Edward Kelly's Prison Records Edward Kelly's Prison Records

Victorian prisons were quick to use the still-new technology of photography to create records of those who passed through their doors. The prison record featured here carries copies of two photographs of Ned Kelly, both probably taken by Charles Nettleton who worked on contract to Pentridge prison until the early 1880s. The first was taken in June 1873, five months after Kellys transfer to Pentridge from Beechworth prison, and half-way through his sentence for receiving a stolen horse. The second photograph was taken a week before Kellys release on 2 February 1874. Documents like this were created by prisons to be forwarded to the police at the time of the prisoners release. The police referred to these pages for the persons criminal history. This particular record was forwarded to the Penal and Gaols Branch of the Chief Secretarys Department on 11 March 1874.