Murderer, Thieves And Prostitutes

While being in Lulea, Esbjörn showed me a brilliant book he bought, "City Of Shadows". It's a photobook, filled with pictures taken by the police in early 20th century Sidney. Now these are not your regular mugshots. The people are dressed in style. Like true gentlemen. Just that they are murderer, thieves and prostitutes.

Walter Smith, 15. December 1924. Listed in the Police Gazette, 24. December 1924, as "charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Edward Mulligan and stealing blinds &c value £20 (part recovered)" and with "stealing clothing, value £26 (recovered) in the dwelling house of Ernest Leslie Mortimer". Sentenced to six months hard labour.












May Blake, 1. September 1930, Central cells. The Police Gazette, 29. October 1930, lists her as "charged with having cocaine unlawfully in her possession". She was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and fined £250.


De Gracy and Edward Dalton, Central Cells, circa 1920. Details unknown.


Joseph Messenger, 15. February 1922, Central cells. In 1921 Jospeh Messenger was arrested for breaking into an army warehouse and stealing boots and overcoats to the value of £29 3s. The following year, when this photograph was taken (Messenger was then 18 years old), he was charged with breaking and entering a dwelling. Those charges were eventually dropped but he was arrested again later that year for stealing a saddle and bridle from Rosebery Racecourse.