Saltley Reformatory

John Bishop - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1255
Age:	11 years 11 months (born 18 February 1889)
Whence received:	Burton on Trent Petty Sessions
Description:
Complexion:	Sallowish
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey, sunken
Height:	4 ft 6 ins
Particular marks:	Lost first finger on right hand; scar on forehead
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	21 January 1901
Late residence:	18 Princess Street, Burton on Trent
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Schoolboy. Continually playing truant
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Writes:	Imperfectly, Standard 3
Offence:	Larceny
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Lack of parental control
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	18 January 1901; J R Morris and G L Blackhall; Burton on Trent Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	Birched
For what:	Larceny
Father's name:	John Bishop
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	Mary Ann Bishop
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:	18 Princess Street, Burton on Trent
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Superintendent Hicklin, Burton on Trent
Person making this return:	S Hicklin

Notes:

24 January 1901 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Burton Chronicle Thursday 24 January 1901 p.7 col.1: SENT TO A REFORMATORY. - Thos. Stroud, an old offender, of 7 house, No.2 Branch, Wellington Street, John Bishop, a schoolboy, of Princess Street, and Thomas Millar, errand boy, of Wellington Street, were charged with stealing a box of briar pipes, valued at 6s., the property of Edith Corton, tobacconist, of Derby Street. - Prosecutrix said the stolen articles were in a cardboard box in her shop at twenty minutes past eight on Tuesday night, but whilst she was away a few minutes they had disappeared. She did not see the prisoners about. - Elizabeth Gopsall, wife of William Charles Gopsall, of Wellington Street, said she searched the house in consequence of what had been communicated by the police, and found the pipes, with a box of cigarettes, in the coalhouse. - Police-constable Bennett said he arrested the prisoners on Wednesday, and found the briar pipes on the prisoner Stroud. He charged the prisoners jointly with the theft, and Stroud said: "Yes, Millar and I went into the shop while Bishop watched outside and received the case." Bishop afterwards showed the constable where the case was, down the Rifleman Inn yard, and said there were but five pipes in the case and not six. - All three boys having been previously convicted the magistrates decided to send them to a truant school for five years.

6 April 1905 Formally discharged from Saltley by order of the Home Secretary on account of emigrating to Melbourne, Quebec, Canada on board the SS Virginian

John Gravin - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	319
Date of admission:	6 November 1865
Whence received:	Birmingham
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	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?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	Scar on left eye
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	14
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Lichfield Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Liverpool
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing 8 brushes
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	9 October 1865
Where convicted:	Moor Street before J Jeffray and W Holland
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	1 month prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	One
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Margaret Gravin
Occupation:	Matchmaker
Residence:	On tramp
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	Twelve times in prison for drunkenness
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	Not
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to 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:

13 December 1864 His previous offence was reported in the Birmingham Daily Post Monday 12 December 1864 p.3 col.3: A GANG OF YOUNG THIEVES. - Thomas Higgins (14), residing In London Prentice Street; Samuel Dunn (14), residing In Fox Street; . and John Gravine, (13), residing in London Prentice Street, were brought up on remand, charged . with stealing a quantity of velvet from the shop of Ann Ponton, haberdasher, residing at No. 9, Stafford Street, on Thursday evening .last. A witness, named George Singham, stated that on the evening in question he was standing by a baker's opposite prosecutrix's shop, when he saw the three prisoners standing there. Immediately afterwards he saw Dunn take the velvet from the window and hand it to one of his comrades, who went away with It. The prisoners were afterwards apprehended by Police-constables Briscoe and Bishop. The evidence was insufficient to convict Hlggins, who was therefore discharged, after receiving a severe reprimand from the Bench. Dunn was sentenced to twenty-one days' Imprisonment, and at the expiration of that time to be sent to a reformatory school for five years. Gravine was sentenced to ten days' imprisonment.

9 October 1865 The crime was reported in the Birmingham Daily Gazette Monday 9 October 1865 p.6 col.3: A CANDIDATE FOR A REFORMATORY.-John Gravin, aged 13, no trade, residing in Lichfield Street, was charged with stealing eight brushes, the property of J. Ford, of Coleshill Street. The prisoner and another lad not in custody were seen to take the brushes from the shop door, and ran away. The prisoner pleaded guilty. Inspector Percy said the prisoner was anxious to be sent to a reformatory. The lad's father had run away, and the mother bad been brought up ten or a dozen times before the Magistrates. The prisoner's wish was complied with, and he was sent to gaol for one month, and afterwards to a reformatory for five years.

5 March 1867 Absconded when taking care of the cart and horse in town

Thomas Preece - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	53
Date of admission:	4 May 1854
Weekly payments:	5s
Age:	14
Education:	None
Previous employment:	Farm labourer
Crimes, how often and in what prison:	Shrewsbury
Training in reformatory:	Shoemaking
When and how left reformatory:	Sep 4 1855 - Emigrated to New Zealand
Parentage and family:	Father dead
Residence:	-
Trade of father:	-
With whom the boy is placed:	-
Address:	-
Trade:	-

Notes:

4 Sep 1855. The boy was taken to London by J Ellis and was berthed in the ship Isabella Herons(?) St Catherine’s Dock and was placed under the charge of Richard Rapel(?) of Mount Street, Nechells Green, who was emigrating to New Zealand with his wife and two children. Left the Institution for New Zealand, sent by the Committee.

Joseph Clarke - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	742
Age:	14
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Pale
Hair colour:	Light brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Visage:	-
Particular marks:	Mole under left eye and on back
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	16 January 1884
Late residence:	4 Cottage Street, Stafford
Parish he belongs to:	St Mary’s, Stafford
Customary work and mode of life:	No occupation
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Offence:	Stealing provisions
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	17 December 1883; Z Anderson and W Wright; Court of Summary Jurisdiction Stafford
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	3
Length:	1) 7 days in prison; 2)7 days; 3) 1 month
For what:	1), 2), and 3) stealing fruit
Father's name:	George Clarke
Occupation:	Labourer
Mother's name:	Sarah Clarke
Occupation:	Charwoman
Parents dead?	No
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	Honest and sober
Parents' wages:	14s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	Ought to pay 1s
Parents address:	4 Cottage Street, Stafford
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Benjamin Thomas Oswell, Deputy Chief Constable, Stafford
Person making this return:	George Spilsbury, Clerk to the Justices

Notes:

17 November 1883 A probable previous offence, which also involved John Fletcher [boy 740] was reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 17 November 1883 p.7 col.1: THEFT FROM A SHOP. - Joseph Clark and Henry Key, two boys under 15 years of age, were charged with stealing on the 9th. inst,. a quarter of apples, a pint of nuts, and three bead necklaces, the properly of Elizabeth Cox, of 39 Brook-street. The prosecutrix was away from home during the afternoon referred to. Mrs M A Ward, the wife of a neighbour, noticed Clark with his arm through the window in which the articles lay exposed for sale. Key at that time appeared to be keeping watch. She afterwards saw Clark at the window in company with another boy named Fletcher[boy 740], who had so far evaded arrest The things were distributed amongst the prisoners' companions. The Bench fined each of the defendants 10s. and costs; in default, one month's Imprisonment.

22 December 1883 There is a report of the crime which sent him to Saltley in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 22 December 1883 p.6 cpl.5: THEFT. Joseph Clark, a boy about 14 years of age, was charged with stealing 4lb.of butter,.5lb. of beef, 7lb. of lard, and 50 eggs, and Sarah Clark, his mother, was charged with receiving the articles with a guilty knowledge. The things were stolen on the morning of the 12th. inst. from a cellar of Thomas Riley, greengrocer, Marsh-street, where they were seen safe on the night of the 11th. The cellar had evidently been entered by the window. Information was given to the police, and Inspector Harding found the boy in the house of a neighbour and look him home. He asked the mother where the things were which the boy had brought on the previous day. and she showed him the articles, which with the exception of the beef were in a box In the bedroom The prisoners elected to be tried by the Bench and both pleaded guilty The boy, who had been twice previously convicted of petty thefts and had only come out of prison the day before the .commission of the present offence, was sentenced to two months imprisonment and five years in a reformatory. The mother was fined 20s. and costs. In default, one month's Imprisonment.

17 February 1887 Medical officer reports: Orchitis

11 April 1888 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Clarke was licensed to go out and work for Mr Botden, Admaston, near Rugeley

15 January 1889 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence

Isaiah Baggott - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	996
Age:	13
Whence received:	H M Prison Birmingham
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Height:	4 ft 10 ins
Particular marks:	Scar back of right shoulder
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	26 February 1892
Late residence:	Waterloo Place, New Dock, Dudley
Parish he belongs to:	Dudley
Customary work and mode of life:	Shoemaker
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly, preparatory class standard
Writes:	Imperfectly, preparatory class standard
Offence:	Stealing 3 live tame pigeons
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	17 February 1892; J Garratt and D Howat; Dudley Police Court
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Birmingham
Sentence:	10 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	1
Length:	12 strokes
For what:	Stealing pigeons
Father's name:	William Baggott
Occupation:	Shingler
Mother's name:	Julia Baggott
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	-
Parents address:	Waterloo Place, New Dock, Dudley
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	-

Notes:

18 November 1895 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Baggott was licensed to go out and work for Mr Smith Victoria Street, Small Heath

10 October 1896 The Register records that Baggott was re-licensed to work for Mr Martin, Egleton Farm, Oakham, Rutland

25 February 1897 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley