“Mug shots – gritty depictions of human drama in a pure, unadulterated form, captured in the medium of vernacular photography, that is, images taken by little-known or amateur photographers.”
So reads the first line of the introduction to the newest on-line feature exhibition by the FRHS, appropriately titled: “MUGS: 1911-1948.”
The images depict men, women, and juveniles – mostly petty criminals – as they appeared shortly after being arrested; the individuals captured by the photographer’s lens display countenances that stand as testament to the circumstances of their being apprehended.
The surnames evidence a veritable cross-section of the ethnically diverse population of the city of Fall River – the vast majority the so-called “common man” – with every race, and, no doubt, creed, represented, though the latter is not indicated in the information recorded on the arrest cards.
They poignantly depict a sordid, little-documented history of a city that was experiencing rapid changes during the decades represented; Fall River was on the ebb tide of once-great economic prosperity and, for many people, life was far from easy.
The mug shots in this exhibit belonged to the late Robert Joseph Hayden (1906-2002), a Fall River native; following his death, they were donated to the FRHS. It is unknown where he acquired them. There may be some connection to Skelly Detective Service Inc., founded in Fall River circa 1924 by Michael Robert Skelly (1865-1930), as the majority of the cards in this collection bear the imprint of that firm, which closed in 1969.
The exhibit will be available for viewing on the FRHS website next week. It is being launched with an introductory narrative about the collection and historical facts pertinent to the medium – rather interesting – and the first eight mug shot images, which are presented in chronological order.
This has been designed as an on-going online exhibit: Two additional criminal cards will be added on a weekly basis, until the entire collection is displayed.
Amazing images – compelling records of place, time, and circumstance.
Stay tuned!
