Tattoos

[Teresa from the Bay]

My grandfather enlisted at the start of WW1. His records note that he had a tattoo of his initials and a horse's head. I can find very little information on him between 1901 and 1915 other than he was a miner in Barnsley. The information I have read states that it was usually seamen or prisoners that had tattoos. Does anyone know differently? I also know that he spent several months in a civilian prison during his Army career. Can any records of prisoners be accessed?

[annswabey]

I've looked at loads of Army records and think tattoos were very common!

[Richard]

My great grandad joined up aged 19 in 1915. He had a tatoo of an anchor with his name underneath. I know he had never been at sea or in prison, so I do think people were already having them done for 'fashion' by that date. May have been more true of the early to mid Victorian age when they were limited to navy men and prisoners.

[Teresa from the Bay]

Many thanks annswabey and Richard. I didn't realise tattoos were so common in the early 1900s. I could only find very limited information on the history of tattoos.

[Pat Hope]

My gggrandmother was transported to Australia from Dublin in the 1840's for stealing. In her description it says she had several tattoos

[Teresa from the Bay]

Oooh Pat! a lady ahead of her time. She would have been in her element now with all the tattoo parlours around!!!

[Guy]

Tattoos became widely popular for the upper classes in England after the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) had a tattoo in 1862, (20 years later his two sons also had tattoos).
Cheers
Guy

[Janet]

Most of my army ancestors seem to have had tatoos, though I am still looking for the Royal link! It was very common.

Janet

[littlemoo]

My Grandfather who was in the Durham Light Infrantry had a tattoo of an Anchor on his arm.

Clare