Saltley Reformatory Inmates

John Williams

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Notes:

20 January 1855 In a detailed report of the initial proceedings of John Williams trial, the Hereford Times of Saturday 20 January 1855 p.9 col.2 says: EXTRAORDINARY CASE. – A boy  about 12 years of age, named John Williams, was brought up under remand charged with stealing £6 6s 4d, on Thursday last, from the dwelling of his father, John Williams, a resident of Old Gate Fee, Ludlow. The case proved to be one of the most inhuman and disgusting ever heard here. The unfortunate lad charged at the bar had been liberated from Worcester Gaol, where he had undergone a month’s imprisonment in addition to having been whipped for felony. Since his liberation from Worcester the youth seems to have been vagabondising about the country; sometimes with his mother at Kidderminster (recently deserted by a man to whom she had borne two children since quitting the abode of her husband), and sometimes lurking about Ludlow, occasionally sleeping in hovels and outhouses. On Thursday the youth was in Ludlow, and by his own confession went into his father’s bedroom, burst open the old man’s box, and stole the above amount or thereabouts. He was pursued, and on Friday captured at Cleobury Mortimer. In addition to the prisoner’s admission, a piece of coin was identified by the prosecutor. The boy’s excuse for committing the robbery was that he had been sent by his mother, who is very badly off;  and to this he added, that his father treated him most cruelly, feeding on horse and donkey flesh, whilst he feasted himself on beef and mutton. It will scarcely be credited that two of “the hams” of an old warn-out donkey were found hung up in the house drying, as if they were bacon. Some bacon was also found (as described by P S Jones) which was totally unfit for human food, in fact it seemed to be Questioned whether a dog would eat it. The old man (though he denied that he fared better than his son) admitted that he killed the donkey, and dried it in the manner we have already described; and as to the bacon, he said that it had been indifferently cured. Prosecutor, though possessed of the money mentioned above, admitted that his bed consisted of straw and rags. When questioned by the Mayor why he had not sent the poor boy to school, he stated that he could not spare him, as he had no-one else to cook for him, and that the lad absented himself until he was starved, and then returned to him. – The Superintendent said that such was not the case, for a short time ago the poor boy was nearly starved to death, and when the defendant knew that the boy had been in custody he fetched him away to prevent his being taken to the Union. – The Bench said they had no alternative; the boy must be sent to gaol to await his trial at our forthcoming Borough Sessions. - The Mayor intimated that no doubt the boy would be sent to some reformatory school, where he would have an opportunity of amending his ways  - The donkey hams have been since very properly buried.

26 January 1855  More information about the boy’s father’s provision of food was revealed in the Leicester Journal Friday 26 January 1855 p.4 col3: …The accused also stated that his father made him eat horseflesh, and that there was some in the house then. After hearing this statement the constable, accompanied by Superintendant Jones, searched old William’s dwelling, and found the two hind legs of an ass, salted and hung up to dry; they were smoked similar to hams of bacon. The officers took possession of the donkey meat, conveyed it to the gaol, and when the prisoner was asked what it was, he replied, “It’s part of our old donkey father killed and pickled; that’s what we eat; father pickled horses tongues in a bucket, and boils horses livers for us.” The prisoner added, “He bought that ‘hos’ the shaft run through, and was killed on the road leading to the Sheet, about four months ago; he pickled that, and made me eat it.” There was also found in William’s bedroom four sides of carrion, having the appearance of pig’s flesh smoke-dried, but unfit for human food. The bread in the house was found to consist of bean meal and potatoes. The affair having become known, a crowd of persons congregated round the old man’s dwelling, and had it not been for the interference of the police, they would soon have demolished the premises.

14 December 1855 In the Reformatory Minute book it is recorder that: Mr McCorkindale [a would-be colonist] attended the committee and explained his views with reference to the proposed emigration to Natal, and it was agreed that the following boys be allowed to go to Natal on the necessary consents being obtained, viz. Williams (aged 14), Manning (aged 14) [boy 28], Devaney (aged 15 next May) [boy 57], Peechey (aged 16 next July) [boy 69], Hopcraft (aged 13 next May) [boy 65], Hook (aged 14) [boy 74).

The President undertook to write to the Home Secretary for his consent to the arrangement as far as concerned the boys detained under the Youthful Offenders Act, or by conditional pardon, and Mr Morgan engaged to deliver the letter personally at the Home Office.

Mr Ellis produced the consents of the boys’ parents.

Mr McCorkindale explained to the boys in the presence of the Committee the terms of their engagement and all signified their assent.

Resolved: that proper Indentures be prepared and that £8 be paid Mr McCorkindale for outfit and passage money for each boy.

22 December 1855 In the Minute Book it is recorded that: the President laid before the Committee the consent of the Home Secretary for the emigration to Natal of the four boys detained under sentence.

14 February 1856 The Minute Book records that: all the boys … except Devaney had sailed with Mr McCorkindale in the brig Portia for Natal on November 4^th instant, the necessary consents from the Government and Parents having been first obtained. They were accompanied by Alfred John Taylor [boy 83], a well-educated boy, who had been committed at the Worcester Sessions a [few?] days previously, and by James Hines, who was selected instead of Devaney.

Mr Ratcliff inspected the vessel before the boys joined, and afterwards visited them on board, where they all expressed gratitude for the kind treatment in the Institution, and for the opportunity afforded them to emigrate. They all evinced much courage and determination to do well in their future career.

11 August 1857 The Minute Book notes a letter from Mr McCorkindale: Dunbar 10 April 1857. Sir, I have the satisfaction of informing you that all the boys from the Saltley School are well, tho’ not with the circumstances which I will fully explain next post, or you may get explained by a copy of my letter from the Rev’d Sidney Turner Redhill will put you in possession of why they left my employ. I have now been round the country twice to look after them and their interests and find everything as I could wish, all that I hear from their employers tends to assure me of their rapid and, I trust, steady improvement in morals. I do not doubt but all will write to Saltley or to their friends. I send however, an account of what each is doing, as far as I know.

     …

John Williams is with me and I can trust him with any master; a boy of his years ought to manage; he is a very good lad and has been since the time of landing…

[For more information about Mr McCorkindale and the purpose of the trip to Natal see the Liverpool Mail Saturday 16 February 1856 p.3 col.5]

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