Records old bailey trials

Durham and Lancaster Lancashire merged into the assizes system in Prior to these years you will need to consult the Palatinate of Chester court records , the Palatinate of Durham court records or the Palatinate of Lancaster court records. Usually, the best place to begin a search in the assize records is the crown and gaol books. To decide which kind of record will be most useful for your research see the information on record types in section 3.

You will also need a series number each circuit has its own set of series and piece number pieces may relate to a trial, the assizes for a county, or the circuit, and will be described accordingly before you can view a document. To find the right record series refer to Appendix 1. There are some other scattered records outside of the ASSI department at The National Archives which relate to criminal trials at assize courts.

There are also records and accounts of trials elsewhere, in other archives and libraries. Contemporary newspapers or pamphlets often reported local cases in much detail.

To find out about surviving newspapers and how to view them consult the British Library Newspaper Library or the appropriate local county record office.

There are sometimes additional notes which can provide insight into a trial. The following record series are the best place to start if you are looking for court transcripts:. Payments and expenses incurred by sheriffs in the punishment of prisoners were often recorded.

These records can include lists of prisoners tried or transported, accounts for maintenance in prison or expenses for carrying out an execution.

These records are a useful alternative for the many missing assize records from this period. There are copies of indictments within the records of writs of certiorari in KB 9. His history of assizes is particularly valuable, with sage advice on the pitfalls of taking the records at face value.

L Knafla, Kent at Law D T Hawkings, Criminal Ancestors — also covers assizes and related records. Search the following record series by date, using the advanced search option in our catalogue , or browse through them in our catalogue by clicking on the record series links below. For more information on whether to browse or search, see our Discovery help pages. Of the preth century depositions that have survived, most are from northern counties. Of the preth century Midland circuit records, most that survive are from after For convenience, record series are listed here by county rather than circuit.

Bristol assizes records prior to are held by Bristol Record Office. Until with the exception of the period of the interregnum , records were written in Latin and in distinctive legal scripts.

The annotations on indictments are often in Latin abbreviations which remained in use even after For quick pointers Tuesday to Saturday to Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records.

This website uses cookies We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. Set cookie preferences. Skip to Main Content. Search our website Search Discovery, our catalogue. How to look for records of Criminal trials in the assize courts How can I view the records covered in this guide? View Online How many are online? None Some All. Order copies We can either copy our records onto paper or deliver them to you digitally.

TNA's research guide L27 describes these records. Memories Overview Gallery People Find. Sign in Create Account. Family Tree. From FamilySearch Wiki. Category : England Archives and Libraries.

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For more information, see What's New February The What's New Archive contains details of previous updates. This new AHRC funded website traces the lives of 90, convicts sentenced at the Old Bailey between and , linking Old Bailey trials to relevant entries in fifty databases of criminal justice and civil records, including the census.

The 'Life Archives' allow users to discover both the pre- and post-trial histories of Old Bailey convicts.