We have been looking at vintage mugshots recently discovered in the archives of the West Midlands Police Department, including the oldest mugshot in British history. These photos come from Birmingham England. This is James Freeth who was pictured in 1861 for an unknown crime.There is a certain Jesse James quality to this mugshot. Freeth has a confident look of a guy toughened on the streets of Birmingham. It reminded me of some of my favorite characters from the series The Peaky Blinders.
