Portrait of a prisoner
- photographer:
- Unknown
An identity photograph of William Copeland, taken by an unknown photographer in 1874. The photograph is taken from an album of prison record photographs. Copeland, aged forty-eight, was arrested in Gateshead in September 1874 and sentenced to six months hard labour for theft.
An identity photograph of William Copeland, taken by an unknown photographer in 1874.
The photograph is taken from an album of prison record photographs. Copeland, aged forty-eight, was arrested in Gateshead in September 1874 and sentenced to six months hard labour for theft.
The use of photography to record known criminals - the 'mug shot'- had been suggested as early as the 1840s. In 1871, the Prevention of Crime Act made it a legal requirement that all persons arrested for a crime must have their photographs taken.
Details
- Category:
- Photographs
- Object Number:
- 1991-5046/5
- Materials:
- paper
- type:
- photograph
- copyright:
- National Science and Media Museum
- credit:
- The National Media Museum, Bradford
