| No. in Admissions Register: | 161 |
| Date of admission: | 28 December 1859 |
| Whence received: | Bedford Gaol |
| By whom brought: | Mr Mountford |
| On what terms: | Under committal |
| Friends interested in him: | - |
| Description: | |
| Height: | - |
| Figure: | Good shape (?) |
| Complexion: | Fair |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Brown |
| Perfect vision? | Yes |
| State of health: | - |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Sound intellect? | Yes |
| Use of all limbs? | Yes |
| Had cow or small pox? | Vaccinated by prison surgeon(?) |
| Particular marks: | Several marks on body. Scars on face |
| Cutaneous disorder? | None |
| Scrofulous or consumptive? | No |
| Subject to fits? | No |
| Age last birthday: | 11 |
| Illegitimate? | No |
| Birthday: | - |
| Birth place: | - |
| Has resided: | Princess Street, Luton |
| Parish to which he belongs: | Luton |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Tailor |
| Schools attended: | - |
| By whom and where employed: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly |
| Writes: | Imperfectly |
| Cyphers: | - |
| General ability: | - |
| Offence: | Stealing a key and 1s 2d, property of Matthew Wilson |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | Probably the want of parental care |
| Date of sentence: | 28 November 1859 |
| Where convicted: | Luton Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Bedford County Gaol |
| Sentence: | 1 month prison, 4 years detention at Saltley |
| Previous committals and convictions: | - |
| Father's name: | John Wiseman (stepfather) |
| Occupation: | - |
| Residence: | 34 Princess Street, Luton |
| Mother's name: | Jane Wiseman |
| Occupation | - |
| Residence: | 34 Princess Street, Luton |
| Father's character: | Very good |
| Mother's character: | Very Good |
| Parents dead? | Father |
| Survivor married again? | Yes |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Not very good – he was allowed to run the streets instead of going to school |
| Character of parents: | Very good |
| Parents' wages: | 15s–20s per week- |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | No order was made but Governor of gaol thinksthey ought to pay 2s per week |
| Superintendent of police to collect payments): | Superintendant S Pope, Luton Police Station |
| Relatives to communicate with: | - |
| Person making this return: | Governor County Prison, Bedfordshire |
| Estimate of character on admission: | - |
| Character on discharge: | - |
| When and how left the Reformatory: | - |
5 December 1859 There is a lengthy report of his crime in the Bedfordshire Mercury Monday 5 December 1859 p.5 col.4: STEALING A KEY. - John Ellis, a little boy only 11 years of age, was charged with stealing a key and 1½d in coppers [different newspapers report slightly differing amounts stolen], the property of Matthew Wilson, butcher, Wellington Street, Luton
Elizabeth Wilson said: I am the wife of Matthew Wilson; on the afternoon of the 23rd inst., my attention was drawn to the shop, through someone coming into the shop and taking the key of the till off a nail just beside the stair door; I had just left the shop and gone upstairs; I came down and found the prisoner just locking the till up again; I did not see the key in his hand, but heard some halfpence jingle in his pocket. I said to him, "Now I have caught you"; he directly walked out of the shop and ran down the street. The key was hanging on the nail when I went upstairs where it usually hangs during the day; it cannot be seen from the shop; when the prisoner went away he took the key with him; he came the next morning with his mother and brought the key back and laid it on the meat block; the key produced is the one. I then unlocked the till, and missed from 1s to 1s 6d, copper money; the till was not opened from the time he took the key away until he brought it back. Three weeks last Tuesday I lost £1 7s from the till.
Matthew Wilson, prosecutor, said: I was present when the prisoner came back to my shop with his mother. I said "Then you have been robbing our till"; he said he had; I asked him how he came to do that, and he said he only took 4½d. I said: "I don't know how much you have taken as you have taken the key away." He said he had hid the key, but he could find it. He then left the shop and brought the key back. I then counted the coppers, and as near as I could tell, there was 1s 3d missing. Prisoner was living next door to my shop, with Mr Cave, tailor. I gave the key to Sergeant Smith, which has been identified by my wife.
Police Sergeant Smith said: I took the prisoner into custody on the 24th inst. I charged him with stealing a key and a 1s worth of coppers, the property of Mr Wilson. He said he only too 4½d. and the reason he ran away was because Mrs Wilson saw him. I produced the key.
In answer to the usual questions, prisoner said he would have it tried there, and he was guilty of the charges.
Sentenced to one month, and at the expiration of that time to be sent to the Reformatory for 4 years.
10 February 1862 Let out on leave to work for Mr Samuel Wright, Tailor, 98 Park Street, Luton
20 December 1862 Heard of doing well
September 1863 Letter from employer [Mr Wright? No signature on letter] : Dear Sir, I am sorry you have had the trouble to write a second time, but I certainly sent a reply to your letter on Monday last, stating that John Ellis continues to give satisfaction. I hope by this time you have received the other letter, as it is not returned to me.
10 October 1863 Heard of doing well
December 1864 Heard of doing well
January 1866 Heard of doing well
October 1867 Heard of doing well
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