A collection of haunting late Victorian and early 20th Century mugshots featuring UK criminals from a bygone age are set to fetch thousands at auction after being rescued from a skip. The Peaky Blinders-style images were discovered inside an old police ledger and include a woman convicted of plotting to kill a British prime minister a century ago.
The book, which covers the period of 1890 to 1920, has 500 pages and every one features a grainy picture, with crimes including theft, burglary, shoplifting and assault. Lesser offences include those arrested for petty theft such as stealing a bag of soot, bad language or even being an "incorrigible rogue".
The fascinating document of "serious importance" was rescued from a skip by a former police officer working in Derby more than 40 years ago. His son is now selling the book via Hansons Auctioneers, where it is expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000 on October 19.
