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Tiny illustrations of a hangman and someone being flogged have been discovered in 19th-century Royal Court records – depicting the respective punishments for murder and theft during the time.
A member of Jersey Archive noticed the doodles when transcribing the Poursuite Criminelles index – which catalogues criminal cases tried before the Royal Court.
While transcribing the records, they stumbled on doodles in the entries for two individuals: Andrew Thomas and Robert Thornton.
Next to Thomas's name, the word 'pendu' (hanged) was accompanied by a small doodle of a hangman.
And next to Thornton's name was the word 'fouette' (whipped), with a sketch depicting someone being flogged.
Pictured: The tiny drawings of criminal punishments spotted by one of the Jersey Archive team.
In 1810, Andrew Thomas was found guilty of the murder of Jeanne de Louche, the wife of Philippe LeSuer. His sentence was to be hanged, a punishment captured in the doodle.
Meanwhile, Robert Thornton was found guilty of stealing a watch from Jean Watson and was sentenced to a flogging and banishment from the island for five years.
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