From the donkey thief to the drunk who wouldn't leave the pub: Criminal records of 67,000 Victorian villains published online for first time

You certainly wouldn't want to meet any of this lot up a dark 19th century alley.
Records of more than 67,000 Victorian criminals, detailing crimes ranging from petty theft and drunkenness to arson and murder, have been published online for the first time today.

The fascinating collection, released by Family history website Ancestry.co.uk also tells the stories of local peacemakers of the time, including jury candidates and members of the local militia.

And two of the archives - The Dorset, England Prison Admission and Discharge Registers 1782-1901 and Dorset, England, Calendar of Prisoners 1854-1904 - also include mug shots of 19th century convicts.

The records include the criminal's name, place and date of conviction, sentence, physical description and details of previous crimes.

Read on...