19th Century Mugshots Show Victorian Christmas Criminals Imprisoned for Stealing Coal

Dec 24, 2024

Matt Growcoot

Three vintage sepia-toned mugshot portraits of individuals. Each holds a sign with a unique identification number: 4064, 1972, and 1429. They wear 19th-century clothing, with serious expressions, against a plain backdrop. — Given hard labor for stealing items that would have kept them warm at Christmas.

These rare mugshots taken in December 1872 show Victorian thieves locked up at Christmas for seemingly trivial crimes such as stealing lumps of coal.

The fascinating photos were all taken around the same time by police in Wandsworth Prison, London, and are kept for posterity in the National Archives of England and Wales.

The offenders were found guilty of stealing items to keep them warm, such as woolen jumpers and coats. Others were locked up for stealing food, like 17-year-old Sidney Lowman who was sentenced to six weeks’ hard labor at Wandsworth for stealing “half a pint” of milk.

Of course, it’s entirely plausible that at least some of these people were purposely committing crimes so they could spend Yuletide behind bars. Although conditions in London prisons in the 1870s were harsh: the Victorian penal philosophy focused on deterrence and moral correction.

Sepia-tone portrait of a young man with dark hair, wearing a dark coat. He has a sign with the number 4166 around his neck. The background is plain and blurred. — James Ealing, 17, was convicted of stealing a tin can and a half pint of milk on Christmas Eve, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor at Wandsworth Prison leaving him locked up for Christmas.

A sepia-toned image of a woman with dark hair parted in the middle, wearing a patterned shawl. She is facing the camera and appears to have a serious expression. She is wearing a tag with the number "2068. — Julia Killey, 30, was convicted of stealing two pounds of bacon on Christmas Eve, 1872. She was given 21 days’ hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

Sepia-toned vintage portrait of a young person with curly hair, wearing a suit and a number placard "4064" hanging from the neck. The background is plain. — John Sullivan, 17, was convicted of stealing a coat and lumps of coal on the 16th December, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor.

A vintage black-and-white photograph of a woman with dark hair, dressed in a plain dark garment. She is wearing a badge with the number "1429" displayed on it. The background is a solid color, giving the image a classic, historical look. — Mary Baxter, 22, was convicted of stealing a tablecloth on the 13th December, 1872. She was given 14 days’ hard labor meaning she got out the day after Christmas Day.

A black and white vintage photograph of a person wearing a dark coat. The person has a neutral expression and is facing the camera. A sign with the number "4137" is hanging around their neck. The background is plain and blurry. — Thomas Mackett, 24, was convicted of stealing nine pounds of beef on Christmas Eve.

A vintage portrait of a woman with her hair pulled back, wearing a checkered shawl and holding a number card "2087." The image is sepia-toned, giving it an old-fashioned appearance. — Ellen Smith, 52, was convicted of stealing an umbrella on the 17th December, 1872.

A black-and-white vintage photograph of a young man with short hair, wearing a dark jacket and a white collared shirt. He has a blank rectangular card attached to the front of his jacket. The background is plain and blurred. — Henry Marsh, 18, was convicted of stealing a coat on the 23rd December, 1872. He was given six weeks’ hard labor.

Sepia-toned vintage photo of a young boy wearing a dark jacket and a plaid shirt. He has short hair and gazes slightly to the side. A rectangular tag with the number "187" is hanging around his neck. — George Buzzing, 17, was convicted of stealing a woolen shirt on the 19th December, 1872. He was given 14 days’ hard labor at Wandsworth Prison leaving him locked up until New Year’s Day.

A young person with a serious expression sits facing forward, holding a card with the number 4199. They wear a worn jacket and scarf. The image is sepia-toned, with a vintage appearance. — Robert Graham, 16, was convicted of stealing 11 pairs of stockings on New Year’s Eve, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor.

An elderly woman with a serious expression sits, wearing a patterned shawl. A placard with the number "2058" is displayed in front of her. The image is in sepia tone, giving it an aged appearance. — Mary Sowerby, 69, was convicted of stealing a sheet on the 21st December, 1872. She got one month’s hard labor.

A black and white vintage photograph of a young person with short hair, wearing a jacket and a scarf. They have a faded sign with the number "4014" around their neck. The image has an aged, historical appearance. — John Powers, 15, was convicted of stealing fabric on the 10th December, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

A sepia-toned vintage photograph shows a woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a patterned shawl. She holds a placard with the number "1972." The background is plain, highlighting the woman's expression and attire. — Caroline Lightfoot, 51, was convicted of stealing a drinking glass on the 4th December, 1872. She was given two months’ hard labor.

Sepia-toned portrait of a man with short hair, wearing a suit and scarf. He has a tag labeled "4101" hanging around his neck. The image has a vintage, historical look. — Ben Bowmont, 32, was convicted of stealing a rabbit and a duck worth four shillings six pence on the 19th December, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor.

A sepia-toned photograph of a man with mutton chop sideburns, wearing a worn-out jacket and holding a placard with the number 3911. He has a serious expression and looks slightly to the left. — William Ashley, 27, was convicted of stealing a rabbit on the December 2, 1872. He was given six weeks’ hard labor at the London prison.

Sepia-toned image of a man from an older era, wearing a coat and sporting mutton chops. He has a paper with the number "4151" attached to his chest. The background is plain. — Harry Williams, 42, was convicted of stealing lumps of coal on the 26th December, 1872. He was given 14 days’ hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

A vintage black and white photograph of a young boy with tousled dark hair wearing a suit and tie. He is seated with a numbered sign, "4088," hung around his neck. The expression on his face is neutral. — John Hanks, 16, was convicted of stealing a woolen shirt on the 19th December, 1872. He was given 14 days’ hard labor.

A vintage sepia-toned photograph of a young boy wearing a dark coat. He has short, tousled hair and is looking to the side. A rectangular card with the number "4133" is hanging around his neck. The background is plain and neutral. — Daniel Kelly, 16, was convicted of stealing half a cut of iron on the 23rd December, 1872. He was given 14 days’ hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

Black and white photo of an older woman with her hair tied back, wearing a dark shawl and a patterned gown. She has a tag with the number "1938" on her chest. The background is plain and neutral. — Catherine Flynn, 63, was convicted of stealing six shillings from a person on the 9th December, 1872.

A sepia-toned photograph of a woman with dark, pulled-back hair, wearing a buttoned, dark garment. She has a somber expression and wears a sign with the numbers "1950" and "3" on her chest. — Rhoda Leaf, 30, was convicted of stealing a shirt from her master on the 2nd December, 1872. She was given six weeks’ hard labor.

A sepia-toned photograph of a young person with short hair, wearing a dark jacket and a tag with the number 4168 hanging from their neck. The expression is serious, and the background is plain. — Sidney Lowman, 17, was convicted of stealing a can and half a pint of milk on the 27th December, 1872. He was given six weeks’ hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

A sepia-toned vintage photograph of a young person wearing a corduroy jacket and a dark shirt, with a rectangular tag displaying a number hanging around their neck. The background is plain, highlighting the individual's expression. — Edward Poller, 17, was convicted of stealing a tame pigeon on the 7th December, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor.

A sepia-toned portrait of an older woman wearing a dark outfit. She has short, wavy hair and a somber expression. A rectangular tag with the number "2023" is pinned to her chest. The background is plain and softly blurred. — Agnes Rose Flowers, 44, was convicted of stealing a shirt worth two shillings six pence on the 16th December, 1872. She was given one month’s hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

Sepia-toned vintage portrait of a young man wearing a dark jacket, light scarf, and holding a sign with the number 4117. The background is plain and the expression is neutral. — John Kitchenside, 20, was convicted of stealing oats worth three shillings on the 23rd December, 1872. He was given six weeks hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

Black and white vintage photograph of a woman with short, dark hair, wearing a dark jacket. She holds a plaque with the number "1974." The background is plain and blurred. — Eliza Smith, 16, was convicted of stealing three sacks on the 4th December, 1872. She was given one month’s hard labor at Wandsworth Prison leaving her locked up over Christmas.

A sepia-toned vintage portrait of a middle-aged man with receding hair and mutton chops, wearing a dark jacket and striped scarf. He has a number "4164" pinned to his chest. The background is plain. — John Williams, 60, was convicted of stealing a saw worth five shillings on Christmas Eve, 1872. He was given one month’s hard labor at Wandsworth Prison.

Worried about crime, the Victorians turned to the camera so they could record the likeness of an offender. The above photos were likely taken on a large format camera with bellows.

The mugshot wasn’t officially invented until about a decade after the Wandsworth Prison photos were taken when French police officer Alphonse Bertillon brought in standardized lighting and angles. Bertillon heralded an international standard that is still used to this day.

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