks:	Pock mark left arm
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	14 April 1892
Late residence:	No fixed abode
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Nil
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Lodging in an outhouse
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	4 April 1892; Thomas Hughes and William Coward; Llangollen Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Shrewsbury
Sentence:	10 days in prison, 2 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	None
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Both
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

6 April 1892 There is a report of the crime in the Oswestry Advertiser Wednesday 6 April 1892 p.8 col.1: LLANGOLLEN. STRANGE ADVENTURE OF FOUR YOUNG TRAMPS. - About two a.m. on Wednesday, P.S. Bagshaw and P.C. Williams on their nightly rounds on the Ruabon road, observed smoke and sparks issuing from a platelayers hut, on this side of the railway near the Woodlands. They demanded entrance, but were refused, and found that the door was barricaded by "sleepers." On forcing an entrance, they found four lads enjoying a coarse meal around a blazing fire. As they were entire strangers to the place, they were locked up and remanded by Mr Coward next morning until Monday. They gave the names of Thos. Lawrence Allen. 15, and Arthur Allen, 14, brothers, from Rochdale, W. Charles Griffiths, 15, Liverpool, and George Smith, 14, London. They were miserably clad, and had all the appearances of confirmed tramps. Their photos were taken, and sent to the addresses given, but Griffiths and Smith having given wrong addresses the police failed to find any information respecting them. It was found, however, that Thomas Allen had been convicted at Rochdale, and having become unmanageable, had enticed his brother away with him. On Sunday night a youth came over in company with a police officer from Wrexham, and identified prisoners as the lads who had broken into a warehouse in the Central Station, and about seven days previously the cap of one of them having been found in the railway carriage, where it appeared as if they had been partaking of the fruit of their plunder, in the shape of potted meat. - Thomas Allen and George Smith were ordered to be imprisoned for ten days, and to be kept in a certified Industrial school for two years. Arthur Allen and Griffiths were sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, and ordered to be kept in an industrial school for twelve months.

13 April 1894 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley

12 June 1894 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records that although discharged from Saltley, Smith had requested assistance in emigrating to Canada and this request was granted and he left [probably on 9 June 1894]

14 August 1894 The Log book report records receipt of 2 letters from Smith, Richmond, Quebec