Saltley Reformatory Inmates

William Webster

No. in Admissions Register:	258
Date of admission:	27 June 1863
Whence received:	Walsall Gaol
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fair
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?	Cowpox
Particular marks:	Scar on right cheek
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	No
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	11
Illegitimate?	No
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	Marsh Lane, Walsall
Parish he belongs to:	Walsall
Customary work and mode of life:	Caster; of idle habits
Schools attended:	-
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Not at all
Writes:	Not at all
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing his mother's wedding ring
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Father dead, is beyond his mother's control
Date of sentence:	15 June 1863
Where convicted:	Walsall, before G Stephens and J W Newman
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	14 days prison, 4 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	-
Father's name:	-
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Mother's name:	Maria Webster
Occupation:
Residence:	Marsh Lane, Walsall
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Father
Survivor married again?	No
Parents' treatment of child:	-
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	-
Amount parents agree to pay:	1s a week
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	J W Cater
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	J W Cater
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

20 June 1863 There is a report of the crime in the Walsall Free Press and General Advertiser Saturday 20 June 1863 p.4 col.1: A PRODIGAL SON.-William Webster, a lad about twelve years of age, was charged with stealing a gold ring, the property of his mother, Maria Webster. It appeared that, on Monday, the 8th inst, she missed her ring, and charged the lad - who had pledged some other articles-with stealing the ring. He denied taking it; but, subsequently, he admitted having taken it, and pledged it, at Mr. Mold's, for 3s. 6d. Mr. Mold's assistant said the ring had not been pledged by the prisoner, as it was pledged in the name of Ann Alcock, and, had it been brought by himself, it would not have been entered in a female's name. He pleaded guilty. The mother said the boy was her only son, and was a very good boy till he got into bad company, and since then he would not settle to work, and had robbed her of money and articles. He had also gone to parties and borrowed money, and she, in order to prevent him being proceeded against by other people, had repaid the money. She however, being a widow, was unable to supply him with more money. The Bench sojourned the case for eight days, for the purpose of affording time for the police to ascertain whether or not the prisoner could be got .into a reformatory.

26 June 1867 Discharged

7 January 1868 Called at the school. Is on the Ganges training ship

September 1870 Gone to sea

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