Mugshots of 19-century crooks jailed for stealing bread and highway robbery go up for auction

A BOOK containing mugshots of 600 crooks from more than 150 years ago is up for auction.

Crimes committed by the vintage villains — some just kids — include theft of bread, coal and a cockerel, plus highway robbery.

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Handwritten notes accompany the snaps taken at Folkingham County Gaol, near Bourne, Lincs, between 1869 and 1882.

Rupert Pink, of Batemans auctioneers, said: “Their faces are very expressive and they are all wearing their Sunday best.

“For most this would have been the first and last photo ever taken of them. They all look as though they could have been characters in a Dickens novel.”

The book is expected to fetch £500 at the sale in Stamford, Lincs, on December 2.

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NAME: HANNAH BIRCH
CRIME: STOLE BREAD
SENTENCE: TWO MONTHS IN JAIL

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NAME: MARY SMITH
CRIME: STEALING
SENTENCE: 21 DAYS IN JAIL

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NAME: CHARLES PATTERSON
CRIME: WOUNDING
SENTENCE: YEAR’S JAIL

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NAME: LOUISA ASHBY
CRIME: STOLE LOCKET AND STOCKINGS
SENTENCE: NO DETAIL

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NAME: ROBERT HOLINES
CRIME: STOLE COCKEREL
SENTENCE: 14 DAYS IN JAIL

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NAME: CHARLES MELLISH
CRIME: HIGHWAY ROBBERY
SENTENCE: 12 MONTHS OF HARD LABOUR

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NAME: JANE BOLLENDS
CRIME: STOLE BOOKS
SENTENCE: ONE MONTH IN JAIL

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NAME: JOHN COOK
CRIME: STOLE TEN SHILLINGS
SENTENCE: MONTH’S JAIL

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NAME: KATE SCREANY
CRIME: STOLE COAL
SENTENCE: ONE MONTH IN JAIL

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NAME: TOM BROUGHTON
CRIME: STOLE TEN SHILLINGS
SENTENCE: MONTH’S JAIL

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NAME: THOMAS BEETON
CRIME: STOLE MONEY
SENTENCE: ONE MONTH IN JAIL

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NAME: JOHN UPTON
CRIME: STEALING
SENTENCE: ONE MONTH IN JAIL

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NAME: GEORGE BLUNDY
CRIME: STEALING
SENTENCE: 14 DAYS IN JAIL