| No. in Admissions Register: | 58 |
| Date of admission: | 16 September 1854 |
| Weekly payments: | - |
| Age: | 13 |
| Education: | Good |
| Previous employment: | Tin worker |
| Crimes, how often and in what prison: | Various, 6 |
| Training in reformatory: | Tailor |
| When left reformatory: | 24 January 1856 |
| Parentage and family: | - |
| Residence: | - |
| Trade of father: | - |
| With whom the boy is placed: | Mr McCorkindale, to whom he is apprenticed for 3½ years and is gone with his master to Port Natal in the brig |
| Address: | - |
| Trade: | - |
11 September 1854 A brief report of his crime in Aris's Birmingham Gazette 11 September 1854, p.1, col.4 says James Hackett [boy 60] and James Hinds [spelled thus] , each aged 15, for stealing a pair of Clarence boots, the property of Edward Shingler, to be imprisoned, the former 3 months, and the latter fourteen days, and both to be sent for two years to Saltley.
14 December 1855 In the Reformatory Minute book it is recorder that: Mr McCorkindale [a would-be colonist] attended the committee and explained his views with reference to the proposed emigration to Natal, and it was agreed that the following boys be allowed to go to Natal on the necessary consents being obtained, viz. Williams (aged 14) [boy 68], Manning (aged 14) [boy 28], Devaney (aged 15 next May) [boy 57], Peechey (aged 16 next July) [boy 69], Hopcraft (aged 13 next May) [boy 65], Hook (aged 14) [boy 74).
The President undertook to write to the Home Secretary for his consent to the arrangement as far as concerned the boys detained under the Youthful Offenders Act, or by conditional pardon, and Mr Morgan engaged to deliver the letter personally at the Home Office.
Mr Ellis produced the consents of the boys’ parents.
Mr McCorkindale explained to the boys in the presence of the Committee the terms of their engagement and all signified their assent.
Resolved: that proper Indentures be prepared and that £8 be paid Mr McCorkindale for outfit and passage money for each boy.
22 December 1855 In the Minute Book it is recorded that: the President laid before the Committee the consent of the Home Secretary for the emigration to Natal of the four boys detained under sentence.
14 February 1856 The Minute Book records that: all the boys … except Devaney had sailed with Mr McCorkindale in the brig Portia for Natal on November 4th instant, the necessary consents from the Government and Parents having been first obtained. They were accompanied by Alfred John Taylor [boy 82], a well-educated boy, who had been committed at the Worcester Sessions a [few?] days previously, and by James Hines, who was selected instead of Devaney.
Mr Ratcliff inspected the vessel before the boys joined, and afterwards visited them on board, where they all expressed gratitude for the kind treatment in the Institution, and for the opportunity afforded them to emigrate. They all evinced much courage and determination to do well in their future career.
11 August 1857 The Minute Book notes a letter from Mr McCorkindale: Dunbar 10 April 1857. Sir, I have the satisfaction of informing you that all the boys from the Saltley School are well, tho’ not with the circumstances which I will fully explain next post, or you may get explained by a copy of my letter from the Rev’d Sidney Turner Redhill will put you in possession of why they left my employ. I have now been round the country twice to look after them and their interests and find everything as I could wish, all that I hear from their employers tends to assure me of their rapid and, I trust, steady improvement in morals. I do not doubt but all will write to Saltley or to their friends. I send however, an account of what each is doing, as far as I know.
James Hinds [spelled thus] boat builder and carpenter. This boy is much improved…
6 September 1860 The Minute Book contains this: 706. Mr Morgan laid before the Committee the following letter which was ordered to be entered on the Minutes:
Durban, 9 July 1860
Dear Sir, I have made enquiry about those boys from the Saltley Reformatory School, but have not been able to find out them all, tho’ I hope to hear more when I can get to see Miss Parkin, but she lives out of town, and I have been too busy to see her. I can inform you respecting 3 or 4 of them. James Hirons [spelled thus] is doing well. He is trading in the Zulu country… Thomas Peechy is doing excellent. He is also trading. He has two farms, one of 600 acre, and also a small one. He has a wagon and oxen of his own, besides a lot of other cattle… I remain, yours respectfully, Edward Pickering.
[For more information about Mr McCorkindale and the purpose of the trip to Natal see the Liverpool Mail Saturday 16 Feb 1856 p.3 col.5]
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