Edward Horrocks, 13, Alice Taylor, 11, Joseph Smith, 8, and Maria Smith, 7, were charged, on remand, before Mr. Marsham, by Richard Stevens, rescue officer of the Reformatory and Refuge Union, Charing cross, with lodging in houses in Mill lane, Deptford, frequented by bad characters.
Evidence having been given by Inspector Pittman, R Division, that the houses in which the children resided were frequented by bad characters.
Horrocks's father said he had left Mill lane, and had taken furnished apartments. He looked after his boy, and was well able to keep him. He did not wish his own flesh and blood sent away from him.
Mr. Robinson, School Board officer, said Horrocks did not look after the boy, and one of his sons was in a training ship. There had been an increase in the number of bad characters in Mill lane, Deptford, as women came there from the East end to get out of the way of Jack the Ripper.
Mr. Marsham sent the boy Horrocks to join his brother on board the Mount Edgcumbe training ship, Alice Taylor he sent to Langley Furze Industrial School, Slough, Joseph Smith to Cannington Industrial School, Somersetshire, and Maria Smith to St. Mary's School, West Croydon.
