Source Guides and Timelines

Read our source guides and follow the timelines of criminal justice journeys

Source guide for tracing your transported criminal ancestors

Transportation records

old blue police box

Find out more about the history of policing in Britain

Police

rusty prison bars

View our timeline of the history of prisons and imprisonment

Prisons

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Latest Updates on Twitter

Retweet on TwitterOur Criminal Past Retweeted
prisonhistoryukPrison History UK@prisonhistoryuk·
8 Nov

We have 100+ images of lock-ups in our database. More than illustrations, these are critical primary sources which reveal much about the history of these buildings. Find out more in our latest feature comparing images from the past & present 👇#twitterstorians #historyteacher https://twitter.com/prisonhistoryuk/status/1192469272246833153

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CrimeandJusticeCCJS@CrimeandJustice·
8 Nov

Anyone here not read the latest @PSJ_UK yet?? You really should, it's a goodie - prisons in historical context.

Read all about it: https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/publications/psj/prison-service-journal-246

#prisons #twitterstorians #history #criminaljustice

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RedmondJenniferDr. Jennifer Redmond@RedmondJennifer·
7 Nov

Absolutely riveting details given by @Elaineffarrell and @Leannemcck from their @ahrcpress project @BadBridget. Nuance, compassion, transnational ties, fathers pleading for their daughters and more. What an incredible research project

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ourcriminalpastOur Criminal Past@ourcriminalpast·
7 Nov

Actually this from 1947 is also pretty familiar then reflecting fears of ‘open’ prisons @YvonneJewkes @carceralgeog @drjamiebennett @crewebencrewe @drdommoran @tcguiney

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ourcriminalpastOur Criminal Past@ourcriminalpast·
7 Nov

On next page of scrapbook ‘prison staff complain of attacks’ and another story ‘hose turned on 100 boys: disturbance in approved school’ 1945 @YvonneJewkes @carceralgeog @drjamiebennett @crewebencrewe @drdommoran @tcguiney

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ourcriminalpastOur Criminal Past@ourcriminalpast·
7 Nov

Today I’m reading newspapers strikingly familiar tone ... ‘Blow up the Old Gaols’ Home Sec Morrison plans ‘revolution in the penal system, scrapping all the old prisons & the old methods’ Year? 1944 @YvonneJewkes @carceralgeog @drjamiebennett @crewebencrewe @drdommoran @tcguiney

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HertsArchivesHerts Archives@HertsArchives·
6 Nov

This lovely picture shows a charwoman in 1855. A charwoman was a part-time cleaner, different to a maid in that they did not live in the house. Were any of your ancestors domestic servants?
Ref DE/Bi/4/54 #archives #servant #photography

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ourcriminalpastOur Criminal Past@ourcriminalpast·
6 Nov

Prison Service Journal: 246 ⁊@PSJ_UK⁩ great to see this new collection of historical perspectives on prison from ⁊@RhiannonPickin⁩ ⁊@allan_brodie54⁩ ⁊@tcguiney⁩ edited by ⁊@interwarcrime⁩ and Alana Barton https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/publications/psj/prison-service-journal-246

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HistoryPolicyHistory & Policy@HistoryPolicy·
6 Nov

NEW policy paper - Historical content matters: a response to the critical thinking skills agenda by @KatieEBarclay http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/historical-content-matters-a-response-to-the-critical-thinking-skills-agenda

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VHEY_UKVisit Hull & East Yorkshire@VHEY_UK·
6 Nov

Martin Waters poignant poppy displays return to @HullMinster, as we remember those who gave so much. The installation is at the Minster until the end of November.

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Latest Blogs

Exploring female drunkenness in Victorian Lancashire

July 23, 2019

Utilising a range of archival sources, Dr Craig Stafford charts the criminal lives of drunken women in 19th century Lancashire.

Tracing gang members – the complicated case of Charles ‘Darby’ Sabini

May 14, 2019

With the Peaky Blinders set to return to our screens later this year, Prof Heather Shore takes a look at the complicated lives of one of the families that has featured in the series, the Sabinis.

graph

Figuring out the past: crime statistics as social history

March 4, 2019

What can crime statistics tell us about the past? Dr Ashley Borrett examines the interwar crime rates for Hull to find out more.

Upcoming Events

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Young Criminal Lives: Experience, Practice and Reform in the North-West, c.1854 to c.1914

November 27, 2019

This public lecture by Prof Heather Shore explores the lives of children and young people who passed through the industrial and reformatory schools from the mid-Victorian period.