Prison Uniform Collection

Miki Toyokichi Educating Himself and Fellow Prisoners, 1875. Creator: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Miki Toyokichi Educating Himself and Fellow Prisoners, 1875. Series: The Postal News, no. 449

Convicts in Prison Uniform, 1906-1911. Creator: Isaiah Aronovich Shinkman
Convicts in Prison Uniform, 1906-1911. This photograph is from an album of 47 views of convicts and structures at the Akatuy Prison

The Convicts, engraved by Francois Seraphin Delpech (1778-1825)
CHT163572 The Convicts, engraved by Francois Seraphin Delpech (1778-1825), first half 19th century (litho) (b/w photo) by Vernet

Andrew Robinson Bowes Esq. as he appeared in the Court of the King
NCO193431 Andrew Robinson Bowes Esq. as he appeared in the Court of the Kings Bench on Tuesday 28th November 1786, to answer the articles exhibited against him by his wife the Countess of Strathmore

Consequences of a Successful French Invasion, or We come to recover your long lost
NCO189768 Consequences of a Successful French Invasion, or We come to recover your long lost Liberties, 1798 (hand-coloured etching) by Gillray

The Naughty Boy and His New Clothes (coloured engraving)
979471 The Naughty Boy and His New Clothes (coloured engraving) by Merry, Tom (c.1852-1902); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Naughty Boy and His New Clothes)

Their Sins HAVE Found Them Out (litho)
964643 Their Sins HAVE Found Them Out (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Their Sins HAVE Found Them Out. From Truth, 25 December 1892.); © Look and Learn

Convicts boarding a ship bound for French Guiana at Saint-Martin-de-Re (colour litho)
2782345 Convicts boarding a ship bound for French Guiana at Saint-Martin-de-Re (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Postcard of Convicts Wearing Striped Uniforms. Postcard of Convicts Wearing Striped Uniforms

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Through the annals of history, the image of a prison uniform has evoked various emotions - from defiance and resistance, as seen in Emmeline Pankhurst's sepia-toned mugshot in Holloway Prison (1908), to shame and disgrace, as depicted in Francois Seraphin Delpech's engraving of "The Convicts" in the 1800s. The uniforms have also served as a symbol of punishment and reformation, as seen in the lithograph "Their Sins HAVE Found Them Out." And yet, they have also been a mark of transformation, as in the case of Andrew Robinson Bowes Esq., who donned a striped uniform after a successful French invasion was thwarted, as depicted in "Consequences of a Successful French Invasion, or We come to recover your long lost." The colorful lithographs of "Convicts boarding a ship bound for French Guiana" serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of criminal actions. Today, the striped uniform remains a symbol of incarceration and rehabilitation, a visual representation of the journey towards redemption.