Migrant criminals from Edwardian Britain have come to life in a series of newly emerged mugshots taken nearly 130 years ago.
The fascinating photos picturing thieves, killers and thugs were snapped after the crooks’ arrests at the turn of the last century.
The criminals’ documents feature transcripts from their trials revealing personal details about their pasts.
The rogues include foreign criminals who arrived in Newcastle and the North East as sailors or on boats before turning to a life of crime.
Among the faces is Italian ice cream seller Andrea Laudano, 28, who was arrested on July 21, 1904 for larceny after stealing a pony from his boss.
His mugshot shows him wearing a cowboy hat and houndstooth suit as he holds up a board with his registration number and name on.
He was charged with stealing the pony – worth £8 – from his boss, Italian Bernado Bianci, in revenge for sacking him weeks earlier.
During his trial at North Shields Court, the judge heard Laudano took the animal before selling it to another man.
Italian ice cream seller Andrea Laudano was arrested in 1904 for larceny after stealing a pony from his boss
Italian migrant Lucio Pelliza was charged with breaking into a house in North Shields and stealing a gold necklace, brooch, silver watch and medal in 1906
The court transcript states: ‘Chas. Campbell, Ponteland, deposed to purchasing the pony from the prisoner for £2.
‘The man told him that the ice cream trade was bad and he wanted to get out of the country.’
The next year, Laudano was remanded for eight days for stealing a shirt and a pair of boots from another Italian migrant.
Meanwhile, the mugshot of a second Italian crook, Lucio Pelliza, shows him tilting his head with an air of disdain after he was arrested in May, 1906.
The 23-year-old waiter was charged with breaking into a house in North Shields and stealing a gold necklace, brooch, silver watch, medal and £4 5s in cash.
A newspaper report from his trial states: ‘Prisoner promised that after he served his term of punishment he would go back to his own country and lead a better life.
‘The Chairman said the prisoner had been three times convicted of similar offences.
‘This time he would go to prison for 18 months with hard labour.
‘A sovereign which had been found sewn in prisoner’s coat was ordered to be restored to the prosecutor.’
Pelliza had a string of other convictions, including stealing the contents from the till of the restaurant where he worked in Newcastle.
Swedish national Bernard Anderson was jailed for three months in 1905 for ‘indecent conduct’
Chilean seaman Daniel Lagarieta was sentenced to a month of hard labour for pick pocketing a watch from a dock worker in 1904
Jerome Guerrini, from Corsica, was charged with murdering Patrick Gillighan in 1904
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Another foreign worker who fell foul of the law was Swedish national Bernard Anderson, who was jailed for three months in 1905 for ‘indecent conduct’.
His mugshot shows him staring directly at the camera with a solemn stare, with his hands lightly clenched together.
Meanwhile, Chilean seaman Daniel Lagarieta was sentenced to a month of hard labour for pick pocketing a watch from a dock worker in 1904.
But it was not just petty crimes that migrants became embroiled in while surviving in Edwardian Britain. In July, 1904, Jerome Guerrini, from Corsica, was charged with murdering Patrick Gillighan.
The former fireman was working as a labourer after arriving in Newcastle on a ship, but days later got into a fight with two brothers living opposite – one being Mr Gillighan.
During the commotion, Guerrini was struck on the head by Mr Gillighan, before he ‘rushed at the deceased and struck him on the left side’.
The court heard Mr Gillighan staggered a few paces, telling his friend: ‘Willie, I am stabbed!’ before collapsing and dying.
Jailing him for 15 years, the judge said: ‘If there was anything that distinguished a Corsican from the native of any other country, it was the hotness of his blood and the constant use of the knife.’
Another former fireman, Finnish-born John Renstrom, was arrested in January, 1903 after being caught stealing clothes from a ship.
A court heard that on November 14 that year, he swiped trousers, shirts, vests, pants and socks from another passenger.
Italian fireman Mustapha Irola was caught stealing clothes and conning a boarding house keeper
Greek sailor Manolis Cammins found himself in trouble with the law after stealing trousers and a vest in 1905
Norwegian sailor Patrick Liljebald was jailed after he was convicted of raiding a shop on the quay
Greek sailor Manolis Cammins found himself in trouble with the law after he stole trousers and a vest in May 1905.
A court heard he broke into a boarding house on the quayside on the Tyne and pinched the clothes belonging to another Greek seaman.
He initially claimed he bought the clothes from an Italian sailor, but the judges rejected his plea and sentenced him to a month of hard labour.
Italian fireman Mustapha Irola was also caught stealing clothes and conning a boarding house keeper out of 10s. He was found guilty of making false pretences and jailed for one month.
Norwegian sailor Patrick Liljebald, 35, was also jailed after he was convicted of raiding a shop on the quay.
The court heard he stole cigarettes and tobacco but was spotted by an eagle-eyed police officer who was on patrol at the time.
The historic mugshots have been archived by North East Museums.
