…of the Justice & Police Museum
Posted in Femme Fatale, mug shots on Aug 8th, 2008
Photographed 3 June 1927 at the State Reformatory for Women, Long Bay, NSW The care and management of young offenders has always presented difficulties for the police and courts. Authorities are reluctant to send teenagers to prison and seek to give them an opportunity to turn their lives around. During the 1920s the courts would [...]
Posted in Femme Fatale on Jul 29th, 2008
Photographed 3 July 1924 at the State Reformatory for Women, Long Bay NSW When researching the criminal backgrounds of the women photographed at Long Bay Gaol it is common to find convictions for drunkenness on their criminal record. The connection between criminal behaviour and alcohol or drug addiction has long been established and many different [...]
Posted in Femme Fatale on May 29th, 2008
Photographed on the 14 May 1925 at the State reformatory for women, Long Bay The process of photographing offenders upon their entry to prison is highly regimented. In the early 20th century images were taken from a specified distance and a measuring stand was included in every full-length portrait to indicate the offender’s height. From [...]
Posted in Femme Fatale on May 12th, 2008
Photographed 15 August 1923 at the State Reformatory for Women, Long Bay NSW. I thought it would be easy to track down the stylishly dressed woman in this offender photograph. The name ‘Mary Harris’ has been scratched into the emulsion side of the glass plate by the photographer and is clearly visible on the right [...]
Posted in Femme Fatale on Apr 18th, 2008
Photographed 20 September 1922, Female Reformatory, Long Bay NSW When I first found this image I was entranced by the fur coat which dominates the frame. It is thick, soft and so lush that you can imagine touching it and having your fingers sink deep into the fur. It conjured up a couple of questions: [...]