William Auld - "Belongs to Peterhead"...and Fraserburgh too!

 At the age of 62 on his discharge in August 1875, William Auld is the oldest male convict to feature in the Criminal Portraits blog so far. The Register of Returned Convicts for Aberdeen, in which his mugshot is pasted, also reveals that he was five feet two-and-a-half inches tall, had a "ruddy" complexion, grey hair and blue eyes and that he "Belongs to Peterhead". While his connection to the "Blue Toon" may have been true for part of his life, he also had a connection with Fraserburgh, as disclosed by The Dundee Advertiser of the 1st May 1866:

 

THEFT BY HOUSEBREAKING

William Auld (54) from Aberdeen, was charged with this crime in so far as (1) on the 11th or 12th of November 1865, he broke into the premises at Fish-Cross Street, Fraserburgh, occupied by George Hay, tailor and clothier, and did steal therefrom 10 yards pilot cloth, 1½ yards black cloth, 4 yards tweed, 2½ yards doeskin, 10 woollen caps, 3 cloth caps, a cloth hat, and several remnants of black and doeskin cloth; (2) on the 18th or 19th November, he did break into and enter the premises in Back Street, Fraserburgh, occupied by Jane Kerr or Annand, and did steal 5 oz. of tobacco; 2s. 6d. in silver, and 2s. 1d. in copper money. Auld had been twice previously convicted before the Circuit at Aberdeen, and once before the Sheriff at Peterhead. The accused pled guilty and was sentenced by Lord Ardmillan, to ten years' penal servitude. 

The severity of the sentence is a reflection of the dim view that the judicial system of the time took towards repeated and habitual theft. Following his discharge in 1875, Auld lived for a short time at 45 Guestrow, otherwise known as the Victoria Lodging House (now Provost Skene's House). Later in the August of 1875 a note records that he had gone "To Fraserburgh" which he appears to have made his home as on the 1881 census he is to be found, aged 69, living at a boarding house at 3 Cross Street, his occupation being that of a shoemaker.