With their bowlers, waistcoats and cold-eyed stares, these mugshots of Victorian criminals show that while yesteryear's felons might have been more genteel, they were no less intimidating.
The police portraits are from a Manchester Detective Inspector's notebook, which is estimated to have been compiled around the turn of the 20th century.
Experts at Bonhams auctioneers, where the pocket journal is now up for sale, don't believe that the jotter was an official record, but was used by the DI to record criminals well known to the officer.
Personal scribblings underneath the pasted in pictures record ages, crimes and distinguishing features.
Many of the Victorian villains are repeat offenders, their petty crimes offering an interesting insight into Manchester's underworld during the industrial age.
One man is listed as stealing pigeons, while another lists details such as: "Lawrence Hy James... housebreaker, poses as a sewing machine agent, enters by false keys. Wanted at Sheffield."
Jose Dias, from Cuba is described as having "been deported several times", as well as a stealing a gold watch and having the alias of Joseph Dejour.
Felon Samuel Jackson is known for the "abscess scars" scrawled across his neck (hidden by a scarf), while pasted in pictures of brothel thieves show that it wasn't just men that the Detective Inspector came across on his rounds.
The notebook is expected to sell for between £800-1,200, which is probably more than these thieves, bounders and pickpockets managed to purloin between them.
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The article on Victorian Mugshots struck a real chord with me. Back in the 90s I had several recurring dreams about brothel thieves in London and Brighton in the 1900s and they were led by a woman. Your mugshots of those thre brothel thieves look so familiar and I wondered whether it would be of interest to write in with the dreams?
EvaLynne_Charmer: The article on Victorian Mugshots struck a real chord with
Really interesting how much older people looked back then at the same age as now: the 39 and 42 year olds look at least 60. Life may be hard now, but it was even harder back then!
Team_Brogan: Really interesting how much older people looked back then at
I'm not sure if Jose Dias from Cuba quite fits with your comment, but in general you are pretty much right. Dias, however, having managed to get deported three times clearly set the tone that this country was easy to get in to as a foreigner, even if you are a convicted criminal. Shame nobody in Government has ever noticed this ......
henrydogsnores2: I'm not sure if Jose Dias from Cuba quite fits
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Huffington Post UK Felicity Morse First Posted: 28/02/2012 11:26 Updated: 28/02/2012 11:26