Saltley Reformatory Inmates

James Colley

No. in Admissions Register:	301
Date of admission:	9 June 1865
Whence received:	Stafford
By whom brought:	-
On what terms:	-
Friends interested in him:	-
Description:
Height:	-
Figure:	-
Complexion:	Fresh
Hair colour:	Light 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:	None
Cutaneous disorder?	No
Scrofulous or consumptive?	Not apparent
Subject to fits?	No
Age last birthday:	13
Illegitimate?	-
Birthday:	-
Birth place:	-
Has resided:	West Bromwich
Parish he belongs to:	Oldbury
Customary work and mode of life:	Jockey
Schools attended:	Chanal Oldbury
By whom and where employed:	-
State of education:
Reads:	Imperfectly
Writes:	Imperfectly
Cyphers:	-
General ability:	-
Offence:	Stealing a pony
Circumstances which may have led to it:	Bad company
Date of sentence:	9 March 1865
Where convicted:	Stafford Assizes before Baron Pigott
Who prosecuted:	-
Where imprisoned:	-
Sentence:	3 months, 5 years at Saltley
Previous committals and convictions:	None
Father's name:	James Colley
Occupation:	Veterinary surgeon
Residence:	Parrott Street, Oldbury
Mother's name:	Betsy Colley
Occupation:	-
Residence:	-
Father's character:	-
Mother's character:	-
Parents dead?	Own mother
Survivor married again?	-
Parents' treatment of child:	Good, but his father turned him out because he threw a horse down
Character of parents	Good
Parents' wages:	Is a veterinary surgeon in good circumstances
Amount parents agree to pay:	Not known
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):	S Cole, Hanley
Relatives to communicate with:	-
Person making this return:	Mr Simmonds, Oldbury
Estimate of character on admission:	-
Character on discharge:	-
When and how left the Reformatory:	-

Notes:

25 January 1865 There is a report of the offence in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wednesday 25 January 1865 p.6 col.3: STEALING A HORSE FROM WEST BROMWICH.- James Colley, a boy about 14 years of age, was charged with stealing a pony, the property of Mr. Samuel Roberts, iron founder, West Bromwich. It appeared that the pony was seen safe in a field at West Bromwich, about five o'clock on Wednesday morning last. In about three or four hours afterwards the animal was missed. About ten o'clock the same morning Mr. Castle (Market Inspector, Wolverhampton) saw the prisoner offer the pony for sale, in Bilston Street, in this town. Witness asked him the price of the pony, and the lad said be would sell it for £3. He also stated that it was the property of Mr. Hancox, of Tividale, and that he expected young Mr. Hancox would be there shortly. Witness made some inquiries in the cattle market, and not being able to ascertain that any person of the name of Hancox was known at Tividale, and not being satisfied with the lad's tale, he took him and the pony into custody. At the police station prisoner varied his statement by saying that the pony was given to him by a man at West Bromwich, who told him to take it to Wolverhampton and try to sell it for £3 5s., and would join him there about eleven o'clock. Prosecutor had since seen the pony in the custody of the police, and he identified it as the one that had been taken from his field. The prisoner, who seemed a very precocious youth for his age, said, in answer to the charge, that he and another boy went into the field, and the other lad brought out the pony and gave it him, and he brought it to Wolverhampton to sell it. In order that the police might have time to make further inquiries respecting the prisoner he was remanded for a week, but committed on this charge to take his trial at the Borough Quarter Sessions.

[Return to Index]

← Prev	Next →