Description:Saltley Reformatory was founded in 1852, and built on land in Saltley given by Lord Norton. It initially had space for 37 boys, rising to 100 by the end of the 19th century.
Boys between the ages of 9 and 17 were admitted to the school, usually after being committed there by a court. They were educated and given training in carpentry, shoemaking, and farming. After they had served three-fifths of their detention period they were released on licence, and many boys joined the army or emigrated to the colonies.
"I have chosen this set of photos because I think they bring to life the children who were sent to the reformatory in a way that simply reading about them can’t do. You can really see how young these boys were when they went to the school, and their ill-fitting and rather ragged clothes look as if they’ve been well-worn and handed down. Every time I look at these photos I wonder what became of these little boys."
Sarah Pymer
[MS 244/6/2: Finding number MS 244/96]