Photos of child 'criminals' - Newcastle, 1870s

[Erato]

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504083_162-10012739.html

[Mike in Cumbria]

I was looking at these yesterday - aren't they amazing photographs and stories?

Mike

[eastender]

They all look like wronguns to me.

Only joking. I was going to say you will do almost anything when you are near to starvation. but then I looked again and most of them seemed quite well nourished. Even so, it was a hard time when you could get transported for stealing a handkerchief.

Thanks for posting the link. Very interesting and quite poignant.

[silvery]

I think transportation may have stopped by the 1870s.    A lot of these were charged with stealing clothes, and the clothes some of them are wearing look really tatty and shabby.   Life was hard.   

[JenB]

These photos are part of a larger set of some 80, held by Tyne & Wear Archives, which I posted about on the Northumberland Board about two years ago 

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=564713.msg4171884#msg4171884

[Mike in Cumbria]

Interesting how the photographer put so many of them into the identical pose - one elbow on the chair back, body slightly turned and hands loosely clasped.

[Treetotal]

How sad that they turned to crime so young 
Carol

[eastender]

I think transportation may have stopped by the 1870s.

Absolutely correct. 1868 officially, I understand, but in reality some years before then. I must learn to engage my brain before posting. 

[bykerlads]

The photos provide an interesting and authentic record of how the poorest folk dressed in those days. In most cases very ragged indeed.
I wonder why the photographer posed them in such a way? it does at least give them some dignity.
The girls look mainly suitably downcast but the lads have retained a more confident, direct, unabashed look.
One can only assume that they committed the offences out of necessity.