Prisons

Is there already a black sheep of the family that you know of? Or perhaps, there is one still waiting to be discovered!

Search for your ancestors via findmypast's 518,000 records - which include the details of criminals who passed through the justice system in England and Wales between 1770 and 1934 - and you may find that one or more of your relatives did indeed fall foul of the law.

Using our records it's possible to chart their progress through the justice system, from the crimes they committed and their sentencing to their punishment and release.

You can also view records for victims of crime. Both men and women are included in the records.

Criminal actvity would, of course, often be reported in both local and national newspapers. It's therefore possible that you may discover more details about the incident, and any subsequent court case / punishment from The British Newspaper Archive.