| No. in Admissions Register: | 88 |
| Date of admission: | 31 March 1856 |
| Weekly payments: | - |
| Age: | 14 |
| Education: | Very little |
| Previous employment: | Gun finisher |
| Crimes, how often and in what prison: | First offence |
| Training in reformatory: | 28 June 1858 |
| When left reformatory: | - |
| Parentage and family: | Mother dead |
| Residence: | Moland Street, Birmingham |
| Trade of father: | Gun finisher |
| With whom the boy is placed: | emigrated to Canada; R? Munro Esq, Newcastle, Durham, Canada West? |
| Address: | - |
| Trade: | - |
3 March 1856 A detailed report of the crime was reported in Aris's Birmingham Gazette Monday 3 March 1856 p.4 col.5: Three youths, named John Taylor (aged 11), William Taylor (14), and Daniel Evans (14), were brought before the Mayor, W Lucy, and F I Welch Eqrs, on a charge of having been concerned in an extensive robbery of pistols from the premises of Mr Daniel Leonard, gun maker, Aston Street. It had appeared that Mr Leonard had missed a large quantity of small arms, and suspicion fell upon the prisoner, who was in his employ as an errand boy. On enquiry it was found that a considerable number of the pistols had been pledged at the establishments of Mr J Lowthine, Steelhouse Lane, and of Mr J Myers, Dale End, by the prisoners and others. The pistols thus pledged numbered forty-eight, and were of the value eight guineas. - Detective Poole disposed that he apprehended the prisoner John Taylor, who inculpated the other prisoners in the robbery. The prisoners pleaded guilty. Mr Leonard said he did not wish to press the charges, considering the extreme youth of the prisoners, but he should wish to see them be admitted into a Reformatory. - The Mayor said he would defer sentence on the prisoners John and William Taylor, in order to get them admitted into a Reformatory if practicable. The prisoner Evans was severely reprimanded by the Mayor, and discharged.
6 October 1856 In the Reformatory Minute Book it is recorded: 317. John Ellis reported that the brother-in-law of John and William Taylor had made an application for them to be allowed yo go with him to New Zealand as ge was emigrating to that Colony with his wife and family.
318. Resolved: that Mr C Ratcliff investigate the statement, and if favourable to arrange for the boys to go with their brother-in-law to New Zealand, but with the understanding that £10 towards the expenses of their outfit be paid by their parents.
5 November 1856 The Minute Book states: 334 on reading Minute 318 Mr Ratcliff reported that William and John Taylor are still in the Institution, their father and friends having failed in giving a sufficient contribution towards sending them abroad.
24 Dec 1857 The Minute Book records: 478. Resolved: that William Thomas be sent to the Akhbar ship reformatory under the care of the Railway Guard to the Liverpool station, where an Officer of the Akhbar will meet him…
481. Resolved: that Mr Ratcliff arrange with the father of W Thomas to pay part of the expenses for his son's removal to the Akhbar.
21 March 1858 The Minute book reports: 493. That the Visitors for the month be authorised to arrange for the emigration of 4 or 5 boys, with a view to making vacancies for Staffordshire cases, and that their attention in the first instance be directed to the two Taylors, Welch [boy 96], and Carlton [boy 91].
7 April 1858 The Minute book states: 501. Mr Ratcliff reported that application had been made for the sanction of Government for the Emigration to Canada of the two Taylors [this boy and his brother John, boy 87] and Welch [boy 96], whose fathers had consented, and of Carlton [boy 91], with respect to whose parents Mr Carter is making enquiries at Liverpool.
[See also the details of his brother William, click here]
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