And by “criminals,” I mean chicken stealers. The crimes are the best part.
The mugshots come from the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Flickr page. According to the page, all the prisoners photographed spent time in Newcastle Gaol between December 1871–December 1873.
This is the face of a woman who stole a chicken. Mary Patterson was sentenced to six weeks in jail in 1873 for theft of poultry.
Source: Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
At the young age of 14, Henry Miller was charged with the theft of clothing and sentenced to 14 days of hard labor for his crime.
Source: Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
Mary Catherine Docherty was sentenced to seven days of hard labor after being convicted of stealing iron. Her three accomplices, Mary Hinnigan, Ellen Woodman, and Rosanna Watson, were given the same punishment.
Source: Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums