| No. in Admissions Register: | 119 |
| Date of admission: | 21 October 1857 |
| Whence received: | Westminster House of Correction |
| By whom brought: | - |
| On what terms: | Committed |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | - |
| Complexion: | Fair |
| Hair colour: | Red |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| 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: | Scar on the right thigh |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 15 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | 21 Trafalgar Street, Hammersmith |
| Parish to which he belongs: | Hammersmith |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Has been a plasterers boy |
| Schools attended: | Hammersmith Ragged School (6 months) |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Very imperfectly |
| Writes: | Very imperfectly |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing 20 lbs of horse hair |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence: | 22 June 1857 |
| Where convicted: | Clerkenwell Session House before R Pashley |
| Sentence: | 4 calendar months in prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Previous committals and convictions | Stealing bread (14 days in prison); stealing bread and iron (3 calendar months); stealing wine (3 calendar months); throwing stones (7 days); stealing composition pipes (3 days and whipping) |
| Fathers name: | Henry Brown |
| Occupation | Bricklayers labourer |
| Residence: | 21 Trafalgar Street, Hammersmith |
| Mothers name: | Mary Brown |
| Occupation: | Washerwoman |
| Residence: | 2 Hope Place, Mile End Road, London |
| Fathers character: | Indifferent |
| Mothers character: | Good |
| Parents dead? | - |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Mother kind, father unkind |
| Character of parents: | Father drinks |
| Parents' wages: | Average about £1 per week |
| Weekly amount parents will pay: | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | Charles Cheetham, Governor, Westminster House of Correction |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
13 June 1857 There is a lengthy report of the crime in the West London Observer Saturday 13 June 1857 p.2 col.2-3: Destructive Young Thieves. - On Tuesday, Henry Pennefather, aged 12, Henry Brown, 13, William West, 14, and William Lewis, 15, who have frequently been in custody and summarily convicted for petty thefts, were brought before Mr Ingham, charged with being concerned in the following destructive robbery.
Sergeant Macqualter, of the T Division, stated that about quarter past nine o'clock on Monday night, he received information that a stable belonging to Mr Edward Batten Walmsley, a gentleman, residing in the Lower Mall, Hammersmith, had been broken into, and a large quantity of horse hair cut from the inside of a carriage and also from a phaeton. He also found that a pair of carriage lamps had been broken to pieces, and the brass fittings taken from them. He apprehended West and Lewis that morning, and they admitted that they had stolen the horse hair with the other two prisoners, and that they had sold it at a marine store dealer's, named Kiddall, in King Street, Hammersmith. Witness went to Mr Kiddall, to enquire about the horse hair, and he denied having purchased any. At the station, Lewis persisted in his statement and told Mr Kiddall he bought it and gave them the money. Mr Kiddall again denied the accusation, and attended the court to confirm his statement. Since then, Lewis declared that he had sold the horse hair at Bolton's, another marine store dealer, in Hammersmith, and not at Mr Kiddall's. Witness had made enquiries at Bolton's and other marine store dealers, but he could not discover the horse hair. A great deal of damage has been done to the carriage and phaeton, as the lining has been completely cut away for the horse hair to be extracted.
Jupp, a constable of the T Division, apprehended Pennefather and Brown, and the former prisoner said they spent the money in beer.
Edward Walmsley, the son of the prosecutor, said that he saw that the stable was secure about seven o'clock on Monday evening. Their boy discovered the robbery early that morning. Nearly the whole of the horse hair inside the carriage had been carried away. He should say that at least 20 lbs had been stolen. They had since called in Mr Miller, the coach builder of Hammersmith, and he had stated that it would cost £12 to repair the damage the prisoners had done.
The prisoner West said they had broken into the stables before six o'clock, and also that they bought some victuals with the money.
Thomas Chalk said he lived at No.16 George Street, Hammersmith, near Mr Walmsley's stables. Between nine and ten o'clock on Monday night he saw the prisoners go into the coach house at the side of the stable. Witnesses wife had previously seen Lewis carry away a basket of horse hair. Lewis afterwards came out, and witness told him he would get into trouble for taking the horse hair. Lewis opened the door and then the other prisoners came out. They all went away, and witness went in pursuit of a constable and gave information of the robbery.
Lewis said they had no home and went to the stable to sleep.
Mr Ingham: Are the prisoners known?
Sergeant Macqualter: O, yes, sir. They have been in custody several times, more especially the prisoner Lewis.
Mr Andrew (the chief usher): They have all been whipped sir. Lewis has been sentenced to a reformatory asylum, but from an accidental circumstance he was not removed at the expiration of his imprisonment.
Mr Ingham: I shall remand them for a week, to ascertain if the property can be found.
The prisoners, who treated the matter with the greatest indifference, were then locked up.
27 June 1857 A short report of their sentences was given in the West London Observer Saturday 27 June 1857 p.2 col.2: The Destructive Young Thieves. - On Tuesday, the four boys, named William Lewis, 15, William West, 14, Henry Brown, 13, and Henry Pennefather, 12, were indicted at the Middlesex Sessions, before Mr Pashley QC, for stealing 20lbs of horse hair, the property of Edward Bolton Walmsley. They pleaded guilty.
Foulsham, and officer of the Westminster House of Coirrection, proved that Lewis had been committed to that prison five times; West seven times; Pennefather six times; and Brown twice.
The Assistant Judge sentenced each of them to be imprisoned in the House of Correction for four months, and then to be detained in a reformatory institution for four years.
1 August 1858 name on Good Conduct List
6 November 1859 absconded with West and Pennefather [boys 120 and 121] early in morning through dormitory window. Caught the same evening at Hammersmith and brought back 16 November
9 November 1859 The Reformatory Minute Book reports: 618. Mr Humphreys reported that Wm West [boy 121], Henry Brown, and William Pennyfather [boy 120] (all London boys) had absconded on Sunday last, and that J Evans [boy 134], who absconded on 3rd September had not been found. Steps are being taken for their recovery.
6 September 1860 The Minute Book contains this: 709. Mr Morgan reported that Brown had made an application to Mr Humphreys to be permitted to enlist.
Resolved: that application be made for his discharge on his enlistment.
10 September 1860 absconded with Kellan [boy 127] just as it grew dark under pretence of fetching clothes off the line in the field
4 October 1860 The Minute Book records: 716. On reading Minute 709, Mr Humphreys reported that Brown had absconded.
3 November 1861 William West [boy 121] wrote saying he was steadily at work in Hammersmith
November 1862 Mr Morgan informed me that he had been convicted in Manchester
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