Criminal Ancestor?

There are ways to whitewash the story of a criminal ancestor, like this:

‘Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory . His business empire grew to include  acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the   Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the  railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital  investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889,  Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.’

There's an updated source from Ancestry, although Ancestry labels them as NEW, for the delinquent in your UK family tree. It is several years since these four titles, categorized by Ancestry under Court, Land, Wills & Financial, were updated. They are all derived from the holdings of The National Archives, Kew, apparently quite a hangout for criminals!

UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 1,089,129 records
Original data: PCOM 2 1770-1951 Home Office and Prison Commission: Prisons Records, Series 1.

"A variety of records including registers of prisoners and habitual criminals, photograph albums, minute books, visitors' books, order books, journals, assizes and quarter sessions calendars and other records relating to various prisons in England and Wales, to Gibraltar prison and to some ship prisons."

There are various register types for goals at: Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chesterton, Derby, Durham, Fisherton Anger, Lancaster, Leicester, Lincoln, Lindsey, Liverpool, Louth, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northallerton, Norwich, Oxford, Reading, Shrewsbury, Spilsbury, Stafford, Taunton, Wakefield, Winchester, and Worcester; for prisons of Millbank, Newgate, Parkhurst, Pentonville, Portland, Portsmouth, Wandsworth, Woking, and Wormwood Scrubs; and for Westminster Penitentiary.

The first 20-year period is the one with most records. After 1900 there are fewer than 20,00 records. 

UK, Calendar of Prisoners, 1868-1929 803,980 records
Original data: HO 140: Home Office: Calendar of Prisoners. 

"These calendars, usually recording prisoners 'after-trial' are lists, for the most part printed, of prisoners tried at Assizes and Quarter Sessions."

There's a browse capability by year. The majority of the records are for the 19th century. This title is updated from 637,410 records. 

UK, Registers of Habitual Criminals and Police Gazettes, 1834-1934 258,911 records
Original data: MEPO 6: Metropolitan Police: Criminal Record Office: Habitual Criminals Registers and Miscellaneous Papers. 

Registers and weekly newspapers with details of criminals, including habitual criminal registers, photographs and physical descriptions, Police Gazettes, Supplements 'A' and Informations (London Area).

UK, After-Trial Calendar of Prisoners,1855-1931 97,702 records

Original data: CRIM 9: Central Criminal Court - After Trial Calendars of Prisoners. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives. Perviously152,226 records!

Lists, for the most part printed, of prisoners tried at Assizes and Quarter Sessions. Includes number; name; age; trade; previous convictions; name and address of committing magistrates; date of warrant; when received into custody; offence as charged in the commitment; name of the victim; when tried; before whom tried; verdict of the jury; sentence or order of the court.

The same person is likely to be found in more than one of these titles.