HOLBORN PETTY SESSIONS DIVISION - AIM25

Zona de identificação

Código de referência

GB 0074 PS/HOL

Título

HOLBORN PETTY SESSIONS DIVISION

Data(s)

1845-1956 (Produção)

Nível de descrição

Coleção

Dimensão e suporte

1 linear metre (20 volumes).

Zona do contexto

Nome do produtor

Holborn Petty Sessional Division

História biográfica

Holborn Petty Sessional Division: Holborn was one of the administrative divisions of the ancient county of Middlesex, included within the Hundred of Ossulston. It included the parishes and liberties of St Andrew Holborn above bars, St George the Martyr, St Giles-in-the-Fields, St George Bloomsbury, Liberty of Saffron Hill, Ely Rents, Liberty of the Rolls, Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster, Hampstead, and, until July 1853, St Marylebone. Hampstead became a separate division from 3 January 1923. On 1 July 1956 Holborn Division ceased to exist and was incorporated within the New River Division.

History of petty sessions: An Act of 1792 established seven 'Public Offices' (later Police offices and Police courts) in the central Metropolitan area. The aim was to establish fixed locations where 'fit and able magistrates' would attend at fixed times to deal with an increasing number of criminal offences.

Offices were opened in St Margaret Westminster, St James Westminster, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Shadwell and Southwark. An office in Bow Street, Covent Garden, originally the home of the local magistrate, had been operating for almost 50 years and was largely the model for the new offices.

In 1800 the Marine Police Office or Thames Police Office, opened by 'private enterprise' in 1798, was incorporated into the statutory system. In 1821 an office was opened in Marylebone, apparently replacing the one in Shadwell.

Each office was assigned three Justices of the Peace. They were to receive a salary of £400 per annum. These were the first stipendiary magistrates. Later they were expected to be highly qualified in the law, indeed, to be experienced barristers. This distinguished them from the local lay justices who after the setting up of Police Offices were largely confined, in the Metropolitan area, to the licensing of innkeepers. In addition each office could appoint up to six constables to be attached to it.

The commonly used term of 'Police Court' was found to be misleading. The word 'police' gave the impression that the Metropolitan Police controlled and administered the courts. This was never the case, the word 'police' was being used in its original meaning of 'pertaining to civil administration', 'regulating', etc.

In April 1965 (following the Administration of Justice Act 1964) the London Police Courts with their stipendiary magistrates were integrated with the lay magistrates to form the modern Inner London Magistrates' Courts.

The police courts dealt with a wide range of business coming under the general heading of 'summary jurisdiction', i.e. trial without a jury. The cases heard were largely criminal and of the less serious kind. Over the years statutes created many offences that the courts could deal with in addition to Common Law offences. Examples include: drunk and disorderly conduct, assault, theft, begging, possessing stolen goods, cruelty to animals, desertion from the armed forces, betting, soliciting, loitering with intent, obstructing highways, and motoring offences. Non-criminal matters included small debts concerning income tax and local rates, landlord and tenant matters, matrimonial problems and bastardy.

Offences beyond the powers of the Court would normally be passed to the Sessions of the Peace or Gaol Delivery Sessions in the Old Bailey (from 1835 called the Central Criminal Court). From the late 19th century such cases would be the subject of preliminary hearings or committal proceedings in the magistrates' courts.

Outside the London Police Court Area but within the administrative county of Middlesex lay justices continued to deal with both criminal offences and administrative matters such as the licensing of innkeepers.

The exact area covered by a Court at any particular time can be found in the Kelly's Post Office London Directories, available on microfilm at LMA. The entries are based on the original Orders-in-Council establishing police court districts. A map showing police court districts is kept in the Information Area of LMA with other reference maps. Please ask a member of staff for assistance.

Entidade detentora

The London Archives

História do arquivo

GB 0074 PS/HOL 1845-1956 Collection 1 linear metre (20 volumes). Holborn Petty Sessional Division