File:James White, seaman, arrested for thefts from the Tyne Sailors' Home (21892360683).jpg

Name: James White Arrested for: not given Arrested at: North Shields Police Station Arrested on: 13 March 1915 Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-258-James White

The Shields Daily News for 19 March 1915 reports:

“THEFTS FROM TYNE SAILORS’ HOME.

James White (21), a seaman, of Bishop Auckland, was charged at North Shields today with having stolen between March 5th and 6th, from a cubicle at the Tyne Sailors’ Home, a quantity of clothing, provisions and other goods, valued at 30s, the property of Albert Smith, a boarder at the home, and further with having stolen on the 11th inst., from another cubicle, a macintosh coat and other goods, valued at £1 8s, the property of Robert Jensen, a clerk at the home.

Chief Constable Huish said that defendant had been convicted at Bishop Auckland for larceny and false pretences. Defendant said he had been in the Wellesley Training Ship for six years and left three years ago. He pleaded guilty to each charge and had nothing further to say. The Bench committed him to prison for one month on each charge”.

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.