The invention of photography gave the new forces a way of keeping picture records of criminals. In the 1850s the first "mug-shots" were taken by professional photographers, but the police soon acquired their own cameras and extensive picture records began to be kept. Offender photographs and descriptions (including scars and other distinguishing marks) were published in the "Police Gazette" and circulated between forces
Dartmoor Prison.
John Price. Reg. N o. 9697.
Liberated 18th Nov r1868, Wrexham.
Committed 3rd Mar 1869, Ruthin Ass. for Robbery with violence.
Sentenced 7 years Penal Servitude.
Complexion Sallow.
Hair: Black, Eyes: Light grey.Height 5ft. 9 1/2
inches.
Marks, scars, upper lip, left [temple] left eye brow, left thumb and forefinger.
Right knee & lower part of back.
Boil mark: back of neck.
Lost 2 upper teeth, nose crooked.
Mole on left breast and on back. 2nd toes on both feet bent.
Destination: Wrexham.
Central Police Office Liverpool"
£5 Reward.
Embezzling £100, from employer.
Thomas Bill, absconded on Thursday the 1st August 1867.
28~30 years of age, 5 feet 7 1/2 inches.
high, dark complexion, dark brown hair, moustache, and whiskers which
are sheared off the chin.,very high forehead, medium stance, slow gait
and bending his back when walking ; generally dressed in black clothes
and billy-cock hat .
His parents reside at 66, High Street, Mold, Flintshire.
Fingerprints
Fingerprinting was introduced at Scotland Yard in 1901. Originally fingerprints were used as a way of making the criminal record of an offender available. However, as no two people have the same prints copies were soon taken from known criminals and used to identify them at the scene of later crimes.
