Interesting glimpse into the past. I was struck by how much older and beat up these people looked. Says a lot about the difficulties and hardships they must have faced.
This lady could have been very attractive, but even at 24 she was aging quickly. Looked at least 35 by todays standards.
I found the museum photo archive the news article referenced.
Searched for “criminal” and got 86 hits of 1920’s mug shots. I may look at these later when I have the time.
http://collection.hht.net.au/firsthhtpictures/resultsPicture.jsp?userId=&customValue_1=criminal&customField_1=C.SEARCHAUTHOR&customMatch_1=AND&customCombine_1=OR&customValue_2=criminal&customField_2=C.SUBJECT_GEOG&customMatch_2=AND&customCombine_2=OR&customValue_3=criminal&customField_3=C.SEARCHSUBJECT&customMatch_3=AND&customCombine_3=OR&customCheckbox_1=on&customCheckbox_2=on&customCheckbox_3=on&allCheck=on&inputSearch=criminal&refineQuery=null
Boy, clothes weren’t very flattering back then, were they?
If you got any modern 24 year old and photographed them in the same conditions I’m not sure the results would be that different.
That’s true. Especially the prostitute, Elizabeth Singleton’s clothes. I can’t imagine her attracting much business.
It really annoys the hell out of me when newspapers simply lift material like this without even having the courtesy to provide a link to the original material.
While the stuff is probably out of copyright, and the paper has every right to use the pictures, they could at least acknowledge the effort required to get these old photos online by providing a reference and a link.
Cool site thanks
If you really look at their faces they do look young
Like
Vera Crichton, 23 (left) conspired with two other women to ‘procure a miscarriage on a third woman’.
She looks old at first glance but look at her face. She looks young if you just focus on her face
I looked at Alice Cook. Just focus on her face, she is pretty and young. I would say she’s in her mid 20s.
But that’s a cool site, again I say thanks for sharing
Both this and www.shorpy.com make me realize a BIG difference between now and then is hair-care products. (more likely hygiene in general)
http://www.laboiteverte.fr/portraits-de-criminels-australiens-dans-les-annees-1920/
A lot of the same photos, but a lot of new ones too. Some of the guys in here look goddamn scary.
I noticed the class divide. The lower, impoverished class clothing was noticeably different.
Things are different today. The person you see in jeans and T-shirt with a bands logo maybe on food stamps or very wealthy. Clothes aren’t that much of an indication any more.
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She had stylish clothes for that time. I think we know why too? 
This lady had much plainer and worn clothing. A lot of the other ladies had similar clothes.
“Mr. Fourth From the Bottom” is scary hot, is what he is.
I wonder about the two cross-dressers? Gay? Transvestites? Transgender? Just out for a lark? Their world was so much narrower in the 1920s, more so in Australia, I imagine, than in Berlin or Paris or New York. They have those great “oh, fuck you, Mary” grins on their faces, though.
Mr. Gracy and Dalton have the appearance of a couple individuals you would not want to cross.(first picture) Fay Watson (5th from the bottom was way attractive)
Having said all that why can I not wear a hat like these people?
Did any Terry Pratchett fans think ‘Mr Pin and Mr Tulip?’
EDIT: Oops-failed to spot the right ones . Obviously I don’t spend enough time in bars in the 1920s.
Yeah, these people all look like they smelled like tobacco smoke and week-old BO. And those are the clean ones.
I found out more about no. 8, the fellow in the last shot, in his socksies: He was Henry Reid, a 5’7" coke-dealing blacksmith, and this shot was taken on January 7, 1930. Stunning Australian mug shots taken in the 1920s | Dangerous Minds
[scribbling on notebook] "Mr. and Mrs. Coke-Dealing Blacksmith . . . " "Dr. and Mrs. Coke-Dealing Blacksmith . . . "
It would be fascinating to research some of these people and see how their lives unfolded after jail. Surviving relatives could provide a lot of insight.
A lot of the women in these photos were convicted for aiding or botching abortions. They were probably midwives that also terminated pregnancies. I can easily see them leading normal lives after prison.
Besides being nice looking, she looks confident and intelligent. I think I <3 Alice Cooke.
Fay Watson’s gotta be a man. Her face is very mannish (reminds me of Ann Coulter) and there’s no hint of breasts on her.
Old photos of Australian criminals seems to be in vogue these days. For some time, Archaeology.org has had a main page feature of male Australians who served time in the 1800s. This was still when British convicts were being sent to Australia, so their records shouldn’t be surprising, I guess, but while some made honest men of themselves, these guys couldnt’ seem to break out of the petty criminal life, despite being constantly returned to what must have been lousy conditions in the prisons. Some sad stories.
Old photos of convicts in general seem to be in vogue lately. I think someone here posted this link before: Digital Collections - Home
It’s photos of Irish convicts between the 1850s and 1860s. There are some beautiful shots.
Indeed. Thanks for the link. Interesting how they look like they’re sitting for portraits for the living room wall. I guess the idea of the simple mug shot came later.