Saltley Reformatory

John King - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

Sentence 1 - Boy 55

No. in Admissions Register:	55
Date of admission:	16 September 1854
Weekly payments:	2s 6d
Age:	15
Education:	Indifferent
Previous employment:	Plasterer
Crimes, how often and in what prison:	-
Training in reformatory:	-
When left reformatory:	15 January 1855
Parentage and family:	Mother dead, father living at daughter’s
Residence:	1 Wilson’s Buildings, back of 141 Unett Street, St George’s (Birmingham)
Trade of father:	-
With whom the boy is placed:	-
Address:	-
Trade:	-

Notes:

11 September 1854 A brief description of John’s original crime in Aris's Birmingham Gazette 11 September 1854, p.1, col.4 says … Imprisonment … John King, aged 15, for stealing a watch and chain, value £9 10s, the property of William Swan, to be imprisoned fourteen days, and sent for four years to Saltley.

7 October 1854 in the Minute Book of the Reformatory it is recorded that John King, one of the four boys received under the Youthful Offenders Act by committal from the Borough Sessions, has absconded twice and since brought back.

29 January 1855 A brief report of a crime John committed while at the Reformatory in Aris’s Birmingham Gazette 29 January 1855, p.3 col.3 says At the Public Office on Monday last, before H Van Wart and R Martineau Esqrs, John King, an inmate of the Saltley Reformatory School, was charged with theft. King was committed to the school in September last. On the 12th inst. he reported himself to be unwell, and on the following day absconded, having broken open the box of Mr Chattock, the tailor instructor, and stole thereout £5. With this money he went to Portsmouth, and on returning to this town, was taken into custody. The magistrates committed him for trial at Warwick Sessions, Saltley being out of the borough.

31 March 1855 The crime and verdict at the Warwickshire Sessions were given in the Leamington Spa Courier Saturday 31 Mar 1855 p.3 col.4: John King : stealing at Aston, on the 12th of January last, three pounds fourteen shillings of Alfred Chittock; six months imprisonment.

Sentence 2 - Boy 79

No. in Admissions Register:

Date of admission:

21 September 1855

Weekly payments:

Age:

Education:

Previous employment:

Crimes, how often and in what prison:

Training in reformatory:

Absconded 30 March 1857; absconded 8 March taking with him boys clothing

When left reformatory:

Parentage and family:

Residence:

Trade of father:

With whom the boy is placed:

Address:

Trade:

Notes:

10 March 1856 A report in Aris's Birmingham Gazette Monday 10 March 1856 p.4 col.5 tells us: A boy names John King was accused of stealing sundry articles of clothing from the Saltley Reformatory School. The prisoner was an inmate of the Institution, and according to the statement of the schoolmaster, Mr John Ellis, he kept his room on Tuesday morning, stating that he was ill. In the afternoon, when the muster-roll was called over, the defendant was missing, and it was soon afterwards found that several waistcoats had been stolen. The property was subsequently pledged by the prisoner, and when apprehended by police constable Kemp, pawn tickets for the same were found in his possession. â€“ He was committed for trial.

Edward Taggart - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	371
Date of admission:	30 December 1867
Whence received:	Birmingham
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Sandy
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:	Mole on neck
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	Birmingham
Customary work and mode of life:	Tube maker
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	A little
Writes:	A little
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing a wooden bowl and 6s 10d
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence:	10 November 1867
Where convicted:	Birmingham
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	6 weeks prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	One
Father's name:	Thomas Taggart
Occupation:	Watchman
Residence:	9 Provident Place, Lower Essex Street, Birmingham
Mother's name:	Dead
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	15s per week and pension of 7s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s per week
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
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:	-

Notes:

23 November 1867 There is a short report of the crime in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 23 November 1867 p.2 col.3: ROBBERY FROM A TILL.- Edward Taggart (13), 9, Lower Essex Street, and William Beard (16), Thorpe Street, were charged with stealing 6s. 10d. from a till belonging to Mr. Henry Stokes, butcher, No. 1, Hope Street. On Monday the prisoner Taggart was caught in the act of taking wooden bowl, containing 6s. 10d. from prosecutor's till. Beard, who was outside the shop door waiting for Taggart, made his escape, but was afterwards caught and locked up with the other. Taggart was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment, and at the end of that time to be sent to a reformatory school for five years. Beard was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

17 May 1869 Sent to Queen's Hospital with scarlet fever

Thomas Davis - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	860
Age:	13
Whence received:	H M Prison Stafford
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Height:	4 ft 8 ins
Particular marks:	Cut corner of right eye, blind left eye
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Slender
Date of admission:	26 October 1887
Late residence:	4 court Sutherland Place, Wolverhampton
Parish he belongs to:	All Saints, Wolverhampton
Customary work and mode of life:	None
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Offence:	Stealing money
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	26 September 1887; William Edwardes; Willenhall Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Where imprisoned:	H M Prison Stafford
Sentence:	1 month hard labour in prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	-
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	William Davis
Occupation:	Galvanizer
Mother's name:	Mary Davis
Occupation:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Says well treated
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	From 18s to 20s per week
Amount parents agree to pay:	Have promised to pay 1s per week
Parents address:	4 court Sutherland Place, Wolverhampton
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	Richard Longden, Bilston
Person making this return:	Edgar Corbett, Clerk to James Slater, Clerk to Justices, Willenhall

Notes:

1 July 1891 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Davis was licensed to go out and work for Mr J Nevill

25 October 1892 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley

George Wainscott - Saltley Reformatory Inmate

No. in Admissions Register:	1116
Age:	13 (born 13 August 1882)
Whence received:	Leek Petty Sessions
Description:
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Dark brown
Eyes colour:	Grey
Height:	4 ft 0¾ ins
Particular marks:	-
State of health:	Good
Able-bodied?	Yes
Date of admission:	30 December 1895
Late residence:	Barnfields, Leek
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	Servant
Whether illegitimate:	No
State of education:
Reads:	Well
Writes:	Well
Offence:	Larceny as a servant - stealing watches, rings, and a brooch, value £50
Circumstances which may have led to it:	In September 1894 he was charged with stealing money from his father and was discharged on payment of costs. His father complained of thefts by the boy. On one occasion he had stolen £1. He was also suspected of three petty thefts
Date of sentence, by whom and court:	23 December 1895; J Robinson and E A Worthington; Leek Petty Sessions
Where imprisoned:	Not sent to prison
Sentence:	4 years at Saltley
Previous committals:
Number:	Nil (but see above)
Length:	-
For what:	-
Father's name:	George Wainscott
Occupation:	Railway signalman
Mother's name:	Mary Wainscott
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:	Barnsfields, Leek
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Person making this return:	Thomas Shaw, Clerk to the Justices, Leek

Notes:

14 April 1897 The Medical Officer reported: Rheumatism, still suffering on 3 May

11 December 1899 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records Wainscott as being licenced to go out and work in Leek [no employer named, no entry in the Register of Boys on Licence]

22 December 1899 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley whilst out on licence

11 December 1900 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Wainscott, Leek

No. in Admissions Register:	267
Date of admission:	24 November 1863
Whence received:	Stafford
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	-
Hair colour:	-
Eyes colour:	-
Perfect vision?	Yes
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	-
Cutaneous disorder?	Not
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not apparent
Subject to fits?	Not
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Wednesbury
Parish he belongs to:	Wednesbury
Customary work and mode of life:	Mill roller in a forge
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing a cap
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Poverty of parents and bad company
Date of sentence:	10 November 1863
Where convicted:	Wednesbury, before J Spooner, Stipendiary Magistrate
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing coal (7 days)
Father's name:	Martin Brown (dead)
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Margaret Brown
Occupation:	In bad health, has parish relief
Residence:	Smith's Buildings, Portway Road, Wednesbury
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	-
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:

14 November 1863 There is a report of the crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 14 November 1863 p.7 col.3: THEFTS FROM STALLS IN THE MARKET.-Martin Brown, a boy thirteen years of age, was convicted of having stolen five caps from a stall in the market, on Saturday, the 31st ult., belonging to a Jew named Simon Wemon. He was seen to take them away by the prosecutor, who, however, could not leave his stall to follow him. Police-sergeant Gasson apprehended the boy in about half-an-hour after, and the prosecutor identified him as the thief. The prisoner having been before the magistrates five times previously, and twice imprisoned, Mr. Spooner sentenced him to a month's imprisonment, and afterwards to be sent for five years to a reformatory.

17 August 1865 Absconded

May 1867 Heard of, doing well, steady at work