Registers of marriage for West Croydon Congregational Church, 1920-1980.

Records of West Dulwich Congregational Chapel including register of marriages, 1939-1941; lists of members and registers of attendance, 1853-1939; forms of commendation and applications for transfer, 1930-1944; minute book of Church meetings, 1868-1930; minute book of Deacons' meetings, 1868-1935; minute book of Chapel Building Improvement Committee, 1870; correspondence relating to administrative and social matters,1856-1892; financial accounts, 1854-1945; papers relating to property owned by the church, 1855-1856; ground plan of chapel, 1863; papers relating to Trustees, 1855-1889; certificate registering Dulwich Chapel, Park Road, Lower Norwood as a Congregationalist or Independents' place of worship for solemnization of marriages, 1859; minutes of Literary Society and Committee meetings, 1895 - 1908; Musical Committee minute book, 1899-1904 and printed circular letter raising funds for alterations to church, with sketch of proposed alterations, 1938.

Records of West Ealing Congregational Church including combined register listing baptisms, 1910-1969, marriages, 1910-1970 and burials, 1937-1968; minute book for Annual Church Meetings, 1942-1962; minute book for Church Meetings, 1915-1924; minute books for Deacon's Meetings, 1901-1959; roll of Church members, 1914-1972 and Finance Committee minute book, 1936-1968.

Register of marriages for West Ealing Congregational Church, 1970-1972.

The records of West European Industries Limited consist of Board minutes, annual reports and accounts and financial material. The records are held offsite and require 24 hours notice for access.

Records of the West family. This collection comprises papers, 1811-1911, many dating from the 1840s to the 1870s, including material relating to cotton presses, engines, pumps, etc, 1816-1891; printed reports of West's Patent Press Company Ltd, 1873-1911; papers, 1824-1870, largely relating to domestic and manufacturing premises in St Pancras, including notices of railway companies relating to intended lines; correspondence and various other family papers (accounts, bills, diaries, notes, drawings, probate papers, etc), 1811-1878, including material relating to voyages and time spent in India (including Bombay) by family members, also including material relating to the estate of Robert Stephen Kitson, and material relating to attendance of family members at King's College School, King's College London, and London University; letters patent and specification for improvements in working railway signals, 1863; bundle of letters from Mr W Notter (box-office keeper in Covent Garden), 1825-1839, 1853-1855.

Register of marriages, 1961.

Deed of gift of Cook's Almshouses and conveyance of land in Stoke Newington to the West Hackney Almshouse.

Records of West Hackney Church, Hackney, including registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials; minutes of the Select Vestry; account books; registers of church services; and papers relating to West Hackney National Schools.

Records of the West Ham Synagogue, including a register of reserved graves; Board of Management minutes; administrative files relating to premises, marriages, classes, staffing, centenary celebrations and the closure of the synagogue; financial records; membership lists; kethubah books [marriage contracts]; centenary exhibition boards; and a design for a hall.

PLEASE NOTE: Records can only be accessed with the written permission of the depositor. Contact the Chief Executive, United Synagogue.

Records of West Hampstead Congregational Church including register of baptisms and marriages, 1907-1939; roll of members, 1894-1933; register of applications for 'Fellowship', 1896-1904; minute book of Church meetings, 1894-1913; minute book of General Purposes Committee, 1906-1911; minutes of Joint Committee of Lyndhurst Road and West Hampstead Churches, 1911-1915; minute book of Joint Committee, known from April 1918 as 'the Committee' and from August 1919 as 'Meeting of Church Officers', 1915-1923; financial accounts, 1896-1934; printed programme of 'special events' and regular weekly meetings, 1923-1924; Church engagements and notices, 1937; certificate of enrollment of West Hampstead as member of League of Nations Union, 1938; drawing of detail of organ front, 1895 and plan of seating.

Many of the deeds relate to these purchases of the main estate. Others relate to additional purchases, each with their supporting title deeds of earlier date referring to previous owners. There is a series of numbers pencilled on the majority of these later deeds, and this order has been strictly maintained in this list. The following groups of deeds were tied in bundles: D1/16-29, D1/34-50, D1/52-55, D1/56-65. There are admissions and surrenders relating to property in the manor of Battersea and Wandsworth.

Records of the West Java Engineering Company including annual reports and accounts; correspondence; and general reports.

Marriage registers for West Kensington Congregational Church, 1959-1973.

Records of the West Kent Main Sewerage Board, including Board minutes; Committee minutes including the Finance Committee, Superannuation Joint Committee and Works Committee; financial records including registers of agreements, register of mortgages and transfers and loans ledger; letter books; and minutes of proceedings of the West Kent Drainage Bill.

Records of West London County Court, 1847-1948, including minute books; ledger of equity proceedings; plaint book; default summons books; ordinary summons books; bankruptcy administration ledger; Workmen's Compensation Act register; judge's register; register of agreements and committal summons book.

Records of West London Magistrates Court, 1877-2001, including court registers; registers for means enquiries, Small Tenement Act cases, civil debt cases, ex-parte cases, and licence renewals; Married Women Act orders; bastardy orders; domestic court proceedings; maintenance registers and Guardianship of Infants Act orders.

Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate.

Domestic proceedings: a married woman under the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act 1895 and subsequent Acts could go to a magistrates' court and apply for orders which in certain circumstances would enable her to separate from her husband, have custody of any children and receive maintenance from him. Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1844 a mother expecting a bastard child or who had given birth to one could obtain a maintenance order against the putative father.

Records of the West London School District, 1865-1936, including minutes and agendas of the Board of Management; minutes and reports of various Committees; annual reports; financial accounts; correspondence with and orders of the Poor Law Board, Local Government Board and Ministry of Health; correspondence and other documents regarding property; admission and discharge registers for Ashford School; registers of apprenticeships; returns and statistics of children in care; papers relating to education and teaching including correspondence, reports, timetables and syllabus; dietary tables; reports by the Medical Officer; issues of the Ashford Residential School Magazine; staff records; building plans of Ashford School and Park School; photographs of Ashford School and papers relating to the transfer of institutions to the London County Council in 1930.

Records of the West London Synagogue of British Jews, 1840-1973. The archive consists mainly of financial records such as cash books, ledgers, journals, accounts books and financial statements, with two scapbooks containing advertisements, news cuttings, programmes and tickets for special events.

PLEASE NOTE: written permission from the depositors is required to access these records. Contact the Executive Director, West London Synagogue, 35 Seymour Place, London W1H 6AT.

Declaration of trusts of £2,400 capital stock (being 24 shares) in the West Middlesex Water Works, assigned for securing £1,400, for Charles Lestock Boileau of Castleneau, esq. and William Tierney Clark of Hammersmith, engineer, 1841; with absolute assignment of the same for £1,120, 1843.

Financial records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company, including ledgers; cash books and journals.

Corporate records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company, including Board of Directors minutes; General Assembly minutes; Committee minutes; letter books and correspondence; legal papers; records relating to stocks and shares; files on Royal Commissions on water supply; and general files of the Secretary.

Property records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company including trade rental books and rental volumes.

Staff records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company, comprising correspondence relating to the appointment of JA Christie.

Records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including Engineer's reports; Engineer's diaries for technical matters and workmen's time; Inspectors' technical diaries; revenue survey volumes; water supply and distribution volumes and files.

Wartime diaries, typescript correspondence, memoirs and poetry by Victor West, concerning the campaign in Greece, Crete and as a prisoner of war during World War Two, with recent poetry, 1941-1999; notably including a bound typescript memoir, 'The loss of Creforce Reserve: "The side show"', written 1981, including list of officers and other ranks of 9 Bn, King's Royal Rifle Corps, killed in Greece and Crete, 1941, and a copy article, 'The Rangers in Greece and Crete: a story of devotion and toil', printed 1941 in the house magazine of the Gas Light & Coke Ltd; 3 volume bound typescript memoir, 'Wash me in the water: a personal account of the first Greek campaign, 1941. The battle for Crete, including the story of the loss of Creforce Reserve', written 1983; bound typescript 1941 personal war diary, a transcription of West's original diary; bound typescript copy letters to West from a Spanish fellow POW, Sgt Basilio Marin, 1944-1945 and photocopy typescript and manuscript notes (untitled) on the Crete campaign, 1941; bound typescript 'We from Crete: Pep talks in Stalag 383', written 1982, relating to life in a POW camp (first and second drafts); bound typescript, 'Escape involuntary (we couldn't help it)', recounting West's escape from a POW camp, Germany, Apr 1945; Victor West, The horses of Falaise: poems on the experiences of a fighting soldier in World War II (Salamandar Imprint, London, 1975), bound photocopy; Victor West, Part 2 orders: WWII poems (Salamandar Imprint, London, 1999), bound photocopy; notes on West's career and on the history of 1 Rangers, King's Royal Rifle Corps; copy correspondence and illustrations relating to a painting by West presented to Winston Churchill, 1955.

Records of the Westen family relating to property in Staines and Stanwell, including leases, lease and releases, copies of wills, bonds, conveyances, and deed of feoffment.

Western Cachar Company Limited records comprise: memorandum and articles of association, 1863-1915 (Ms 28169); register of directors and secretaries, 1901-1962 (Ms 28169A); and accounts, 1915-69 (Ms 28170-3).

Records of the Western (Cannel) Gas Light Company, including half yearly reports and accounts submitted by the Directors of the Western Gas Light Company Limited to the shareholders; certificates of registration of the company; return of schedule to the deed of settlement, showing name, address and profession of shareholders; list of proprietors of the company, showing name, address and number of shares held by each; assignment of debts and shares as security for repayment; contract for lighting part of Notting Hill lighting district; agreements and licences for laying mains in various districts; schedule of deeds, drafts and correspondence for company premises in various locations including Kensington, Westminster, Marylebone and Kensal Green.

Minute book of the committee of the Western City Dispensary.

The records of the Western Dispensary comprise chiefly minute books, annual reports and patient registers.

Records of the Western Gas Light Company, 1821-1860, including deed of settlement, Acts of Parliament relating to the Company, licences, papers relating to property, legal case papers, minutes of Directors' meetings and minutes of Shareholders' meetings.

Western Manuscripts, c 1250-19th century, including receipt books (domestic medical remedies and culinary recipes), illuminated psalters and prayer books, case notes and prescription books. highlights include: the Wilton Psalter, c 1250; a 15th century copy of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales; medical receipt and prescription books from the 17th century.

Records of the Western Synagogue, Marylebone, consisting of registers of kethubot [marriage contracts].

PLEASE NOTE: Records can only be accessed with the written permission of the depositor. Contact the Chief Executive, United Synagogue.

Receipts issued to Thomas Strafield for payment of rates to the Westminster Commission of Sewers for the Kings Scholars Pond, and to the parish of Saint James's, Westminster for the care of the poor, 1777-1778.

Minutes of the Westminster and General Insurance Company Limited.

Board minute books of Westminster and Kensington Freeholds Limited.

Papers collected by the bank in the course of their work, comprising recovery relating to 1/3 part of 10 messuages, 1 court, and ½ acre in Saint Marylebone and Saint Pancras, with seal and portrait of George IV, 1828; and counterpart lease for premises on Tottenham Court Road, 1859.

Records of the City of Westminster Poor Law Union, 1889-1936, including minutes of meetings of the Board of Guardians; minutes and papers of Committees including the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse Committee, Edmonton Workhouse Committee, Hospital Committee, Visiting Committee and Settlement and Revision Committee; correspondence and standing orders; registers for the Belmont Workhouse, Chelsea Workhouse, Edmonton Workhouse and Fulham Road Workhouse; registers of children sent into service; financial accounts and personnel files.

Records of the Saint Margaret and Saint John Poor Law Union, 1864-1870, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; minutes of Committees including the Kensington Workhouse Visiting Committee; correspondence; orders of removal to other Unions and financial accounts.

Records of Saint George's Hanover Square Poor Law Union, 1836-1924, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; minutes of Committees including the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse Committee, the Fulham Road Workhouse Committee, the Kensington Workhouse Visiting Committee, the Mount Street Workhouse Committee, the Petty France Workhouse Committee, and the Milman Street Receiving Home for Children Committee; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of lunatics; registers from the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse, Fulham Road Workhouse and Mount Street Workhouse; registers of children in care including indentures of apprenticeship, registers of children on the Exmouth Training Ship and registers of children at the Milman Street Receiving Home for Children; financial accounts and staff records.

Records of the Saint Martin in the Fields Poor Law Union, 1824-1870, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; correspondence; relief order books; settlement examinations; registers for the Castle Street Workhouse; registers for the Norwood Schools and financial accounts.

Records of the Strand Poor Law Union, 1802-1928, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; minutes of Committees including the Edmonton Workhouse Committee and the Sheffield Street Workhouse Committee; correspondence; settlement examinations; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of the Cleveland Street Workhouse, the Edmonton Workhouse, the Saint Giles Workhouse and the Sheffield Street Workhouse; registers of Edmonton Schools; financial accounts and staff records.

Records of the Westminster Poor Law Union, 1833-1914, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; Committee minutes; correspondence with government departments; settlement examinations; Relieving Officer's reports; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of the Westminster Union Workhouse; indentures of apprenticeships; registers of Westminster Union Schools, Tooting; financial accounts and staff records.

Records of Westminster Bridge Commissioners, comprising volume of draft contracts and papers relating to the Bridge, including 'Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the New Palace Yard in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Surry' and articles of agreement and contracts for various aspects of building the bridge and provision of materials.

The volume is a later re-binding, possibly of the 19th century. The contracts had been paginated, and so, presumably, bound together at an earlier date. The pagination runs from 153 to 261, the right hand (odd) pages only being numbered; the surviving items thus appear to be part only of an earlier compilation. From the note made and signed by Taylor White on p.207, and the endorsements on pp [194] and [208], it appears likely that the papers were among the working papers of the Commissioners themselves.

Documents relating to the Westminster Bridge inquisitions, 1739-1746. The documents relate to the acquisition of land in Westminster. For each case there is a precept for summoning a jury, a list of jurymen and their resulting inquisition. The list records the general location of the property and the owner or leaseholder concerned.

Papers of Westminster Hospital, 1802-1818, comprising a volume by an unknown author, containing lists of male and female patient records and observations.

Records of Westminster Magistrates Court, 1896-1943, including court registers; rates registers; means enquiry summonses; summonses indexes; Married Women Act orders; bastardy complaints and letter book.

Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate. Court minute books or notebooks are rough notes of the proceedings recording the gist of the evidence given.

Domestic proceedings: A married woman under the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act 1895 and subsequent Acts could go to a magistrates' court and apply for orders which in certain circumstances would enable her to separate from her husband, have custody of any children and receive maintenance from him. Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1844 a mother expecting a bastard child or who had given birth to one could obtain a maintenance order against the putative father.

Document relating to a plea heard at Westminster, 1807: Crichton Horne and Edward Finch, (plaintiffs) v John Moore.

Letter from Charles, 2nd Viscount Townsend, to Lord Delaware, chairman of the sessions of the peace for Westminster, announcing the decision that the Treasury Solicitor will in future defend all constables and other peace officers of Westminster in actions brought against them 'for searching houses where Felons and other disorderly Persons resort' by warrant of the justices. Dated 26 October 1728.

Papers of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace relating to administration, 1713-1883. Records relate to the House of Correction, Tothill Fields (also known as Westminster Bridewell and the Westminster House of Correction), including reports, letter book and minute books of the Visiting Justices; papers relating to the Governor of the House of Correction and other staff, including bonds, financial accounts and petitions; bills for maintenance and repair works; inventories; reports; returns of the number of prisoners; lists of prisoners; regulations; warrants and orders; correspondence and plans of the building.

Also minute book of the Committee of Accounts for City and Liberty of Westminster, 1839-1844.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records of the Clerk of the Peace for the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1665-1807. Records comprise one volume containing the following: copies of orders of Privy Council to the Justices of the Peace of Middlesex and Westminster as to measures to be taken to prevent the spread of plague - including an order to erect a pest house; copies of resultant orders of the Justices to high constables, Churchwardens, etc including orders for removal of lay stalls and repair of an offensive lane; lists of suspected papists and instructions from the Privy Council and others to the Justices of the Peace in connection with them; lists (indexed) of persons who have taken oaths of allegiance and supremacy and subscribed the declaration under Act of 1 Wm and Mary, or who have refused to do so; lists (indexed) of persons convicted of profane cursing and swearing according to the Act of 627 Wm III, 1665-1708.

Also one volume containing the following: register of the names of persons who have been granted Game Certificates at the Westminster Sessions; Commissioners' Certificates under the Property Act, filed at Westminster Sessions; register of certificates of Freemans Lodges, filed at Westminster Sessions; register of the names of persons who carry on the trade of Press and Type Makers, and who have given notice to Westminster Sessions; register of names of persons who carry on the trade of Printer, and who have given notice to Westminster Sessions; register of Surveyors Certificates files at Westminster Sessions; 1799-1807.

Also a booklet containing standing orders, with appendix, 1840.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1619-1860, including lists of prisoners awaiting trial; lists of prisoners already tried; lists and rolls of fines; court minutes; lists and registers of charges; sessions papers; sessions rolls; writs of venire facias and trial process records.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records enrolled or filed with the Clerk of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1552-1885. The records classified as WR/A are concerned with the registration of foreigners; WR/B are records produced by Building Surveyors; WR/F are returns of those eligible to serve on juries; WR/L/P covers the licensing of printing presses; WR/LV relate to Licensed Victuallers; WR/ML are concerned with Militia and Lieutenancy; WR/O are Oaths of Office; WR/P are papers concerning Parliamentary Elections; WR/PLT Land Tax; WR/R contains the records produced from the control and recording of all non-conformists; WR/S contains records concerned with Societies; and WR/U records deposited with the court concerning Public Undertakings.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records of the Justices of the Peace for the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1687-1887. WJP/C contains the original Commissions of the Peace issued to the Justices of the Peace; WJP/L are lists of the justices in those commissions; WJP/D contains names of justices who had paid subscriptions for dinners held at the Sessions House; WJP/O contains a record of oaths taken by justices upon their appointment to the commission; and WJP/R is a record of the qualifications needed by justices in order to be eligible for appointment

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.