Captured: Portraits of Crime, 1870 – 1930

Explore the stories of men, women and children who were incarcerated in NSW gaols from 1870 to 1930. The touring exhibition engages with photographic portraits and descriptions of prisoners sourced from the State Archives Collection of Gaol Photographic Description Books.

Captured: Portraits of Crime is an exhibition produced by NSW State Archives and Records that explores the stories of men, women and children who were incarcerated in NSW gaols from 1870 to 1930. The exhibition engages with photographic portraits and descriptions of prisoners sourced from the State Archives Collection of Gaol Photographic Description Books. These historic records have been digitised, and interpreted through research within and beyond the archives to illuminate events and contexts that led ordinary people to commit crimes. But as the ordinary unfolds, so, too, does the extraordinary. The exhibition’s set of compelling case studies of individuals captured in the criminal justice system as a result of choice or circumstance provides a unique perspective that makes a new contribution to the history of NSW.

Captured: Portraits of Crime, 1870 – 1930

Online

This stunning publication features the compelling stories of men, women and children incarcerated in NSW gaols from 1870 to 1930.

Exhibition e-catalogue

Watch and listen to the Captured team talk about some of the exhibition’s most fascinating stories.

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Information for venues

Our exhibition touring manual shows a variety of Captured exhibition elements that allow you to tailor an exhibition to suit your venue’s size, objectives and resources.

Past venues

Grafton Library
126-144 Pound Street, Grafton NSW 2460
13 Dec 2021 – 31 Jan 2022

Waltzing Matilda Centre (QLD)
50 Elderslie Street, Winton, QLD, 4735
9 October 2020 to 19 February 2021

Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery, Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Corindi Beach NSW 2456
20 July to 20 September 2020

Cessnock Library
65-67 Vincent Street, Cessnock
27 February – 23 March 2020

Batemans Bay Heritage Museum
7 October – 22 November 2019

Moree Community Library
36 Balo Street Moree
12 August – 20 September 2019

Orange City Library
1 – 26 July 2019

Strathfield Library
65-67 Rochester Street, Homebush
9 April – 31 May 2019

Port Macquarie Hastings Library
Grant St, Port Macquarie
25 February – 31 March 2019

Old Dubbo Gaol
90 Macquarie Street, Dubbo
17 December 2018 – 1 February 2019

Newcastle City Library
15 Laman St, Newcastle
29 November 2018 – 20 February 2019

University of New England and Regional Archives, Armidale
3 September – 27 October 2018

University of Wollongong Library
3 July – 3 August 2018

Charles Sturt University Regional Archives, Wagga Wagga
14 May – 8 June 2018

University of Newcastle Library
12 March – 13 April 2018

Maitland Gaol
18 December 2017 – 23 February 2018

Broken Hill Library
3 October – 17 November 2017

Related

Captured received ‘highly commended’ in the Exhibitions Projects category at the Museums & Galleries NSW IMAGinE Awards on 23 November 2018.

  • Past exhibition