Oxford Castle mugshots show 'victims of their time'
- Published
Image source, The National ArchivesIn the 19th Century, children were often imprisoned for what now would be considered minor offences. Seven-year-old Julie-Ann Crumpling (pictured) was jailed at Oxford Castle for allegedly stealing a pram. Her mugshot - and those of other inmates at the jail - have now been made available by the National Archives.
Image source, The National Archives"You’d think she was just playing with the pram," says Becky Attrill, duty manager at the castle. "They say she tried to deny her crime but she was probably terrified. She was sentenced to seven day’s hard labour in 1870 and is our youngest prisoner [on record]. She probably worked in the prison's laundry, and when she was released the judge said her father had to start sending her to school, so it was probably the best thing that ever happened to her." Julie-Ann is pictured here with 12-year-old Sarah Church who was jailed for stealing a sable muff.
Image source, The National Archives"It was very common to have children imprisoned," Ms Attrill continues. "They were treated the same as everyone else. Prisoners were there to work."
Image source, The National ArchivesThe children were typically separated from their family when they were imprisoned. But some parents sent to prison would take their children along with them and they would stay there together.
Image source, The National Archives"The prison was eerily silent because they weren’t allowed to speak. It was very much about keeping the prisoners isolated - breaking their bodies and their spirits," adds Ms Attrill.
Image source, The National ArchivesThe prisoners were often photographed posing on a chair in the manner of a formal family photograph. "There wasn’t an official prison photographer because they were hard to come by," said Ms Attrill. "That style was the way the photographer was used to. It means it doesn’t look like they’re in prison, except their expressions aren't very happy."
Image source, The National ArchivesChildren were typically imprisoned alongside adult criminals.
Image source, The National Archives"A lot of our mugshots are of petty criminals who were victims of their time," says Ms Attrill. "They were all very poor and caught stealing things like bread, and then chucked into prison."
Image source, The National ArchivesThe prison was overcrowded and not very clean and the mortality and disease rates were high.
Image source, The National ArchivesPrisoners were given deliberately pointless jobs. "The men were pumping water up to the top of St George's Tower, then the women would go with two buckets up the spiral staircase, collect the water, and bring it back down again," says Ms Attrill.
Image source, The National ArchivesThese days much of the 1,000-year-old castle is a tourist destination, where the mugshots are on display at a permanent exhibition.
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