Thomas James Parsons - Saltley Reformatory Inmate
| No. in Admissions Register: | 1063 |
| Age: | 12 (born 13 April 1881) |
| Whence received: | Coventry Police |
| Description: | |
| Complexion: | Fresh |
| Hair colour: | Brown |
| Eyes colour: | Blue |
| Height: | 4 ft 6¾ ins |
| Particular marks: | Forefinger on left hand crushed; cut on lip and left side of chin |
| State of health: | Good |
| Able-bodied? | Yes |
| Date of admission: | 13 April 1894 |
| Late residence: | 2 Days Lane, Coventry |
| Parish he belongs to: | - |
| Customary work and mode of life: | Errand boy |
| Whether illegitimate: | - |
| State of education: | |
| Reads: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Writes: | Imperfectly, Standard 2 |
| Offence: | Larceny of 5s from a till |
| Circumstances which may have led to it: | - |
| Date of sentence, by whom and court: | 7 April 1894; J Marriott and J W Hanklin; Coventry Petty Sessions |
| Where imprisoned: | Workhouse, until a Reformatory School is found |
| Sentence: | 5 years at a Reformatory (Saltley) |
| Previous committals: | |
| Number: | 1 (1 March 1894) |
| Length: | - |
| For what: | Larceny from a till |
| Father's name: | James Parsons |
| Occupation: | Cycle machinist |
| Mother's name: | Emma Parsons |
| Occupation: | Housewife |
| Parents dead? | Neither |
| Survivor married again? | - |
| Parents' treatment of child: | Good |
| Character of parents | Good |
| Parents' wages: | - |
| Amount parents agree to pay: | - |
| Parents address: | 2 Days Lane, Coventry |
| Superintendent of police (to collect payments): | - |
| Person making this return: | Inspector Shelley, Coventry City Police |
| Notes: | |
| 2 March 1894 A previous offence was reported in the Coventry Herald Friday 2 March 1894 p.8 col.6: STEALING FROM TILL. - Thomas James Parsons, 2, Day's-lane, and Sidney Frank Smith, 112, Far Gosford-street, juveniles, were charged with stealing, on the 27th inst., from a till at 70, Canterbury-street, the sum of 7s. 9d., belonging to Mr. J. G. Morgan. - It was alleged that Mr. Morgan had several times missed money from his shop till, and he placed the matter in the hands of the police. On Tuesday 7s. 9d. was missing. Police-constable Imber investigated the matter and went to South-street schools, where he questioned Smith upon whom he found 1s. Smith said he had had more money but had given some away, and that it had been given to him by Parsons. He also stated that Parsons arranged to rob the till at Mr. Morgan's shop, and that he gave him 2s. 6d. of the proceeds, acquaintance named Farrell 3s., and kept the remainder. He afterwards saw Parsons, who said he received the money found upon him - 2s. - Smith, whom he stated conducted the robbery. Prisoners were confronted and they incriminated each other. He had been unable to find Farrell who, he understood, had absconded. - The lads pleaded not guilty, and each told the Bench that it was his companion and not he who took the money. - Mr. Morgan asked the Bench not to deal severely with the prisoners, although he had been a considerable loser by the robberies. In the last fortnight the shop had been robbed four times, and on Saturday the till was 10s. short. - The Bench under the circumstances discharged the lads on their parents being bound over to produce them when required. | |
| 7 April 1894 The crime that sent him to Coventry was reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Saturday 7 April 1894 p.3 col.3: JUVENILE THIEVING IN COVENTRY. Thomas James Parsons was charged, at the Coventry City Police Court this morning, with stealing on April 4th, from a till in the shop, No. 18, New Brook Street, 5s., the money of William Henry Nelson, huckster. Parsons is a lad 13 years of age, and some six weeks ago was implicated in a charge of stealing money from the shop till of Mr. J. G. Morgan, tobacconist, Canterbury Street. The magistrates were Aid. Marriott and Mr. F. W. Franklin. Mrs. E. A. Nelson said that between four and five o'clock on Wednesday afternoon she missed about 5s. from the shop till, and had seen the prisoner hanging about the place, he having been to buy some sweets at dinner time and afterwards. She had some reason to suspect his designs, and so made a communication to the police. Detective-officer Imber said he went to the prisoner's home the previous morning, accused him of the robbery, and he denied it with the remark that he had only been in the shop once, Mrs. Nelson, however, identified him as having been in the place three times on the Wednesday. Later he said "I did have the money," and explained that he took it out of the till when no one was in the shop. A portion of the money, he said, he had given to his brother, and also observed, "You can't prove the case against me. No one was there to see me." From the brother witness eventually receive 3s. 7d. The lad had been to the Opera House on Wednesday night. Mr. Gray said that when the prisoner was let off on a previous occasion he boasted of his exploit. Till robberies were becoming very frequent, and he thought it advisable, with a view to stopping it, that the lad should be sent to a reformatory. The lad's father said he had done his best lo dissuade him from evil practices, but Alderman Marriott said it did not appear to have had much effect. Mr. Gray reiterated that even boys who had been birched went back to their old habits. The Bench committed the lad to a reformatory for five years, ordering him to be detained at the Workhouse until a school was found for him. Alderman Marriott also administered caution to the younger brother, and commented on the utter neglect that appeared to have been displayed in regard to the two lads by their father. | |
| 28 December 1898 The Register of Boys on Licence records that Parsons was licensed to go out and work for Mr Bishop, butcher, Earl Street, Coventry | |
| 6 April 1899 Sentence expired whilst on licence, discharged from Saltley | |
| 8 August 1899 The Reformatory Committee Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Parsons, Atherstone | |
| 8 October 1901 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Parsons [no location given, but if he was in South Africa then, the Boer War was underway] | |
| 14 October 1902 The Log Book report records receipt of a letter from Parsons, South Africa | |