Saltley Reformatory Inmates

William Wright

No. in Admissions Register:	254
Date of admission:	14 May 1863
Whence received:	Birmingham Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Brown
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?	Smallpox
Particular marks:	Pock-pitted
Cutaneous disorder?	Yes
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	14
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	back 19 Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham
Parish he belongs to:	-
Customary work and mode of life:	-
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing 30 rows of beads
Circumstances which may have led to it:	-
Date of sentence:	1 May 1863
Where convicted:	Moor Street
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days prison, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	Stealing 4 lbs bacon (3 months hard labour)
Father's name:	Frederick Wright
Occupation:	Bricklayer
Residence:	back 19 Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham
Mother's name:	Ann
Occupation:
Residence:	back 19 Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Neither
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	-
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	An order to be made
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	-
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	T C S Kynnersley
Estimate of character on admission:
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

2 May 1863 There is a report of his crime in the Birmingham Journal Saturday 2 May 1863 p.3 col.7: A YOUNG THIEF..-A lad, fourteen years of age, named William Wright, described as labourer, residing in Lower Trinity Street, was charged with having, in company with several other boys, not yet custody, stolen a quantity of beads, medals, and rosary cases, value £1.16s, from Mr. Rodgers's fancy repository, Alcester Street The prisoner, it seems, entered the prosecutor's shop, and whilst being served with some small article, handed the stolen property to the other boys who were standing outside the shop. The prisoner was committed to the House of Correction, with hard labour, for fourteen days, and was ordered to be sent at the expiration of that term to a Reformatory School for five years.

13 May 1868 Discharged

1 February 1870 He was in trouble again after leaving Saltley. There is a report of a second crime committed after leaving in the Birmingham Daily Post Tuesday 1 February 1870 p.4 col.4: ANOTHER SHOP ROBBERY.-William Wright (21), a labourer, Barford Street, able to read and write imperfectly, was charged on remand with stealing a money-bowl, containing about 12s., from the Nelson public-house, Nelson Street. A man met the prisoner coming out of the bar with the bowl under his arm, and he followed him till he entered a brewhouna in Garbett Street, where he detained him. The bowl, with about six shillings in coppers, was found in the brewhouse. The prisoner had 9s. in silver in his coat pocket. Prisoner did not deny the charge. He had been previously convicted, and had served a period of confinement in the Saltley Reformatory. Since his discharge from that institution he has been convicted at Crewe. Committed for trial. [Note: in Birmingham, a 'brewhouse' was an outhouse with a large bowl, heatable by a fire beneath, often used for laundry and often used by more than one family]

July 1870 Called at school - poor but honest

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