| No. in Admissions Register: | 124 |
| Date of admission: | 30 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: | Brown |
| 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? | Cow pox |
| Particular marks: | None |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 14 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | 24 Jane Street, St George's, London |
| Parish to which he belongs: | St George's |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Unknown |
| Schools attended: | St George's School, Goodman's Yard, Minories (6 months) |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | None |
| Writes: | None |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Unlawful possession of a handkerchief |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Not known |
| Date of sentence: | 19 September 1857 |
| Where convicted: | Thames Police court before H S Selfe, Esq |
| Sentence: | 6 weeks in prison, 4 years at Saltley |
| Where imprisoned: | - |
| Previous committals and convictions: | Stealing clothes (2 months in prison) |
| Father's name: | John Oswald |
| Occupation: | Dock labourer |
| Residence: | - |
| Mother's name: | Ann Oswald |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | 24 Jane Street, St George's in the East |
| Father's character: | - |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parents dead? | No |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | - |
| Character of parents: | - |
| Parents' wages: | 12s to 15s per week |
| Weekly amount parents will pay: | - |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | H S Selfe, Thames Police Court |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| hen and how left the Reformatory: | - |
5 September 1856 There is a possible report of his previous crime in the Chelmsford Chronicle Friday 5 September 1856 p.4 col.4: A NOVEL WAY OF GETTING A LIVING. - Peter Oswald, a lad, aged about 12 years, was charged with stealing the clothes of Richard Negus, about the same age. It appeared from the evidence that yesterday afternoon the prisoner, with three other lads, was on the Channelsea river wall, at Stratford, and one of them asked Negus to get a piece of wood out of the stream; Negus undressed and went into the water, and whilst there the prisoner and the other lads picked up his clothes and ran away with them; Negus then got out of the water and called to a boy, named Goldstone, to run after the lads; a policeman, who came up at the time, went in pursuit, and the prisoner was apprehended; he then admitted taking the clothes, and said he had no other way of getting a living, as his father would not keep him, and he and the other lads came from London that morning. - Convicted under the Juvenile Offenders Act, and committed for three months Board and lodging for three months (character being no object for the party) is thus secured at the expense of the country.
1 November 1860 The Reformatory Minute Book reports: 728. A letter was read from Mr Lloyd, Mayor of Birmingham, offering to send 4 boys within the next 6 months as emigrants to Australia at his cost, exclusive of outfit and enclosing the requisite Emigration Order.
729. Mr Humphreys then recommended the following boys for emigration: West (121), Oswald (124), Berry (137) and Miller (129).
Resolved: that steps be taken to obtain the consent of the parents of the boys for their emigration before deciding on the question.
18 December 1860 The Reformatory Minute Book states: 736. Mr Humphreys reported that he recommended Beaton [boy 147] and Drake [138] for emigration instead of West [boy 121] and Miller [129] and that he had received the assents of Beaton's father and of Oswald's mother [boy 124] and Berry's parents had disappeared and that although Drake's mother disapproved of the proposed emigration, Mr Sidney Turner had, on enquiry into the case, sanctioned the boy being allowed to follow his own choice in the matter.
Resolved: that the above four boys be allowed to emigrate and that the necessary outfit be provided.
20 June 1861 taken to Liverpool to emigrate to Canada with 111 (Henry Brittain), 120 (Henry Pennefather), and 151 (William Lowe)
16 July 1861 The Minute Book states: 791. On reading Minute 736 and subsequent Minutes down to Minute 780, it was reported that the final selection of boys to complete the number for emigration had fallen upon Pennefather [boy 120] and Abberley [boy 152] and that accordingly, Pennefather, Brittain [boy 111], Lowe [boy 151], and Oswald [boy 124] had gone to Canada, and that Abberley, Drake [boy 138], Beaton [boy 147], and Berry [boy 137] had gone to Sydney since last meeting of the Committee.
November 1861 his mother forwarded a letter from him. All well.
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