engaged

It might just be me, but this actually looks like it's spelled Garretty. Only because the other a's are so clear, that last 'a' actually looks like an 'e' before the t's. Not that it's a huge deal.. just stating my opinion ;)

The handwriting on his head: Garretty.

Thanks for pointing the spelling out, you're right in saying that it looks as if it is spelt with an 'e'. On the report attached to the photograph, the person who recorded Thomas' details have spelt it with an 'a', which is where the conflict lies, but this has been changed now in the caption for this image.

Do I win a cookie for catching it?? ;)

It is sad that most of these convicts were caught stealing clothes or food. They probably needed it.

Charles Pickering was commissioned to photograph public works for the government architect James Barnet in 1870. The photographs themselves were intended for display at the London Exhibition of 1873; Pickering was previously engaged as the official photographer to the Metropolitan Intercolonial Exhibition of 1870. Photographers such as Charles Nettleton and the firm of Cox & Luckin were given similiar commissions in Melbourne as photography played an increasingly important role in the work of government departments. (The collection is on the State Libray of N.S.W. database. This database has a facility to view photographs in a high quality resolution which is really the best way to view the photographs - because of size constraints I will post a link to the high resolution version beneath each photograph).

cool!