Saltley Reformatory Inmates

Edward Rigby

No. in Admissions Register:	104
Date of admission:	23 May 1857
Whence received:	Stafford Gaol
By whom brought:	Mr Montford
On what terms:	Committed
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	-
Hair colour:	-
Eyes colour:	-
Perfect vision?	-
State of health:	-
Able-bodied?	-
Sound intellect?	Yes
Use of all limbs?	Yes
Had cow or small pox?	-
Particular marks:	-
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	Not known
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	at Walsall
Parish to which he belongs:	Walsall
Customary work and mode of life:	Sweep
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	at Walsall
State of education:
Reads:	Scarcely knows the alphabet
Writes:	Nil
Cyphers
General ability:	-
Offence:	stealing a pair of trousers
Circumstances which may	Bad company
Date of sentence:	13 May 1857
Where convicted:	Guildhall, Walsall, before W Thomas, Esq, Mayor and W. Ward
Sentence:	14 days in prison, 2 years at Saltley
Where imprisoned:	-
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing a pair of boots – 14 days in Stafford Gaol
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	-
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	They forsook him while he was very young
Character of parents:	-
Parents' wages:	-
Weekly amount parents will pay:	-
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	Justices' Clerk, Walsall
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

16 May 1857 There is a report of his crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 16 May 1857 p.2 col.7: MORE JUVENILE THIEVES. - Edward Rigby and William Beard, each 14 years old, and John Gribbon and Joseph Beard, each about 19, were charged with stealing a pair of cord trousers, the property of Mr Charles Dunckley, tailor and draper, Stafford Street, on Monday night. The robbery was proceeded with in the most systematic manner. John Degwell, who knew the character of the boys, saw them standing at the prosecutor's door and watched them. First one, then afterwards two others went in, While one was looking at some stockings, under pretence of purchasing them, another took the trousers and handed them to the third, who was taking them to the one at the door, when, perceiving they were detected, they all ran away. Three were caught at once, and William Beard was afterwards taken at a notorious lodging house. Rigby and William Beard were each sentenced to 14 days imprisonment, afterwards to be sent to the Saltley Reformatory for 2 years. The others were sentenced to be imprisoned three months each.

16 May 1857 There is an additional report of the context to his crime in the same paper, p.5 col.1: EFFECT OF THE CLIMBING BOYS ACT. - In our police report, among other cases of juvenile crime at Walsall, is that of a lad, 14 years old, named Edward Rigby, who was concerned with three other youths in stealing from a shop. The history of this youth affords one of many illustrations of the evils which often results from well-meaning legislative interference with trades. This youth, a few years ago, was found in the streets, and he was not aware who were his parents or where he came from. A sweep took him and employed him until convicted under the Climbing Boys Act. When before the magistrates on the occasion the boy expressed himself perfectly satisfied with his work and his treatment, but the magistrates were bound to convict. The boy was thus deprived of any means of earning a livelihood, and, as he himself said on Wednesday, he was set on by others to steal. He appeared superior in intelligence, and thanked the magistrates for sending him to a reformatory, where it is to be hoped he will be enabled to fit himself to earn an honest livelihood.

1 June 1857 absconded in company of W Smith [boy 78], but were both caught the same day.

1 November 1857 name on Good Conduct List

11-12 March 1858 solitary confinement for two half days for disorder in school

2 May 1858 stole a penny from the Post Office, Small Heath, but when he had gone a few yards from the house he of his own accord took it back again.

23 May 1859 period of detention conferred and he went back to his old master, B Coltock, sweep, Dudley Street, Walsall

20 October 1860 There is a report of his subsequent offence in the Walsall Free Press and General Advertiser Saturday 20 October 1860, p.4, col.3: On Friday week Mr Cater received information that a valuable gold watch had been stolen from the house of the Rev. M Taylor, at Victoria Terrace, Lichfield Street, in the parish of Rushall. Mr Cater at once proceeded to Rushall, to confer with Inspector Price, in whose district the offence was committed. After making a few enquiries, the officers apprehended a sweep named Edward Rigby. The servants of the house identified the prisoner as having a day previous, swept a chimney in one of the rooms of the house. Subsequently, Inspector Price, assisted by detective Fugil, found the watch "planted" in the soot room, at the house where prisoner resided. He was fully committed to trial to the county sessions.

27 October 1860 There was an update and correction to the newspaper report of 20 October in the Walsall Free Press and General Advertiser Saturday 27 October 1860, p.4, col.6: Edward Rigby (reported in our impression of last week as having been committed for stealing a gold watch) was tried at the quarter Sessions for the county of Stafford, and a former conviction having been proved against him, he was sentenced to penal servitude for a period of four years.

We are requested to correct our last week's report, by saying that the watch had been "planted", not in the house of prisoner's master, as we reported, but in a hole in an entry common to the neighbourhood.

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