Fascinating 19th century Scottish custody records have been unearthed, and include unusual incidents such as a man being jailed for "annoying his mother".
Archivists at the National Records of Scotland sorted through historical prison records to compile the most unique sentences in the 1800s.
Among the interesting cases are a 12-year-old boy who was almost jailed for annoying passersby by playing marbles, and a homeless person who used a pet porcupine to beg for money who was locked up for over a week. Meanwhile, bigamy was punished with a nine-month sentence, and a 15-year-old who stole two apples was jailed for two months.
According to the National Records of Scotland, the 19th century also saw bodysnatchers who were charged with "violating the sepulchres of the dead" sentenced to over six months of hard labour. The men "resurrected" the corpses of two adults and a young child from Lasswade Kirkyard, Midlothian, in 1829 to sell to scientists.
The newly released records document a period of approximately 50 years between 1798 and 1853. The log for Bridewell Prison, Edinburgh, spans 40 years and 40,000 entries while Perth Prison was first to be digitised.
Archivist Stefanie Dempster from National Records of Scotland, which runs the ScotlandsPeople website, commented: "These remarkable records are a fantastic resource for social researchers and those researching their own family tree. Alongside many petty thefts and incidents of drunken behaviour, we see crimes that were of their time, like snatching corpses from graveyards to sell to surgeons teaching anatomy.
"The harsh lives lived by many are clear from cases like that of a woman who had requested the magistrate send her to prison with the records stating the reason ‘being lame’. These records offer a glimpse at the grittier side of life in early 19th century Scotland."
Unique 19th century Scottish criminal records
1806, Edinburgh Bridewell — Mary Perrie 31
Sent by the magistrate at her own request, being lame . Sentenced to 30 days
1822, Edinburgh Bridewell — Grifina Viniere, 28
Begging and showing a porcupine. Sentenced to eight days.
1829, Edinburgh Bridewell — John Kerr, 34
Violating the sepulchres of the dead . Sentenced to nine months hard labour
1829, Edinburgh Bridewell — James Barclay, 39
Violating the sepulchres of the dead. Sentenced to six months hard labour
1829, Edinburgh Bridewell — George Cameron, 40
Violating the sepulchres of the dead. Sentenced to six months hard labour
1840, Edinburgh Bridewell — Christopher Baxter, 15
Theft of two apples. Sentenced to 60 days
1841, Edinburgh (Calton) — Thomas Gegg, 15
Theft of a gouda cheese weighing 12lbs. Not given
1842, Edinburgh (Calton) — Alison Mackerron, 31 and child
Vagrancy. Not given
1846, Edinburgh (Calton) — William Inglis, 17
Theft of one small turnip. Not given
1846, Edinburgh (Calton) — James Craig, 12
For playing a game called marbles to the annoyance of the public. Not given.
1847, Edinburgh (Calton) — John Dow, 18
Leaving on Clerk Street two horses and a cart longer than the time prescribed by law. Not given.
1848, Edinburgh (Calton) — James Cumming, 45
Attending and addressing seditious meetings afterwords restricted to sedition Local Chartist movement leader James Cumming was dismissed from trial following a legal challenge and freed from the jail.
1848, Largs — Agnes Savage, 12
Thift one souren one Pound and 7 shillings and 6 pence From the Shope of John patton [sic]. 20 days
1851, Edinburgh (Calton) — Adam Bishop, 23
Annoying his mother. Sentenced to one day
1854, Largs — Joseph Fleming, 43 (approx.)
Bigamy. Sentenced to nine months
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