Golden era mug shots - Newcastle.

[Baron Kurtz]

There's an article on the guardian website today about this. Some good hats 'n' caps. An interesting follow-on from all those Aussie ones.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twm_news/sets/72157631080087096/

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Lots of great caps. This fellow is wearing one of Johnny's caps.

 

[Fletch]

Rough looking lot. Too much of that Newky Brown will take it out of you.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Makes me think about how I've heard so many older people say that in the 'old days' they didn;t have to locker their doors or windows etc, as though everyone was sweet and innocent. The rap sheets for those mean-lookin' characters tell a different story though.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yeah, you're not wrong. You've seen the Sydney mug shot books? I'm willing to bet folks in Sydney were locking their doors at night, and during the day with those guys around!! I guess in the countryside, it was less likely that you'd get robbed, but I think there's a serious dose of rose-tinted specs in play when people describe the past …

bk

 

[Fletch]

Yeah, the thing with glass-plate mugshots is that you can almost smell the subject.

 

[Metatron]

Hm didn't realise tattoos were so common. Thanks for posting!

 

[St. Louis]

Hmmm ... I'll be visiting Newcastle for the first time in a few weeks. I wonder if any of these fellows have grandsons?

 

[Phineas Lamour]

Nice collection of caps and haircuts.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Yeah, you're not wrong. You've seen the Sydney mug shot books? I'm willing to bet folks in Sydney were locking their doors at night, and during the day with those guys around!! I guess in the countryside, it was less likely that you'd get robbed, but I think there's a serious dose of rose-tinted specs in play when people describe the past …

bk

I sure have seen those mug shots Baron. I saw them first on a visit to the Police and Justice Museum at Circular Quay when they had an exhibition of old photos. Great hats and clothing, but definitely the kind of blokes to be avoided at all costs - the ones who not only bash you and rob you in a pack of three or four, they then give you a thorough 'packarding' (kicking, a term that came from a popular make of boot back in the 20s) while they're at it.

 

[Mario]

Pete - your PM box is full!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Done. Cleared.

 

[Treetopflyer]

They seem to be a well dressed bunch.

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

One upside is, you can now tell something about the person by their clothes. Back in the day, thugs dressed well to project a positive image of themselves. Now that has changed.
I have heard in inner city's the Jehovah's Witnesses have currently been falsely been identified as CIA or FBI due to their professional wardrobe.
One thing is for sure, when they are doing their preaching work, you can pick them out anywhere.
They always look good!

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

Nice clothes, but the faces! Whoa, I wouldn't cross the street to get away from one of them- I'd cross town! Saville Row couldn't help those mugs. At least most of their records indicated only property crimes. Although that one guy did shoot someone in America.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are an interesting case in fashion choices. They are always nicely dressed, but never seem dressed in a way that doesn't stick out. I've seen them in different neighborhoods I've lived in, and always knew who they were a mile off. The women always seemed to go with floral print dresses. Accompanying child defensive blocker accessory often included.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, the chaps above are certainly not dressed well. Their clothes and hats are for the most part shabby, old, probably filthy. If you look at the similar Sydney images, the same holds true. You wouldn't mistake them for "normal" people. They could very well be spotted as people to avoid - dodgy characters, more ornery than ordinary.

(Of course, as today, this knee jerk reaction to clothing casts a wide net, and captures many people (probably more in number than the villains it traps) who aren't dodgy at all, just poor or wearing a certain style of clothing because they like it.)

One upside is, you can now tell something about the person by their clothes. Back in the day, thugs dressed well to project a positive image of themselves. Now that has changed.

 

[herringbonekid]

a large percentage of north eastern inhabitants would have looked shabby, filthy and rough, probably more so than many of the blokes in those photos; because they were poor. ugly faces aren't an indication of moral turpitude either.

 

[Metatron]

The vast majority of them are listed as 'labourer'.
Wait, what happened to all the upper class criminals?

These photos also show that imho in the 30s it was hard to go wrong with clothes, at least regarding the general style. No ugly ski-jackets, garish t-shirts and gym trousers were around for people with no interest in fashion to buy. Too much choice can be bad for style. [huh]
...Having said that, the guy wearing a tie with no shirt does look ridiculous.

 

[Edward]

Bell, Arthur reminds me a little of Ben Miller in the photo on the right, while Quinn, Peter has something of the young Nick Cave about him.... The handwirtten caption over the top of the last one is intriguing - died "in action"...

but I think there's a serious dose of rose-tinted specs in play when people describe the past …

Here and in everything else.... Jinkies, if I didn't believe that before, the Eighties revivalism of the past twenty years convinced me like nothing else.... I remember the Eighties far too well to want to revive them!

Hmmm ... I'll be visiting Newcastle for the first time in a few weeks. I wonder if any of these fellows have grandsons?

Ha.... if they do, expect them to look more like the cast of.... what's that soap opera, Jersey Shore? There's even an equivalent - Geordie Shore. I've seen a bit of it, and am honestly not sure whether it is a very poorly manipulated "reality" show, or a very poorly acted soap opera. I think it might be both. I visited Newcastle for the first time last April, just for two nights for a work conference. Seems a nice place, if you stay away from the clubbing area (not that it's necessarily dangerous, but it certainly isn't somewhere that is likely to appeal to the average Flounger....).

They seem to be a well dressed bunch.

Compared to today's equivalent.

I have heard in inner city's the Jehovah's Witnesses have currently been falsely been identified as CIA or FBI due to their professional wardrobe.
One thing is for sure, when they are doing their preaching work, you can pick them out anywhere.
They always look good!

Interesting.... I've never encountered a JW dressed in any way that could mark them out as such when they came to the door - here in London or back in Ireland. The Mormons were a different story: they were always in a "uniform" of sorts (collar, tie, immaculately pressed and identical to their partners), and always American, which stuck out in Belfast. Never known a JW to be identifiable by their clothes, though.

(Of course, as today, this knee jerk reaction to clothing casts a wide net, and captures many people (probably more in number than the villains it traps) who aren't dodgy at all, just poor or wearing a certain style of clothing because they like it.)

Yeah, so much for "hug a hoody", eh?

ugly faces aren't an indication of moral turpitude either.

Interesting thing, though, that this is such a normal human reaction. Reminds me of the mediaeval morality plays, where outward ugliness was a manifestation of the unpleasantness of the spiritual condition. I often wonder which came first!

The vast majority of them are listed as 'labourer'.
Wait, what happened to all the upper class criminals?

Steal a little, and they put you in jail. Steal a lot, and they make you king.

Jokerman, Bob Dylan