Saltley Reformatory Inmates


George Venables

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No. in Admissions Register: 133
Date of admission 2 January 1858
Whence received Stafford County Gaol
By whom brought: Mr Mountford
On what terms: Committed
Friends interested in him: -
Description:  
Height: -
Figure: -
Complexion: Fresh
Hair colour: Light
Eyes colour: Blue
Perfect vision? Yes
State of health: Good
Able-bodied? Yes
Sound intellect? Yes
Use of all limbs? Yes
Had cow or small pox?  
Particular marks: None
Cutaneous disorder? No
Scrofulous or consumptive? No
Subject to fits? No
Age last birthday: 12
Illegitimate? No
Birthday: -
Birth place: -
Has resided: Spon Lane, West Bromwich
Parish to which he belongs: West Bromwich
Customary work and mode of life: Labouring and rope spinning
Schools attended: Trinity School, West Bromwich
By whom and where employed: None
State of education:  
Reads: A little
Writes: A little
Cyphers: -
General ability: -
Offence: Stealing iron
Circumstances which may have led to it: -
Date of sentence: 19 December 1857
Where convicted: West Bromwich before E Scott and T Bagnall, Esq
Sentence: 14 days in prison, 3 years at Saltley
Where imprisoned: -
Previous committals and convictions: None
Father's name: Charles Venables
Occupation Shoemaker
Residence: Spon Lane, West Bromwich
Mother's name: Ann Venables
Occupation: -
Residence: -
Father's character: -
Mother's character: -
Parents dead? No
Survivor married again? -
Parents' treatment of child: -
Character of parents: Mother has been ill for the last 4 years
Parents' wages: 15s
Weekly amount parents will pay: 2s 6d
Superintendent of police (to collect payments): - -
Relatives to communicate with: -
Person making this return: Mr J Holland, Inspector of Police, West Bromwich
Estimate of character on admission:  
Character on discharge:  
When and how left the Reformatory:  

Notes:

21 December 1857 There is a lengthy report of his offence in the Birmingham Daily Post Monday 21 December 1857 p.3 col.1: A NOTORIOUS RECEIVER COMMITTED. - At the Public Office, on Saturday last, before E D Scott, A Kenrick, and Thomas Bagnall, Esqs, two little lads, George Venables, eleven, and John Evans, twelve years of age, were charged with stealing about 2 cwt of pig iron, the property of Messers A Kenrick and Son. Mr Caddick appeared for the prosecution. The first witness examined was Thomas Leedham, one of the men employed at the works, and he stated that on the preceding Thursday, from suspicions raised as to quantities of iron stolen from the foundry, he was induced to search a heap of block sand, laid at a short distance from the works, when he found some pieces of pig iron evidently hidden. Selecting two pieces, he marked one of them, and returning shortly after to the spot, found them gone. Other portions, also, were missed, and information was given to Police Constable Denston, who stated that having for three years past suspected a marine store dealer named Ann Bullock, alias "Scottie," of receiving stolen metal, he went to her shop, and on searching it he found the iron which he produced, and which was satisfactorily proved to be the metal marked by Leedham, the property of the Messers Kenrick. Further evidence was adduced by the lad Evans's brother, who stated that he had been asked by the two prisoners, his brother and Venables, to go with them and get some iron to sell. They went to the waste sand heap referred to, and taking two pieces at a time to Ann Bullock's, she, without asking any questions, bought it and gave them 1s, for what was worth 3s or more. This witness said he went with his brother to this marine store, and having got the money, they divided it between them. Ann Bullock, who although charged separately was in the dock with the two lads, said that when they came with the iron in question she did ask them how they came by it, and they said they had been employed to clear out a boat, and found the metal amongst the rubbish. She always asked persons who brought iron, etc, where they had it from. The Magistrates (Mr Kenrick having retired during the hearing from the Bench), finding that gentleman through his manager, Mr John Underhill, recommended that a light sentence might be passed upon the lads, who pleaded guilty, said that they must go to Stafford [gaol] for fourteen days, but the necessary steps would be taken to get them into a Reformatory School for three years. Mr Bagnall, finding that the mother of the two lads, the Evans's, was in Court, addressed her, to the effect that she must pay more attention than she had hitherto done to her other son, who had himself a narrow escape. The receiver, Ann Bullock, was committed for trial.

1 December 1860 went out on leave to work for his father

June 1862 called at the school. Doing well

1 January 1864 heard of doing well at West Bromwich

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