No. in Admissions Register: 137
Date of admission: 19 January 1858
Whence received: New Bailey Prison, Salford
By whom brought: -
On what terms: -
Friends interested in him: -
Description:
Height: -
Figure: -
Complexion: Fresh
Hair colour: 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? Says smallpox but seems doubtful
Particular marks: Several on right wrist; 3 small moles on right arm
Cutaneous disorder? No
Scrofulous or consumptive? No
Subject to fits? Says not
Age last birthday: 13
Illegitimate? No
Birthday: -
Birth place: -
Has resided: King Street, Water Street, Bolton
Parish to which he belongs: Darwen, Blackburn, Lancashire
Customary work and mode of life: Has been a piecer in a factory for about 3 years
Schools attended: -
By whom and where employed: -
State of education:
Reads: -
Writes: -
Cyphers:  
General ability:
Offence: Stealing a coal box containing 7 lbs of bones
Circumstances which may Have led to it:               Evil companions
Date of sentence: 30 December 1857
Where convicted: Bolton General Quarter Sessions before R B Armstrong, Esq, Recorder
Sentence: 21 days prison, hard labour, 5 years at Saltley
Where imprisoned: -
Previous committals and convictions: -
Father's name: James Berry
Occupation -
Residence: -
Mother's name: -
Occupation: -
Residence: -
Father's character: Dissipated
Mother's character: -
Parents dead? Mother
Survivor married again? No, but a woman named Mary Ann Jones has lived with him for 7 years
Parents' treatment of child: Good
Character of parents: -
Parents' wages: 13s per week
Weekly amount parents will pay: -
Superintendent of police (to collect payments):     
Relatives to communicate with: -
Person making this return: L H Mitchell, Governor, New Bailey Prison, Salford
Estimate of character on admission: -
Character on discharge:
When and how left the Reformatory: Emigrated to Sydney, Australia on 12 Jul 1861 aboard the Stornaway


Notes:

2 January 1858 There is a very brief report of his offence in the Bolton Chronicle Saturday 2 January 1858 p.7 col.5: Thomas Chadwick, 10, James Drake, 13, and Joseph Berry, 13, stealing, 1st December, a coal box and 7 pounds of bones, the property of Thomas Marsden. - Each twenty-one days imprisonment, and five years to a Reformatory.
 
8 March 1860 absconded with Clifford [boy 132]. Returned alone 11 March.
 
6 June 1860 ditto with boys 112 and 153 [Boyes and Wilson]. Was to have emigrated to Sydney.
 
8 June 1860 brought back by the Walsall police.
 
1 November 1860 The Reformatory Minute Book reports: 728. A letter was read from Mr Lloyd, Mayor of Birmingham, offering to send 4 boys within the next 6 months as emigrants to Australia at his cost, exclusive of outfit and enclosing the requisite Emigration Order.
 
729. Mr Humphreys then recommended the following boys for emigration: West (121), Oswald (124), Berry (137) and Miller (129).
 
Resolved: that steps be taken to obtain the consent of the parents of the boys for their emigration before deciding on the question.
 
18 December 1860 The Reformatory Minute Book states: 736. Mr Humphreys reported that he recommended Beaton [boy 147] and Drake [138] for emigration instead of West [boy 121] and Miller [129] and that he had received the assents of Beaton's father and of Oswald's mother [boy 124] and Berry's parents had disappeared and that although Drake's mother disapproved of the proposed emigration, Mr Sidney Turner had, on enquiry into the case, sanctioned the boy being allowed to follow his own choice in the matter.
 
Resolved: that the above four boys be allowed to emigrate and that the necessary outfit be provided.
 
10 July 1861 "I acknowledge that I emigrate to Sydney of my own free will and am thankful to the Committee of the School for allowing me the privilege of going. [signed] Joseph Berry"
 
12 July 1861 sailed from London in the Stornaway for Sydney with boys 138 James Drake], 147 [Hector Beaton], 152 [John Abberley]
 
16 July 1861 The Minute Book states: 791. On reading Minute 736 and subsequent Minutes down to Minute 780, it was reported that the final selection of boys to complete the number for emigration had fallen upon Pennefather [boy 120] and Abberley [boy 152] and that accordingly, Pennefather, Brittain [boy 111], Lowe [boy 151], and Oswald [boy 124] had gone to Canada, and that Abberley, Drake [boy 138], Beaton [boy 147], and Berry [boy 137] had gone to Sydney since last meeting of the Committee.
 
26 January 1862 Had a letter from. Working for William Rowe, blacksmith, East Kempsey, McAuley (?) River, Sydney
 
6 August [1862?] had a letter from his master saying he was drowned while bathing.
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