By now, we have seen all kinds of mugshots: of celebrities, with black eyes, torn clothes, so we kind of think that the we have seen all the “badass” criminals. But guess we haven’t see nothing at all, because this super rare photo collection from New South Wales Police Department reveal some really freaky 1920’s mugshots.
Apparently, the Australian gangsters and criminals keep their cool even when they got arrested. The mugshots among which are women and children, are more than an official police mugshot, they seem like a regular photo session of classy people with suits and smiling faces.
Some of the mugshots reveal really sad and emotional stories, while some can be described as hilariously weird. Many of the mugshots are captioned with a name and the description of the crime committed.
NSW Police Gazette identified Walter Keogh as a bogus land salesman, pickpocket and suspect person.
This classy lady was a hotel barber, plausible impostor and fraud. She used alias surnames such as Gordon, Spencer, Crawford, as well as ‘Nurse Campbell’ and ‘Nurse Nicholas’
He may look classy and elegant, but Herbert Ellis was a regular at the police station. His police records were mostly theft offences, he was arrested as a safe breaker, house breaker, suspected person and a receiver.
Joseph Messenger with a fellow criminal Valerie Lowe (see photo bellow) were arrested for breaking into army warehouse and stealing coats and army boots.
If we have to pick a favorite among this adorably weird list, we pick this one. When Harry Crawford a hotel cleaner was arrested for the murder of his wife, the police reveal that Crawford was originally Eugeni Falleni, a woman and mother. Falleni had been passing as a man since 1899, he/she had married a widow Annie Birkett. Apparently, Bricket had reveled Eugeni’s secret to a relative and she had later disappeared.
The Inscription of the above mugshot reads : “Frederick Edward Davies stealing in picture shows and theaters; Dets Surridge Clark and Breen Central 14-7-21′.
‘ Pretty Sid’ was a known Con Artist and was a regular visitor at the New South Wales Police. In this mugshot he was captioned as a Confidence man (notes for gold)’.
H.Price was arrested under the conviction for committing a rubbery under arms at house in Sidney. He was a gunman and thief.
Frank Murray alias Harry Wiliams was arrested for breaking, entering and a thievery. He was described as a quiet and introverted person.
Albert Warnkin was charged for attempting to carnally abuse an eight year old girl. There was no record for Adold Gustave, only the inscription on the mugshot that reads “wilful and obscene exposure.’
The Carpentner George Whitehall had handed himself to the police station, admiring the murder of his common-law wife Ida Parker in their home in Pleasant Avenue, Erskineville. Apparently, this photo was taken the same day as the murder.
Kong Lee had numerous arrest records, most often for ‘safe blower’ and ‘thief.’
All photos: NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive, Justice & Police Museum/Historic Houses Trust of NSW