William Harris - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 584 |
| Age: | 13 |
| Whence received: | Birmingham Gaol |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | - |
| Particular marks: | 2 spots left lower arm |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | - |
| Date of admission and term: | 24 October 1877 5 years |
| Late residence: | Black Lion Yard, Hurst Street, Birmingham |
| Parish he belongs to: | Birmingham |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Box making |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing 12 pocket knives |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by who and court: | 11 October 1877, Moor Street, T C S Kynnersley |
| Where imprisoned: | Birmingham |
| Sentence: | 14 days prison (hard labour), 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | - |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Samuel Harris |
| Occupation: | Turner |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Mother |
| Survivor married again? | No – father cohabits with another woman |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Fair |
| Character of parents | Drunken |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Not stated |
| Parents address: | Black Lion Yard, Hurst Street, Birmingham |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| When and how left reformatory: | 23 Feb 1882 - Emigrated to Canada |
Notes:
|
12 October 1877 There is a report of the crime in the Birmingham Daily Gazette Friday 12 October 1877 p.5 col.4: STEALING POCKET KNlVES.- William Harris (11), box maker, Hurst Street; George Briley (16), shoe finisher, Ladywell Walk; and James Paul (15), Edgbaston Street, were charged with stealing one dozen knives, from the warehouse of Ennil Schram Edgbaston Street, on the Bth Inst.-Detective-sergeant Cooper apprehended the prisoners at different periods. -The prisoners Harris and Briley pleaded guilty, but denied that Paul had a hand it.-Paul was discharged. Harris was ordered to be sent to prison for fourteen days, and afterwards to be sent to a reformatory school for five years. Briley was committed to gaol for three months. 10 May 1882 Emigrated 23 February 1888 Evan Williams [boy 541] reports Harris as working as a porter in the Fish Market [location not stated, Williams was living in Birmingham on 9 February 1888, but sent a letter from Toronto in April 1889] |
George Roberts - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Registers: | 149 |
| Date of admission: | 20 August 1858 |
| Whence received: | Stafford County Gaol |
| By whom brought: | Mr Mountford, Deputy Governor |
| On what terms: | - |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | - |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Light brown |
| Eyes colour: | Light grey |
| Perfect vision? | Yes |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Sound intellect? | Yes |
| Use of all limbs? | Very slight lameness (?) of the left thigh |
| Had cow or small pox? | Cow pox |
| Particular marks: | Cut on the top lip |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 15 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | Ablow Street, Wolverhampton |
| Parish to which he belongs: | Wolverhampton |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Bricklayer |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | None |
| Cyphers: | None |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Larceny |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence: | 6 August 1858 |
| Where convicted: | Public Office, Bilston |
| Where imprisoned: | Stafford County Gaol |
| Sentence: | 14 days prison, 2 years at Reformatory |
| Previous committals and convictions: | Stealing shoes (3 calendar months); stealing shoes again (3 calendar months); larceny |
| Father's name: | George Briscoe |
| Occupation: | Bricklayer |
| Residence: | Ablow Street, Wolverhampton |
| Mother's name: | Lucy Briscoe |
| Occupation: | Washerwoman |
| Residence: | - |
| Father's character: | Very good |
| Mother's character: | Very good |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents: | Good |
| Parents' wages: | About 20s per week. |
| Weekly amount parents will pay | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | John Redborne Bowen, clerk to the Petty Sessions, Bilston |
| Estimate of character on admission | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | Term expired while he was still at large having absconded. He died in March 1861 |
Notes:
| 14 August 1858 There is a brief report of his offence in the Walsall Free Press and Advertiser Saturday 14 Aug 1858 p.1 col.6: SHOPLIFTING. - A boy named George Roberts was charged on Friday week, before E Best and J N Bagnall, Esqrs, with stealing a tobacco box from the shop of James Brown, Princes End. He was convicted and sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, and to afterwards be detained for a period of two years in a reformatory. |
| 10 February 1859 Absconded with Clifford. Never recovered. Term of detention expired while still at large. |
| March 1861 Dead. |
William Carter - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 775 |
| Age: | 14 |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Visage: | Long |
| Particular marks: | - |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Slender |
| Date of admission: | 28 July 1885 |
| Late residence: | Park Passage |
| Parish he belongs to: | White Row, Longton |
| Customary work and mode of life: | No occupation |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing money |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Bad company |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 30 June 1885; Sir Rupert Alfred Kettle; General Quarter Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 1 month in prison, 3 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | None |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | William Carter |
| Occupation: | Scissor grinder |
| Mother's name: | Violet Carter |
| Occupation: | Chair bottomer |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Well treated |
| Character of parents | Parents are travelling tinkers and stay at Longton occasionally. They are fairly respectable |
| Parents' wages: | No means of knowing |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | Ought to pay 2s - he is a good workman |
| Parents address: | Not known. Father left Longton 2 July 1885 to travel country. Mother convicted at same time [as son] for receiving. Sentenced to 6 months imprisonment |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | |
| Person making this return: | Joe Evans, Superintendent of Police, Longton, Stoke on Trent |
| Notes: | |
| 2 July 1885 There is a report of the crime in the Birmingham Daily Post Thursday 2 July 1885 Thursday p.7 col.3: A YOUTHFUL THIEF. - William Carter (14), no occupation, and Violet Carter (34), chair-bottomer, were charged, the former with stealing and the latter with receiving £4. 2s. 6d., belonging to Mary Ann Brain, at Longton, on May 6. Mr. Jesse Herbert prosecuted and Mr. Boddam defended. - Prosecutrix keeps a shop in High Street, Longton, and in the afternoon of the day named left it for a for a few minutes The boy was seen to enter and steal the money. Afterwards his mother was heard to tell him to "keep quiet and give it to her." - The lad was sentenced one months' imprisonment and ordered to be sent to a reformatory for three years; the woman was sentenced to six months' hard labour. | |
| 28 July 1888 Sentence expired, discharged from Saltley | |
Arthur Davies - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1032 |
| Age: | 12 (born 27 May 1880) |
| Whence received: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| Height: | 4 ft 9¼ ins |
| Particular marks: | None |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 22 May 1893 |
| Late residence: | 27 Red Cross Street, Wolverhampton |
| Parish he belongs to: | Wolverhampton |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Schoolboy |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Well, Standard 5 |
| Writes: | Well, Standard 5 |
| Offence: | Stealing letters containing postal orders |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 9 May 1893; J C Major and B F Williams; Wolverhampton Police Court |
| Where imprisoned: | H M Prison Stafford |
| Sentence: | 14 days in prison, 5 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | None, but 13 September 1892 stealing 12 pocket books and other articles of the value of £5 10s. Adjourned for 8 weeks |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | - |
| Father's name: | Charles Davies |
| Occupation: | Builder |
| Mother's name: | Druscilla |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Parents are reported as both being of good character |
| Parents' wages: | Father a builder in a small way of business |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 27 Red Cross Street, Wolverhampton |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 13 May 1893 The crime was reported in the Bridgnorth Journal and South Shropshire Advertiser Saturday 13 May 1893 p.8 col.1: EXTRAORDINARY THEFTS IN WOLVERHAMPTON. - A SUGGESTION OF HYPNOTISM. At the Wolverhampton Police Court, on Tuesday, Charles Davies. (15) and Arthur Davies (13), of Red Cross Street; Frank Taylor (13), of Pratt's Building, Great Hampton Street, and Frederick Bateman (13), 40, Great Hampton Street, were charged with committing 22 thefts from letter-boxes in the town on various dates. - Mr. H. C. 0wen defended the boys Davies, and Mr. A. Turton appeared for Bateman. - The Chief Constable (Captain Burnett) said the defendants had pleaded guilty to over 22 charges of theft. They appeared to have gone about the work in a cool manner, in some cases simply putting their hands through the aperture into the letter-boxes, and in others breaking the glass of the door or forcing the boxes open. They rubbed off the names written on the postal orders contained in many of the envelopes, and put their own signatures in their places. Evidence was offered respecting thefts from the offices of Mr. Thomas Hunt, solicitor, of Princess Street, and Mr. T. Cull, loan office secretary, Old Bank Chambers, Lich Gates. - Sergeant Martin said some of the postal orders were crossed, but the boys erased the lines with a rubber. One of the Davieses spent the money at Dunstrall Park Races. - Evidence was given by Mr. Cull respecting a letter containing a postal order for £l. The amount had been paid at the post office, but the signature was not his. - Mr. Major (magistrate) wondered that the post office clerks had cashed the orders when the erasure was so palpable. - Mr. E. W. Smith, cashier at the post office, said that in nine cases out of ten the erasures would have been noticed. - The Chief Constable stated that there was a charge against the two Davieses and Taylor of stealing a pair of boots, the property of Mr. S. Larkinson, but this would not be gone into. - Mr. Owen said he could do no more than leave the case in the hands of the Bench.- Mr. Turton, for Bateman, asked for leniency, as he had made a complete confession. Bateman had also made to him a startling statement, to the effect that when he saw the Davieses before the offences were committed he felt he could not resist their power. They told him what they would do to him if he did not accompany them, and he felt compelled to do so. The boys spent the money in coffee houses, at the theatre, at the races and other places. Bateman's parents had decided to send their son out of the town. - Mr. Major said the lads had acted like Jack Sheppards [a celebrated 18th century thief]. The two Davieses would be sent to gaol for 14 days, and afterwards each serve five years in a reformatory. Bateman would be sentenced to a day's imprisonment and 12 strokes with the birch rod, and Taylor would be required to come before the magistrate in two months. | |
| 30 April 1896 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Davies was licensed to go out and work for Mr Bromley, ironmonger, Wellington, Shropshire | |
| 21 May 1898 Sentence expired whilst out on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
John Raven - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1287 |
| Age: | 14 (born 14 December 1886) |
| Whence received: | Sevenoaks Petty Sessions |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Dark brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Height: | 4 ft 9¼ ins |
| Particular marks: | Scar first joint left big toe; small mole back of neck; small scar right side of head |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 27 November 1901 |
| Late residence: | 54 St John's Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Has been companions of a gang of young thieves |
| Whether illegitimate: | No |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 5 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 5 |
| Offence: | Larceny from the person |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Lack of parental control |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 19 November 1901; W S McClelland; Sevenoaks Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Not |
| Sentence: | 3 years at Saltley |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 |
| Length: | Fined 6s 6d and costs |
| For what: | Street offence |
| Father's name: | George Jury |
| Occupation: | Stoker, gasworks |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Parents dead? | Mother |
| Survivor married again? | No |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Good |
| Parents' wages: | Not stated |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 54 St John's Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | Superintendent A Taylor, Sevenoaks |
| Person making this return: | - |
| Notes: | |
| 1 November 1901 A previous offence was reported in the Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser Friday 1 November 1901 p.8 col.3: UNAUTHORIZED FIREWORKS. Herbert Jury [first name given thus] a lad of St. John's, was summoned for discharging fireworks on the public highway at St. John's on October 10th and pleaded guilty. P.C. Twist stated that he saw defendant igniting fireworks and Supt. Taylor stated that defendant was one of a gang who gave considerable trouble at St. John's Hall because they were not admitted to a function there. The boy was dismissed with a caution on payment of the costs 6s. 6d. | |
| 22 November 1901 The crime that sent him to Saltley was reported in the Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser Friday 22 November 1901 p.8 col.2: TROUBLESOME BOYS. Frank Odell, 14, and Herbert Jury [first name again given thus], 14, of St. John's, were charged with stealing one penny worth of sweets, the property of Walter Cope, at Sevenoaks on the 18th inst. - Walter Cope, a school teacher, living at St. John's, said that on Monday afternoon about 1.30, he sent a boy named Osborne for a paper, and also to get him a pennyworth of sweets from Mr. Norris's shop. The boy came back crying, and in consequence of what he said witness sent for Sergt. Stroud, He gave the boy a penny. - Frank Osborne, 12 years, of Greatness, said that at half past one the previous day, Mr. Cope sent him for a pennyworth of sweets. As he was coming out of Mr. Norris's shop. Jury knocked the sweets out of his hand. He picked them up, and as he was going down Bushe's Row, both the boys threw chestnuts at him. They hit him on the head and threw stones and hit him on the back and the feet. One of the boy's knocked the sweets out of his hands, picked them up and ran away. Witness told Mr. Cope. - Sergt. Stroud proved arresting the prisoners. About 2 o'clock on Monday he received information of the theft. He went in search of the prisoners, about 4 o'clock he found them both near the Bat and Ball, St. John's, and on taking them to St. John's School, they were identified by the last witness. When charged, they both admitted the offence and said they should not have taken the sweets if Osborne had not been so cheeky. - There were previous convictions against the prisoners and Superintendent Taylor said that the boys were a regular nuisance. - Rev. J. P. David said that complaints had been made against the boy Jury during the last 18 months, and he had constantly been warned as to his behaviour. Odell was in the Church School and had been a member of the Church Lad's Brigade. - The two lads elected to be dealt with summarily and pleaded guilty. - The magistrates made an order that the boys should be sent to a reformatory school for 3 years, and they were remanded until arrangements could be made to carry out the order. | |
| 5 May 1904 Discharged from Saltley by Order of the Home Secretary on account of emigrating to Canada, along with Walford [boy 1284] and Howes [boy 1217]. Left Liverpool on board the SS Pretorian bound for Richmond, Quebec. Subsequently a letter from the School's agent was received, reporting their safe arrival and placing in employment | |