Incredible mugshots of Edwardian crooks revealed together with thieves, killers and thugs

The Edwardian era in Britain has been brought to life through a captivating collection of mugshots taken nearly 130 years ago. The intriguing array of photographs, featuring thieves, murderers and ruffians, were captured following their arrests at the dawn of the last century.

Alongside the criminals’ images are transcripts from their trials, shedding light on fascinating personal details about the culprits. The rogues’ gallery showcases foreign criminals who landed in Newcastle and the North East as sailors or on boats, only to embark on a life of crime.

Among the faces is Italian ice cream vendor Andrea Laudano, 28, who was nicked on July 21, 1904 for larceny. He was accused of stealing a pony, valued at £8, from his employer, fellow Italian Bernado Bianci, in an act of revenge for being given the boot weeks earlier.

During his trial at North Shields Court, it emerged that Laudano had swiped the pony before flogging it to another man. The court transcript reads: “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 following year, Laudeno was remanded for eight days for nicking a shirt and a pair of boots from another Italian immigrant.

Another Italian crook, Lucio Pelliza, is depicted with his head cocked with an air of contempt after his arrest in May 1906. The 23-year-old waiter was charged with breaking into a house in North Shields and making off with a gold necklace, brooch, silver watch and medal, along with £4 5s in cash.

A newspaper report from his trial stated: “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 be imprisoned 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 possessed a catalogue of additional convictions, including pilfering the contents from the till of the restaurant where he was employed in Newcastle.

Another foreign worker who ran afoul of the authorities was Swedish national Bernard Anderson who was imprisoned for three months in 1905 for “indecent conduct.”

Meanwhile Chilean seaman Daniel Lagarieta was sentenced to a month’s hard labour for pickpocketing a timepiece from a dock worker in 1904.

It wasn’t merely minor offences that migrants became entangled in while surviving in Edwardian Britain.

In July 1904, Jerome Guerrini, from Corsica, was charged with murdering Patrick Gillighan.

The former fireman was employed as a labourer who had arrived in Newcastle aboard a vessel but days later became involved in an altercation with two brothers residing opposite – one being Mr Gillighan.

During the disturbance 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 Gilligan staggered several paces, telling his mate: “Willie, I am stabbed!” before collapsing and dying.

Sentencing him to 15 years, the judge declared: “If there was anything that distinguished a Coriscan from the native of any other country, it was the hotness of his blood and the constant use of the knife.”

Another ex-fireman, Finnish-born John Renstrom, found himself in cuffs in January 1903 after being nabbed nicking clothes from a ship.

The court was told that on November 14 that year, he pilfered trousers, shirts, vests, pants and socks from another passenger.

Greek seafarer Manolis Cammins landed himself in a pickle after he pinched trousers and a vest in May 1905.

The court heard how he broke into a boarding house on the Tyne quayside and swiped the clothes belonging to another Greek sailor.

Initially, he claimed he’d purchased the clothes from an Italian sailor, but the judges dismissed his plea and sentenced him to a month’s hard labour.

Italian fireman Mustapha Irola also got caught out stealing clothes and duping a boarding house keeper out of 10 shillings. He was convicted of making false pretences and jailed for one month.

Norwegian seaman Patrick Liljebald, 35, also ended up behind bars after he was found guilty of burgling a shop on the quay.

The court was told he nicked cigarettes and tobacco but was spotted by a sharp-eyed copper who was on patrol at the time.

These historic mugshots have been archived by North East Museums.