Saltley Reformatory Inmates

George Attwood

[Return to Index]

Notes:

6 January 1866 There is a report of the crime, involving the whole family, in yhe Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 6 January 1866 p.7 col.1: STEALING GLASS AT AMBLECOTE. GEORGE ATTWOOD, jun., 11, glass cutter. GEORGE ATTWOOD, sen., 38 anvil maker, and MARY ANN ATTWOOD, 33, the two latter father and mother of the first named prisoner, were charged with having stolen on the 7th November four candlesticks, one cream jug, two knife rests, three dishes, two mustard pots, two flower glasses, and other articles, the property of Joseph Webb, glass manufacturer, Colbourne Brook Works. Amblecote.-Mr. MOTTRAM conducted the prosecution, and Mr. KENEALY appeared for the defence.-Up to November last the prisoner George Attwood, the younger, was employed at the prosecutor's works, and numerous articles being missed, suspicion fell upon him. A brewhouse in the occupation of the elder prisoners was accordingly searched by Police- constable Freeman and Police-sergeant, Hudson, when they found the articles mentioned in the indictment in heap of coal and slack and in the ashhole, mixed up with a quantity of other glass. According to the evidence of Freeman, when taken into custody the boy said that he had been requested to steal the glass by his mother; and Hudson said that when he apprehended the father of the boy he (the father), addressing his wife. said. "This is a d__ nice mess you have got me into. This has been brought here since I left home this morning." The prosecutor's manager identified the glass, part of which is an unfinished state.-His LORDSHIP said there did not appear to be sufficient evidence against the father and mother.-Mr. KENEALY addressed the jury for the defence of the boy. who was found guilty and recommended to mercy. The boy was sentenced to be imprisoned for fourteen days, and to be sent to a reformatory five years, the parents to contribute 2s. a-week towards his maintenance. GEORGE ATTWOOD. sen., and MARY ANN ATTWOOD were then charged with having feloniously received, on the 7th of November, at Amblecote, two tumbler glasses, one water jug, four wine glasses, and other articles, the property of William Richardson and another, knowing them to have been stolen. The principal witness against the prisoners was a woman named Robinson, who had been in the employ of Messrs. Richardson and Smith, glass manufacturers, and who confessed that she had stolen the articles in question. She said that she had deliberately bargained with the prisoners to steal the goods from her masters' premises and let them have them, they promising her a pair of boots for herself and a pair trousers for her husband. She stole numerous articles, and handed them to the prisoners, but she never got the boots and trousers, and therefore she made a confession to her employers. Sergeant Hudson proved finding a portion of the stolen property in the prisoners' brewhouse, covered with slack, and placed with the glass referred to in the previous case. The prisoners were found guilty, and sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, his LORDSHIP observing that the 2s. a week towards the maintenance of their child in a reformatory would have to be paid after the expiration of the nine months. [Note: a 'brewhouse' was a small outhouse containing a large bowl, heatable by fire, often used for laundry]

[Return to Index]

This web page © 2020 Fred Miller