A new blog devoted to a fascinating collection of criminal ‘mugshots’ held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives has been launched.

Written by City Archivist, Phil Astley, ‘Criminal Portraits’ features images found in the ‘Register of Returned Convicts for Aberdeen’ covering 1869 to 1939 and a much larger album containing 930 images taken at HM General Prison Perth.

A small selection of the images have previously been included in exhibitions for the ‘Granite Noir’ crime writing festival in 2019 and 2020, which takes place in Aberdeen during February. The incredible response to these images from the public convinced the organisers that they deserved a wider audience.

Read the blog here.

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MPSHeritageMPS Heritage@MPSHeritage·
3h

@OU_Williams @northernhistory @ourcriminalpast @DrewDGray @WelshRaffles @earlypolicing We'd confirm - seems to be wearing an indoor tailcoat and unlikely for a Runner to be armed with a sword in this scenario. @blackpoppies14 has researched the earliest known Met mixed-race officer, Robert Branford, with us 1838-1866:
https://twitter.com/Southwark_News/status/1263560495598129153

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Police_Gazette𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞@Police_Gazette·
4h

@earlypolicing @OU_Williams @northernhistory @ourcriminalpast @DrewDGray @MPSHeritage @WelshRaffles @BritPoliceHist @colpolicemuseum Thomas Latham is noted here. However dates do not coincide.

https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/bhm-firsts/john-kent-britains-first-black-policeman/

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OU_WilliamsDr. Chris A Williams@OU_Williams·
4h

@northernhistory @ourcriminalpast @DrewDGray @MPSHeritage @WelshRaffles @earlypolicing I don't think he's drawn in there as a Runner -- he's getting up from his chair. So it looks like PC Kent of Carlisle Police remains the earliest confirmed (1830s) black constable. There could well be others out there though.

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victoriansleuthAngela Buckley 🔎@victoriansleuth·
7h

I'm spending today back in the murder files, reading through trial depositions and looking for evidence of detective practice and early CSI techniques. Great to have finally got round to sorting out the data from my last archival visit! I shall report back…😀🔎 #detectives #PhD

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Dave_LifelinesLifelines Research@Dave_Lifelines·
2 Jul

The 1810 Bastards Act placed the responsibility for the maintenance of an illegitimate child on the putative father rather than the Parish. Mary Bilham of Carbrooke, Norfolk named Stephen Beeks as the father of her child. Her daughter was baptised in January 1812. #101Documents

2
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stef18881Stef1888@stef18881·
8 Jul

@victoriansleuth @ourcriminalpast Shouldn't be too difficult to knock up some stocks from a few wooden pallets and some scrap timber, attach some wheels, we're mobile. 🤔😂

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victoriansleuthAngela Buckley 🔎@victoriansleuth·
7 Jul

I have several 'criminals' in my family tree, who were convicted of theft, poaching, swearing on the highway (!), and keeping a disorderly house 😱 Have you found any criminal ancestors? #AncestryHour

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MPSHeritageMPS Heritage@MPSHeritage·
7 Jul

@TheRothOfKhan @PlymCSecResp @CrownhillPolice @PlymASecResp @plymspecial999 @PlymPoliceBSec @PlymouthVPC @CustodyPlymouth @MPSSouthwark @MPSGreenwich @DevonHeritage @HMNBDevonport @NatMuseumRN @theboxplymouth @britainsocean @PlymouthUK2020 @oneplymouth @sarewaddington Fortunately we also have a digitised copy of his divisional ledger entry on M, where he was M341. He'd switched from carman for a haulage company (1911) to labourer by the time he joined the Met, making the transfer to No. 3 (Devonport) Division on 4 July 1917.

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MPSHeritageMPS Heritage@MPSHeritage·
7 Jul

@TheRothOfKhan @PlymCSecResp @CrownhillPolice @PlymASecResp @plymspecial999 @PlymPoliceBSec @PlymouthVPC @CustodyPlymouth Here's his Met joining signature. An Essex-born taxi driver in 1911, he started out on M (@MPSSouthwark) & was on R (@MPSGreenwich) at his retirement with an "Excellent" conduct certificate on 12 September 1937. Riverside divisions were quite a common pre-/post-Dockyard posting.

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TheRothOfKhanMark Rothwell@TheRothOfKhan·
6 Jul

#OnThisDay in 1940, Reserve PC Alfred Crosby was seriously injured in an air raid whilst directing people to a shelter. He died the next day. RPC Crosby was an ex-Met PC & served 25yrs at Devonport Docks. He was the first policeman in Plymouth to die as a result of enemy action.

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