Identificatie
referentie code
Titel
Datum(s)
- 1804-1971 (Vervaardig)
Beschrijvingsniveau
Omvang en medium
79.78 linear metres (857 files and volumes).
Context
Naam van de archiefvormer
Biografie
Thames Magistrates Court:
Thames Police Court was in origin the Marine Police Office or Thames Police Office opened at the instigation of merchants and dock owners and Patrick Colquhoun in 1798, and regularised by Act of Parliament in 1800. It was probably amalgamated with the Police Office in High Street Shadwell in 1839/40 and with the Lambeth Street, Whitechapel, Police District in 1845. In 1841 it was situated at 255 Wapping High Street. In 1844 it moved to Arbour Street, Stepney, where it remained, undergoing changes of address because of street-name changes: 1922-1939 Charles Street and 1939 onwards Aylward Street, Stepney.
History of magistrates courts:
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.
archiefbewaarplaats
Geschiedenis van het archief
GB 0074 PS/TH 1804-1971 Collection 79.78 linear metres (857 files and volumes). Thames Magistrates Court
Thames Magistrates Court:
Thames Police Court was in origin the Marine Police Office or Thames Police Office opened at the instigation of merchants and dock owners and Patrick Colquhoun in 1798, and regularised by Act of Parliament in 1800. It was probably amalgamated with the Police Office in High Street Shadwell in 1839/40 and with the Lambeth Street, Whitechapel, Police District in 1845. In 1841 it was situated at 255 Wapping High Street. In 1844 it moved to Arbour Street, Stepney, where it remained, undergoing changes of address because of street-name changes: 1922-1939 Charles Street and 1939 onwards Aylward Street, Stepney.
History of magistrates courts:
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.
Received in multiple accessions, in 1984, 1988, 1991 and 2003.
Records of the Thames Magistrates Court, 1804-1971, including court registers; clerk's letter books and papers; and wreck enquiry notes. 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 Registers (PS/TH/A); Clerk's Records (PS/TH/C); Merchant Shipping Act Commission (PS/TH/W).
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For related material see:
- Papers of Patrick Colquhoun (ACC/1230);
- Papers of John Reeves in ACC 0931;
- Calendars of Convictions 1794-1797 (MSJ/CC/01-03);
-
Letter Books, 1804-1842 (X83/01-02).
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
November 2009 to February 2010 People by occupation Personnel Legal profession personnel Court officials Legal history Law Legal systems Magistrates courts Courts Information sources Records and correspondence Records (documents) Court records Court papers Disasters Manmade disasters Legal procedure Accidents Seaborne disasters Shipwrecks Administration of justice Court administration People Magistrates Thames Magistrates Court Shadwell Tower Hamlets London England UK Western Europe Europe Thames, river Stepney Whitechapel
Directe bron van verwerving of overbrenging
Received in multiple accessions, in 1984, 1988, 1991 and 2003.
Inhoud en structuur
Bereik en inhoud
Records of the Thames Magistrates Court, 1804-1971, including court registers; clerk's letter books and papers; and wreck enquiry notes. 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.
Waardering, vernietiging en slectie
Aanvullingen
Ordeningstelsel
Court Registers (PS/TH/A); Clerk's Records (PS/TH/C); Merchant Shipping Act Commission (PS/TH/W).
Voorwaarden voor toegang en gebruik
Voorwaarden voor raadpleging
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Voorwaarden voor reproductie
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
Taal van het materiaal
- Engels
Schrift van het materiaal
- Latijn
Taal en schrift aantekeningen
English
Fysieke eigenschappen en technische eisen
For related material see:
- Papers of Patrick Colquhoun (ACC/1230);
- Papers of John Reeves in ACC 0931;
- Calendars of Convictions 1794-1797 (MSJ/CC/01-03);
- Letter Books, 1804-1842 (X83/01-02).
Toegangen
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Verwante materialen
Bestaan en verblifplaats van originelen
Bestaan en verblijfplaats van kopieën
Related units of description
Aantekeningen
Alternative identifier(s)
Trefwoorden
Geografische trefwoorden
Naam ontsluitingsterm
Genre access points
Beschrijvingsbeheer
Identificatie van de beschrijving
Identificatiecode van de instelling
Toegepaste regels en/of conventies
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Niveau van detaillering
Verwijdering van datering archiefvorming
Taal (talen)
- Engels