File:William Wade alias Nursay, arrested for stealing money (16444304673).jpg

English: Name: William Wade alias Nursay

Arrested for: not given
Arrested at: North Shields Police Station
Arrested on: 21 November 1906
Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-97-William Wade AKA Nursay
The Shields Daily News for 28 November 1906 reports:
"A BOY SENT TO PRISON AT NORTH SHIELDS.
At North Shields Police Court today William Wade, a boy of no address, was charged with having stolen from Elizabeth Hall the sum of 6s 8d on the 16th inst.
Prosecutrix, a single woman, who resides in Bland Square, Bell Street, said that on the date in question the defendant came to her house and asked her if she wanted him to go upon any errands for her. She gave him a small sum of money to redeem a shawl which was in pledge and gave him another shawl to pawn. She would have sacrificed the shawl that was already in pledge if it had not been redeemed that day. It was her intention to give the defendant 6d, as she knew he was in poor circumstances and was sorry for him.
Further evidence showed that the defendant did not redeem the shawl, but kept the money and pledged the other shawl for 4s 4½d.
Chief Constable Huish gave the accused a bad character and said his parents would have nothing to do with him. he was committed for 14 days. "
Sadly this wasn't to be Wade's last appearance in court. The Shields Daily News for 3 January 1908 reports:
"THEFT OF FISH.
William Wade (16) was charged with having stolen two lemon soles, value 1s 6d, the property of Richard Irvin and Sons, from the Richmond Castle, on 3rd inst.
P C Spindler said that at 8.45 this morning he was on duty on the Fish Quay, where he saw the accused carrying a pair of lemon soles. He missed him in the crowd but he afterwards saw him in Colley's cocoa rooms and asked him where he got the fish and he replied, "From the mate of the Richmond Castle." Witness confronted him with the mate, who denied having given accused the soles.
Witness charged the prisoner, and he pleaded guilty and said he sold the fish to a woman for 1s to get some breakfast, adding that he had had nothing to eat since yesterday morning. This was his fifth appearance and he was committed to prison for 14 days."
These images are a selection from an album of photographs of prisoners brought before the North Shields Police Court between 1902 and 1916 in the collection of Tyne & Wear Archives (TWA ref DX1388/1).
This set contains mugshots of boys and girls under the age of 21. This reflects the fact that until 1970 that was the legal age of majority in the UK.

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