| No. in Admissions Register: | 152 |
| Date of admission: | 6 June 1859 |
| Whence received: | Birmingham |
| By whom brought: | A warder |
| On what terms: | Under committal |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | Good |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Sandy |
| Eyes colour: | Grey |
| Perfect vision? | Yes |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Sound intellect? | Yes |
| Use of all limbs? | Yes |
| Had cow or small pox? | Has had cow pox- |
| Particular marks: | Scars on stomach and arms |
| Cutaneous disorder? | No |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 14 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | 3 Lower Essex Street, Birmingham |
| Parish to which he belongs: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Errand boy |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Well |
| Writes: | Well |
| Cyphers: | Well |
| General ability: | Good |
| Offence: | Stealing a pair of boots |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Not known |
| Date of sentence: | 24 May 1859 |
| Where convicted: | Moor Street |
| Who prosecuted: | - |
| Where imprisoned: | Birmingham Gaol |
| Sentence: | 14 days prison, 5 years detention at Saltley |
| Previous committals and convictions: | None |
| Father's name: | John Abberley |
| Occupation | Waiter |
| Residence: | 3 Lower Essex Street, Birmingham |
| Mother's name: | - |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Father's character: | - |
| Mother's character: | - |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Kind |
| Character of parents: | - |
| Parents' wages: | Uncertain |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | D. Mendon, Borough Gaol, Birmingham |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
28 May 1859 There is a report of his offence in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 28 May 1859 p.11 col.2: STEALING A PAIR OF BOOTS. - CAUTION TO PAWNBROKERS. - John Abberley, aged fourteen, living in a court in Lower Essex Street, was charged with stealing a pair of Wellington boots, the property of his master, Mr Henry Palmer, chemist, Colmore Row on Saturday last. The prisoner is an old offender, and pleaded guilty. He was taken into custody by Police Constable Haverin (217), who ascertained that he had pledged the property for 5s, at the shop of Francis Hollett, in Barford Street. Upon the constable making enquiries at Hollett's shop, he at first denied that he had ever seen the prisoner, and also said he had not taken such a pair of boots as those stolen, in plege that day. Haverin then produced the pawn ticket, when Hollett admitted with reluctance that it was his handwriting. In reply to Mr Kynnersley, Hollett said that when the lad offered the boots to him, he did not give a clear account of how he became possessed of them; but was "understood to say that he was sent to pledge them." Mr Kynnersley read Hollett a lecture for taking in the boots under the circumstances. Such a mode of transacting business was just the way to encourage young thieves in their evil practices. The prisoner was remanded for a day for the attendance of his father. The boots were ordered to be given up to Mr Palmer.
Lower down the same column in the newspaper is an account of the next day's proceedings at the Police Court, and contains: STEALING A PAIR OF BOOTS. - The boy John Abberley, fourteen years of age, and living in Lower Essex Street, who was remanded from Monday, charged with stealing a pair of boots was again placed in the dock. A neighbour having been sent by the prisoner's father, to say that his son was a very bad lad, the Magistrates sentenced the prisoner to the House of Correction for fourteen days, and afterwards to be sent to a Reformatory School for five years.
10 July 1861 "I hereby acknowledge that I emigrate to Sydney of my own free will and I beg to thank Mr Lloyd and the Committee of this school for affording me the privilege" - John Abberley [entry in Admissions Register]
12 July 1861 Sailed from London in the Stornoway with 147 [Hector Beaton], 138 [James Drake},137 [Joseph Berry]
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.
25 August 1862 Heard from. Says he is a steward's boy in a Sydney steam boat and that Drake [138] is gone to the gold diggings.
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