NRS-2202 | Photographic Description Books [Dubbo Gaol]

The series was created in accordance with the 'Gaol Regulations' proclaimed in the Supplement to the NSW Government Gazette of 19 February 1867. A 'Description Book' was required to be created and maintained by the Gaoler of each prison. The Description Book was to be kept in the same order as the Entrance Books and was to contain the following details: personal description, religion, and all other prescribed information of all prisoners received. An index to the Description Books also had to be maintained (1). Some prisons maintained description books prior to this regulation. Photographing prisoners for inclusion in the description books commenced late in the Nineteenth century although it was not regulated until the mid Twentieth Century with the passage of the Prisons Act, 1952 (Act No. 9, 1952) which stated ‘Every prisoner shall be liable to be photographed, to have the impression of his fingers and palms taken, and to have such details of his personal description as may be prescribed recorded’ (2).This series contains a photograph of each prisoner and the following information: number, prisoners’ name, aliases, date when portrait was taken, native place, year of birth, details of arrival in the colony - ship and year of arrival, trade or occupation, religion, degree of education, height, weight (on committal, on discharge), colour of hair, colour of eyes, marks or special features, number of previous portrait, where and when tried, offence, sentence, remarks, and details of previous convictions (where and when, offence and sentence).There appears to have been one face-on photograph per individual until about July 1894 when there was both a face-on and a side-on photograph per individual. Endnotes1. Supplement to the New South Wales Government Gazette No.32, 19 February 1867, pp.486-487, Regulation 5.2. Prisons Act, 1952 s.19.

本系列文档依据1867年2月19日《新南威尔士政府公报》附录中颁布的《监狱条例》（Gaol Regulations）创建。每个监狱的狱长需创建并维护一本‘描述册’（Description Book）。描述册的编排顺序需与入狱登记册一致，内容应包含所有收押囚犯的个人特征描述、宗教信仰及其他所有规定信息。此外，还需维护描述册的索引（1）。

部分监狱在本条例颁布前已开始维护描述册。19世纪末，监狱开始为囚犯拍摄照片并纳入描述册，但这一做法直到20世纪中期《1952年监狱法》（第9号法案，1952年）通过后才得以规范。该法案规定：‘每名囚犯均须接受拍照、指纹及掌纹采集，并记录其个人特征等规定信息’（2）。

本系列文档包含每名囚犯的照片及以下信息：编号、囚犯姓名、别名、肖像拍摄日期、出生地、出生年份、抵达殖民地的详情（包括乘坐船只及抵达年份）、职业、宗教信仰、教育程度、身高、体重（收押时及释放时）、发色、瞳色、体貌特征或特殊标记、过往肖像编号、审判地点及时间、罪行、判决、备注以及前科详情（包括前科的发生地点及时间、罪行与判决）。

1. 《新南威尔士政府公报》1867年2月19日第32号附录，第486-487页，条例5。
2. 《1952年监狱法》第19条。