VPRS 10858 Registers of Personal Descriptions of Prisoners Received

Full description

This series records personal descriptions and personal details of prisoners received at Pentridge Prison.

There is a one page entry for each prisoner. The prisoners number (this is their central register number which can be used to trace the prisoner within VPRS 515 Central Register of Prisoners) and name are recorded at the top of the page. (Not every prisoner has a register number recorded in VPRS 10858, however, such prisoners can still be found in VPRS 515 by searching for their surname in VPRS 10867, the alphabetical index to the Central Register.) A date is recorded at the top of each page, presumably the date when the prisoner was admitted to the gaol. There is also a place name recorded at the top of the page, usually Melbourne or rural towns and cities. It would seem that this is the prisoners place of residence before admission.

There are fields on each page for the gaol to record the personal description and other data for each prisoner. These are: Height, Complexion, Hair, Eyes, Nose, Mouth, Chin, Eyebrows, Visage, Forehead, Weight, Age, Native Place, Trade, Religion, Read or Write, Where Tried, Before Whom, Sentence, Date, Offence.

There is a space in which Particular Marks are recorded, eg scars, missing teeth, etc. There is also a field for Previous History which generally records information about how and when the prisoner came to Victoria, and any relatives living in Victoria.

For some entries, at the bottom of the page is a notation, which might read: 2 descriptions, 1 warrant, 1 indent to IG (Inspector-General?). Presumably information and descriptions of some prisoners were forwarded to the Penal and Gaols Branch.