NRS-2232 | Photograph description books [Goulburn 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. 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.'The series consists of individual loose-leaf sheets each including a photo or photographs of a prisoner, accompanied by the following details: name, aliases, date when portrait was taken, native place, year of birth, arrived in colony - ship and year, trade or occupation, religion, degree of education, height, weight (on committal, on discharge), colour of hair, colour of eyes, marks or special features, where and when tried, offence, sentence, remarks, previous convictions - where and when, offence, sentence.

本档案系列系依据1867年2月19日《新南威尔士政府公报增刊》所公布的《监狱规章（Gaol Regulations）》制定。各监狱的监狱长须编制并维护一本《囚犯登记手册（Description Book）》，该手册需与收押登记册（Entrance Books）保持统一的编排顺序，并收录所有收押囚犯的个人特征描述、宗教信仰及其他所有规定填报的信息。此外，还需维护对应囚犯登记手册的索引目录。部分监狱早在该规章颁布前便已开展囚犯登记手册的维护工作。为囚犯登记手册收录囚犯照片的工作始于19世纪末期，但相关监管规范直至20世纪中期才随着《1952年监狱法（Prisons Act 1952）》（第9号法令，1952年）的通过得以正式确立。该法令规定：“所有囚犯均需接受拍照、采集指掌纹，并记录经规定填报的个人特征描述信息。”本档案系列包含单张活页文件，每张活页均收录一名或多名囚犯的照片，并附带如下信息：姓名、别名、肖像拍摄日期、籍贯、出生年份、所乘船只及抵达殖民地的年份、行业或职业、宗教信仰、受教育程度、身高、收押时与释放时的体重、头发颜色、眼睛颜色、体表标记或特殊特征、受审地点与时间、所犯罪行、判决结果、备注信息、前科记录——包括受审时间地点、所犯罪行及判决结果。