File:Frederick Ellwood, fireman, arrested for breaking and entering (22715539361).jpg

Name: Frederick Ellwood Arrested for: not given Arrested at: North Shields Arrested on: 4 August 1914 Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-254-Frederick Ellwood

The Shields Daily News for 7 August 1914 reports:

“BREAKING AND ENTERING INTO A NORTH SHIELDS STORE.

This morning at North Shields, Frederick Ellwood, fireman, Dublin and Francis Rice, labourer, North Shields, were charged with breaking and entering into the store of Messrs Harrison and Robinson, Clive Street, on the night of August 3rd and stealing therefrom a quantity of bacon, ham and other goods.

Robert Appleby, 74 Linskill Street, storekeeper, said he locked up the stores, 10 Clive Street, at 12.55 on the Monday night. On opening the place the next morning he found the back door had been forced open and on examining the stock he missed the goods to the amount stated.

PC Alexander stated that in company with PC Butler he saw Rice go up the stairs of the stores in a suspicious manner. Witness spoke to Ellwood who said Rice lived in the place. On going to the store, witness found the door had been forced open and he sent Butler for assistance.

Inspector McQueen deposed to coming to the assistance of the officers and on going up the stairs of the house next to the store, he knocked at the door of a room occupied by Rice. After a time he got in and found the stuff in the room. He arrested Rice and Ellwood and on charging them the former said “I took my part in it” and the latter “I stole the things”.

Defendants pleaded guilty and asked the bench to be lenient with them. Rice said he saw Ellwood was in very straightened circumstances and he got the things to help the family. Ellwood said he was out of work at the time. The bench ordered the defendants to pay 20s and costs or in default to go to prison for one month”.

These images are taken from an album of photographs of prisoners brought before the North Shields Police Court between 1902 and 1916 (TWAM ref. DX1388/1). This set is our selection of the best mugshots taken during the First World War. They have been chosen because of the sharpness and general quality of the images. The album doesn’t record the details of each prisoner’s crimes, just their names and dates of arrest.

In order to discover the stories behind the mugshots, staff from Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums visited North Shields Local Studies Library where they carefully searched through microfilm copies of the ‘Shields Daily News’ looking for newspaper reports of the court cases. The newspaper reports have been transcribed and added below each mugshot.

Combining these two separate records gives us a fascinating insight into life on the Home Front during the First World War. These images document the lives of people of different ages and backgrounds, both civilians and soldiers. Our purpose here is not to judge them but simply to reflect the realities of their time.