NRS-2027 | Photographic Description Books [Biloela Gaol]

Full description

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 volume contains a verbal description of prisoners and only occasionally a photograph. This series also records the following information: prisoners’ name, aliases, 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, where and when tried, offence, sentence, remarks, and details of previous convictions (where and when, offence and sentence).

This volume also contains prison histories for some prisoners and some correspondence. There is an index in the front of the volume.

Endnotes
1.Supplement to the New South Wales Government Gazette No.32, 19 February 1867, pp.486-487, Regulation 5.
2.Prisons Act, 1952 s.19.