20 Mugshots of Children From the 1870s

Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor

Aug 1, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

It is rather wild to think that not so long ago, kids made up a significant part of everyday life. They had jobs, did not necessarily go to school and, for lack of playgrounds and safe spaces, pretty much made up a large part of the societal makeup you saw everywhere you went. Which of course meant that there were also child criminals, doing whatever they could to help themselves and their families get by. And let's be completely frank here, 1870 was not a prosperous time for social care.

Things were tough and little did they know, they had several world wars coming their way in the very near future. So today, we wanted to take a closer look at what it took to get locked up back in the day, and what these criminal kids actually looked like. And much to our surprise and delight, they did not dress like the hooded hooligans we put up with today.

01
"Robert Charlton: 16. Robert Charlton was a laborer from Newcastle and was imprisoned for 4 months for stealing 2 pairs of boots."

via Lepke2011
Jheez, well, it is hard not to feel a bit for poor little Bobby. He probably needed those shoes to protect his feet, let's face it safe working conditions were not a high priority when children made up the workforce. We can only hope that those four months passed quickly and that Robert was not sucked into a life of crime.
02
"Ellen Hayes stole two studs and a waistcoat in May 1873 and had to complete 21 days of hard labor."

via Lepke2011
03
"Thomas Williams."

via Lepke2011
04
"Brothers John and Thomas Williams (below), aged 13 and 14 respectively, were sentenced to six months of hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for house looting"

via Lepke2011
Well, in comparison to Robert’s four months, this really does sound like crime pays. All these brothers had to do was hide enough of their loot and those six months would have been like a vacation with free food. Sure, prison conditions would not have been all too nice, but how nice is your life when you have to resort to looting houses to make ends meet?
05
"John Brooks, 17, was given a 42-day stretch of hard labour for embezzling 14 shillings and six pence, October 10, 1870."

via Lepke2011
06
"Sophia Noreutt, 14, was ordered to carry out two days hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for stealing wood on May 4, 1872."

via Lepke2011
07
"Rosa Halliday was just 12 years old when she was sentenced to ten days hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for the crime of ‘false pretences’ on February 9, 1871."

via Lepke2011
08
"James Freeman, 17, was sentenced to 21 days hard labor for stealing bread with his friend on July 7, 1870."

via Lepke2011
09
"Seven-year-old Julie-Ann Crumpling was jailed at Oxford Castle Prison for stealing a pram, and sentenced to seven days of hard labor."

via Lepke2011
10
"Martha Herbert, 12, was sentenced to 42 days of hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for stealing half a shilling and six pence, on February 23, 1871."

via Lepke2011
11
"James Donneley: 16. Also known as James Darley, at the age of just 16, this young man had been in and out of prison, but on this occasion, he was sentenced to 2 months for stealing"

via Lepke2011
12
"John Reed: 15. John was sentenced to do 14 days of hard labor and 5 years of reformation for stealing money in 1873."

via Lepke2011
13
"Mary Catherine Docherty: 14. Mary was sentenced to 7 days of hard labor after being convicted of stealing iron along with her accomplices: Mary Hinnigan, Ellen Woodman, and Rosanna"

via Lepke2011
14
"Henry Miller: 14. Henry was charged with the theft of clothing and sentenced to 14 days of hard labor."

via Lepke2011
15
"Stephen Monaghan: 14. Stephen Monaghan was convicted of stealing money on July 25, 1873, and was sentenced to 10 days of hard labor and 3 years in Market Weighton Reformatory."

via Lepke2011
16
"Mary Hinnigan: 13. Mary was caught stealing iron and was sentenced to do 7 days of hard labor."

via Lepke2011
17
"Rosanna Watson: 13. Rosanna was sentenced to 7 days of hard labor after being caught stealing iron."

via Lepke2011
18
"Henry Leonard Stephenson. 12. Henry was convicted of breaking into houses and was sentenced to 2 months in prison in 1873."

via Lepke2011
19
"Jane Farrell: 12. Jane stole two boots and was sentenced to do 10 hard days of labor."

via Lepke2011
20
"Ellen Woodman: 11. Ellen was ordered to do 7 days of hard labor after being convicted of stealing iron."

via Lepke2011

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20 Mugshots of Children From the 1870s

"Robert Charlton: 16. Robert Charlton was a laborer from Newcastle and was imprisoned for 4 months for stealing 2 pairs of boots."

"Ellen Hayes stole two studs and a waistcoat in May 1873 and had to complete 21 days of hard labor."

"Thomas Williams."

"Brothers John and Thomas Williams (below), aged 13 and 14 respectively, were sentenced to six months of hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for house looting"

"John Brooks, 17, was given a 42-day stretch of hard labour for embezzling 14 shillings and six pence, October 10, 1870."

"Sophia Noreutt, 14, was ordered to carry out two days hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for stealing wood on May 4, 1872."

"Rosa Halliday was just 12 years old when she was sentenced to ten days hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for the crime of ‘false pretences’ on February 9, 1871."

"James Freeman, 17, was sentenced to 21 days hard labor for stealing bread with his friend on July 7, 1870."

"Seven-year-old Julie-Ann Crumpling was jailed at Oxford Castle Prison for stealing a pram, and sentenced to seven days of hard labor."

"Martha Herbert, 12, was sentenced to 42 days of hard labor at Oxford Castle prison for stealing half a shilling and six pence, on February 23, 1871."

"James Donneley: 16. Also known as James Darley, at the age of just 16, this young man had been in and out of prison, but on this occasion, he was sentenced to 2 months for stealing"

"John Reed: 15. John was sentenced to do 14 days of hard labor and 5 years of reformation for stealing money in 1873."

"Mary Catherine Docherty: 14. Mary was sentenced to 7 days of hard labor after being convicted of stealing iron along with her accomplices: Mary Hinnigan, Ellen Woodman, and Rosanna"

"Henry Miller: 14. Henry was charged with the theft of clothing and sentenced to 14 days of hard labor."

"Stephen Monaghan: 14. Stephen Monaghan was convicted of stealing money on July 25, 1873, and was sentenced to 10 days of hard labor and 3 years in Market Weighton Reformatory."

"Mary Hinnigan: 13. Mary was caught stealing iron and was sentenced to do 7 days of hard labor."

"Rosanna Watson: 13. Rosanna was sentenced to 7 days of hard labor after being caught stealing iron."

"Henry Leonard Stephenson. 12. Henry was convicted of breaking into houses and was sentenced to 2 months in prison in 1873."

"Jane Farrell: 12. Jane stole two boots and was sentenced to do 10 hard days of labor."

"Ellen Woodman: 11. Ellen was ordered to do 7 days of hard labor after being convicted of stealing iron."

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