Degraded copies of Tasmanian convict photographs 1900s
Just one mugshot of habitual offender John Doran per the convict transport Asiatic is extant and in very poor condition. It is held at the National Library of Australia, taken by commercial photographer and government contractor Thomas J. Nevin at the Hobart Gaol in the last week of December 1875 prior to John Doran's discharge on 5th January 1876. This mugshot and another 300 or similar Tasmanian prisoner mugshots taken by T. J. Nevin in the 1870s were salvaged from deteriorating Hobart Gaol paper records and reproduced in the 1900s by John Watt Beattie for display and sale at local and interstate exhibitions. The poor condition of this cdv attests to its reproduction, likewise the inscription added in the 1900s for the tourist market - "Taken at Port Arthur 1874" - by Beattie et al. The majority of those extant were not taken at the Port Arthur prison, they were taken at the Hobart Gaol, the MPO and the Mayor's Court, Hobart by the commissioned photographer T. J. Nevin from 1872- ca. 1886.
This prisoner John Doran per Asiatic is not to be confused with another prisoner with the name of Albert or Alfred Doran per Blenheim who was also active during these years. His prisoner identification photograph taken by T. J. Nevin is extant in public collections in various formats (QVMAG). The defining physical characteristic described by police for this prisoner, John Doran, was "lower portion of nose gone."
John Doran, per Asiatic, taken at Port Arthur, 1874 [picture]
Call Number PIC Album 935 #P1029/8
Created/Published 1874
Extent 1 photograph on carte-de-visite mount : albumen ; 9.4 x 5.6 cm. on mount 10.5 x 6.3 cm.
Physical Context PIC Album 935 #P1029/1-85-Convict portraits, Port Arthur, 1874
Link: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-142916013
Police Records for John Doran
1870
Prisoner John Doran alias Charles Knight per Asiatic was convicted in the Recorder's Court, Launceston, on 29 December 1870 and transferred to the Hobart Gaol. He was sentenced to two years for stealing a dray and harness and horse. He served consecutive sentences totalling six years and would have been photographed more than once because of his lengthy sentences, numerous convictions and discharges from both the Hobart Gaol and the Invalid Depots. He also used aliases so there are records missing from the list below.
1876
John Doran, alias Charles Knight, aged 48 yrs, was discharged from the Hobart Gaol on 5 January 1876, having served six years for larcenies and horse-stealing. The extant photograph (above) was taken by Thomas J. Nevin in the fortnight prior to John Doran's discharge at the Hobart Gaol.
John Doran was admitted as a pauper to the Cascades Prison for Males on 13 January 1876 and discharged on 31 March 1876.
1877
John Doran, 46 yrs old, sentenced to one month for indecency at New Norfolk, discharged on 14 February 1877.
John Doran was tried at Hobart and sentenced to 7 days for inciting to resist the police, discharged on 14 March 1877.
John Doran was arrested on 20th November 1877
1878
John Doran was convicted for larceny on 13 July 1878
1879
John Doran was discharged from the Cascades between 7 -11 May 1879: he had absconded in government clothes while under detention.
John Doran was discharged on 9 May 1879.
John Doran was arrested on 6 June 1879, convicted of larceny for the theft of property belonging to Edward Slide.
John Doran, suspicion attached to - 6 June 1879
John Doran, description adjoined to notice above, 6 June 1879
John Doran, 50 yrs old, was convicted on 16 August 1879, sentenced to three months
John Doran, 53 years old, was sentenced to three months for larceny, discharged on 19 November 1879
John Doran was 50 years old by 20 December 1879 when he was convicted of larceny, sentenced to 18 months.
etc etc - 1885
John Doran, now 58 yrs old, was arraigned at the Supreme Court Hobart on 19 May 1885 for the offence of larceny, sentenced to four years.
Source: Tasmania Reports of Crime Information for Police James Barnard Gov't Printer
