Conisbro’ Youth Sent To a Reformatory

January 1908

Mexborough and Swinton Times January 1908

Conisbro’ Youth Sent To a Reformatory

At the Doncaster West Riding Police Court, Saturday, a small boy named Ernest Marriott (15), of Conisbro’ was charged with stealing 274 marbles from Kilner Bros., glassworks, at Conisbro’ on January 7th.

Henry Wilson, shop manager at Mrs Kilner brothers, glass works, said that at 6.30 last Tuesday he saw the prisoner in the works yard and the prisoner told him he had come to work, but he wasn’t particular. Witness told me had better clear off. Prisoner went towards the marble shed.

John Kilner Bateson, manager of the works and residing on the premises, said that on Tuesday, from information he had received, he went to the shed and examined the marbles. One of the boxes had been disturbed, and some of them were missing. The marbles which were produced were similar to those manufactured by the firm. The marbles which had been taken were worth 2/6.

About 8.15 pm. on that date Sergeant Horton found him loitering near a lock up shop in Pit lane, and on searching him found the marbles in the inside pocket of his jacket. Prisoner at once said, “I have not been to Kilners for them.”

Prisoner, who had been previously convicted of theft, was ordered to be sent to the Mirfield Reform School, and kept until he attained the age of 19 years.

The father of the lad pleaded hard that the lad should be allowed to continue to support a poverty stricken home. The Bench, however, insisted, and the lad was taken away crying heartily.