Nature of Source
Image credit: Sandwich Guildhall Museum
Introduction to Quarter Session Records
Quarter Session records are a valuable resource for family historians offering a rich variety of information on the legal, administrative and social matters under the under the jurisdiction of the quarter sessions. It is important to note that certain administrative areas like Liberties and Boroughs held their own quarter sessions, resulting in separate sets of records.
Understanding Quarter Sessions
Quarter Sessions were important county courts that developed from the 14th century, playing a central role in local government and justice. They held significant power to the late 19th century when most administrative (non‑judicial) functions were transferred to newly created county councils following the Local Government Act of 1888. Generally, most of the records cover the 19th century, although records exist for earlier and later periods. Quarter sessions (along with assizes) were abolished and replaced by the Crown Court under the Courts Act 1971, taking effect in 1972.
The sessions were presided over by at least two Justices of the Peace (JPs) and were held quarterly in each county at Epiphany (December/January), Easter (April), Midsummer (July) and Michaelmas (October). As well as hearing criminal cases, the JPs dealt with a wide range of local business, including poor law matters, bastardy and settlement disputes, licensing, highways and other local public works and sentencing criminals to transportation.
Trial Procedure and Penalties
Serious cases, referred to as felonies, were tried before a jury and a judge at the Assizes or at one of the higher courts. Those convicted could face harsh penalties, including forfeiture of property and personal possessions, transportation to penal colonies or even execution.
Less serious cases, known as misdemeanours, were heard at the Petty Sessions without juries by an individual Justice of the Peace. They could also be tried at Quarter Sessions, usually before a jury, although certain minor offences (summary cases) were heard without one. In these cases, the Justices of the Peace (magistrates) heard the case and decided guilt or innocence themselves.
Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act of 1967 covering England and Wales removed the distinction between a misdemeanour and a felony, treating offences based on severity rather than historical categories.
Type of Cases Handled at Quarter Sessions
- Larceny and theft: More serious thefts, burglary and robbery, including grand larceny (often goods valued over a shilling). Also cases involving repeat offences.
- Assault and violence: Serious and grave forms of assault causing significant injury, including the use of weapons.
- Public order offences: Riots, unlawful assemblies and breaches of the peace. More severe cases were referred to the Assizes.
- Poaching and game offences: Illegal hunting or taking of game, often involving night time poaching or organised gangs.
- Bastardy appeals and disputes: Appeals against bastardy orders and maintenance orders.
- Poor law matters: Disputes over legal settlement and removal of paupers, determining which parish was responsible for the poor relief of an individual.
- Highways and buildings: Heard presentments from parishes regarding roads and bridges and other public buildings in disrepair. Issued orders to parishes and landowners to carry out repairs.
- Alehouse licensing: Oversaw the regulation of licences for public houses and alehouses.
- Appeals from petty sessions: Heard appeals against convictions, fines or orders made by Petty Sessions magistrates.
Court Order of Precedence:
Understanding the historic courts hierarchy can help locate where cases were tried.
Lower Courts:
- Petty Sessions (Handled summary offences, minor criminal cases, and some preliminary hearings for more serious crimes. Petty Sessions continued as Magistrate’s Courts post Courts Act 1971)
- Quarter Sessions (Quarter Sessions were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 which came into force 1 January 1972. Their work was taken over by the newly created Crown Court)
- Assizes (Assizes were also abolished by the Courts Act 1971, with their jurisdiction transferred to the Crown Court)
- Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) (Functioned as the permanent assize court for London. Retained unchanged by the Courts Act 1971 and incorporated into the new Crown Court structure)
Senior or Superior Courts:
- Court of Common Pleas (Common law court mostly dealing with civil disputes between individuals)
- Court of Exchequer (Originally and primarily a common law court, but developed a significant equity jurisdiction from the 17th century onward)
- Court of King’s Bench or Queen’s Bench (Highest court of common law in England and Wales which dealt with criminal cases and civil suits)
- Court of Chancery (Principal equity court)
- Court of Probate (Established by the Court of Probate Act 1857)
- Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (Established by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857)
- High Court of Admiralty (English court that dealt with maritime cases, including piracy, prize (captured ships) and civil disputes over shipping, salvage and collisions)
The Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873 (effective from November 1, 1875), merged the senior courts into the newly created the High Court of Justice with both common law and equity administered in the same court. Five divisions were created by the 1875 reforms:
- Queen’s Bench Division
- Common Pleas Division
- Exchequer Division
- Chancery Division
- Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division
The courts of the Queen’s Bench, Common Pleas, Exchequer and Chancery continued as separate divisions within the new court. However, an Order in Council which took effect in 1881, abolished and merged the Exchequer and Common Pleas Divisions into the Queen’s Bench Division. In 1971, the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division was renamed the Family Division, and its admiralty and probate business was moved to the Queen’s Bench and Chancery Divisions respectively.
The Senior Courts of England and Wales now consist of:
- The Crown Court (The senior criminal trial court)
- The Court of Appeal
- The High Court of Justice (Consisting of three divisions: King’s Bench Division, Chancery Division and Family Division)
Who Appeared in Court?
Private Prosecutor
All criminal proceedings at Quarter Sessions were formally brought in the name of the Crown (Rex or Regina) as the nominal prosecuting party. In practical terms the lawyer in the courtroom acted as ‘prosecutor’ on behalf of the private prosecutor (the victim who had initiated the case). The same private prosecutor can also appear in quarter session records as the victim, complainant, informant or witnesses. Sometimes police or parish officials initiated prosecutions but as private prosecutions. In civil (non-criminal) cases such as bastardy cases, settlement disputes or licensing, the person who initiated the action was recorded as the complainant, applicant or appellant.
Defendant/Respondent
In criminal cases, the defendant (or prisoner) is the person standing trial or appearing for sentence. In civil and administrative cases such as appeals against removal orders, rate appeals, licensing appeals, the person proceedings are brought against is recorded as the respondent. In bastardy or affiliation cases, the alleged father of an illegitimate child is frequently recorded as the ‘putative father’.
Key Quarter Session Records
- Process Book
This is a separate register listing all the indictments and related proceedings for a given session, often in summary form. The private prosecutor’s name often appears as the initiating party.
- Sessions Rolls
These bundles of original documents from a session often include additional complaints or statements naming private prosecutors. They typically include presentments, indictments, depositions/examinations, bastardy bonds and removal orders. The rolls often contain the original written complaint that started the case.
- Charge/Summons/Indictment
The formal written accusation usually prepared by the clerk of the that an offence has been committed, often annotated later with plea, verdict and sentence. The court record includes the prosecutor’s name as the complainant or victim.
- Depositions and examinations
These were sworn pre-trial witness statements taken from victims, complainants and witnesses before trial sworn on oath or affirmation. They include the deponent’s full name, residence, age, occupation and other personal information.
- Recognizance registers
These bonds requiring witnesses or complainants to appear at trial name private prosecutors or complainants, along with witnesses.
- Minute Books
The Clerk of the Peace notes taken in court, often quite brief of who appeared, charges, pleas, verdict, sentence, etc. The individual prosecutor is often recorded as the complainant or initiator of the case. Also titled ‘Crown Minute Book’ or ‘Sessions Minute Book’.
- Order Books
The formal, legally binding version of every order or sentence the court made, written out in full legal language. Also titled ‘Great Book’, ‘Sessions Order Book’ or ‘Book of Orders’. The original session order books are often indexed.
- Civil or administrative case files
Bastardy, settlement, poor law orders, licensing disputes or other non-criminal matters. The names of a mother, parish officer or overseer often appear in orders and examinations.
- Juror Lists
Quarter Sessions kept lists of jurors who served during the sittings. Often bundled with the Process Book or Minute Book, they can provide names, status and sometimes residence.
- Gaol Calendars and Registers
These returns produced for the Quarter Sessions by the gaol governor provide lists of prisoners awaiting trial, those sentenced or awaiting transportation.
- Transportation Records
These local court orders include bonds and lists of convicts sentenced to transportation. They might appear within the Order Books and Minute Books and sometimes as separate files. Central transportation lists compiled by the Home Office do not form part of quarter session records.
- Appeal Cases
Appeals were more common in higher courts but Quarter Sessions handled some civil appellate matters, especially from petty sessions. The appeals might deal with poor-law settlement appeals, rate appeals, licensing appeals, etc.
Key Administrative and Local Records
The court not only dealt with criminal cases but handled a variety of other local civil matters similar to the business of a modern day local council until county councils were created in 1888.
Examples of their jurisdiction included:
- Granting and recording licences for public houses, alehouses and inns known as the ‘Register of recognizances of licensed victuallers’ or sometimes as ‘Victuallers’ Recognizances Book or ‘Alehouse Recognizances’.
- Licensing of gamekeepers. Gamekeepers were regulated through licences and recognizances.
- Compiling and managing voter lists, including poll books. From 1832 onwards the Clerk of the Peace at the Quarter Sessions revised the electoral registers.
- Registration of freemasons. Freemason’s lodges were registered with the Clerk of the Peace.
- Registration of charities. Prior to the creation of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales in 1855, charities were enrolled in the Sessions Rolls or Order Books or at the Court of Chancery.
- Highways, buildings and bridges. Quarter Sessions were responsible for the maintenance and development of highways, county buildings and bridges and other public buildings. They had the authority to order repairs and levy rates where necessary.
- Registration of dissenting meeting houses, Catholic recusancy, and cases of non-attendance at church. Up to 1642, the majority of those reported for not attending church were Catholics. After this, Protestant nonconformists began to appear in the records.
- Disputes over the alleged or supposed father of an illegitimate child were often heard at quarter sessions. Bastardy cases were dealt with by the court along with settlement examinations and removal orders. Contested or appealed cases also appear in Quarter Sessions records.
Newspaper Reports
Checking local newspapers for reports of trials and other quarter sessions business is crucial and can add information not found in the official court records alone.
Generally expect to find:
- Full story behind the prosecution.
- A detailed account of happened, sometimes with exact witness accounts.
- Names of family members, neighbours or employers who attended court or gave character references.
- Exact addresses such as the place of work where the incident occurred.
- Descriptions of appearance, age, clothing etc.
- For even minor cases such as thefts, poaching, licensing offences or bastardy disputes, the local newspaper might carry long and detailed reports.
- Reports of appeals and what happened to the prosecutor or defendant afterwards.
Additional Court Resources
Local newspapers often reported on Quarter Sessions proceedings providing additional context and details about a case.
The ‘All England Law Reports’ published by LexisNexis provide an archive of cases heard by the Supreme Court, the Privy Council, both divisions of the Court of Appeal and all divisions of the High Court from 1936 to date, with a further series covering 1861 to 1935.
The ‘All England Law Reports Reprint’ which includes key cases from 1558 to 1936.
The ‘All England Law Reports Consolidated Tables and Index 1936-2023’ provides a finding aid to individual cases.
‘The English Reports’ containing collections of judgments compiled privately of the higher English Courts between 1220 and 1873. The collections consists of 178 volumes including two volumes of indexes. Along with the print set, the reports are available online by specialist legal databases.
The Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales was established in 1865 by members of the legal profession. Since 1865, the council has published monthly Law Reports which are widely regarded as the most authoritative series of law reports for England and Wales.
Many civil and criminal trials covering courts in the UK and Ireland were recorded as pamphlets and offered for sale to the general public. A collection of these is contained in ‘British Trials 1660-1900’ published by Chadwyck-Healey and indexed by defendant, plaintiff and victim.
The Newgate Calendar
The Newgate Calendar is an essential resource for criminal research in London. It originated as a monthly bulletin of executions produced by the Keeper of Newgate Prison but later evolved into a series of biographical accounts of notorious criminals. The collected editions began in in mid-18th century with a standard five-volume edition in 1774. Further editions were subsequently released throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Many cases featured in the Newgate Calendar were tried at the Old Bailey, providing details of sentences, imprisonment, transportation or execution.
A digitised version of the 1795 edition is available at the Public Domain Review. Additionally, various editions can be found online at the Ex-Classics, The Internet Archive, the HathiTrust and Google Books.
Additional Resources
The following GenGuide sources could assist in researching crime and criminal ancestors:
Where Found
County Record Offices
Local archives hold a vast array of material relating to crime and convicts including:
Quarter Sessions Records
- Calendars of prisoners awaiting trial.
- Order books with details of sentences.
- Depositions from witnesses.
Petty Sessions Records
- Registers of convictions.
- Court minute books.
Prison Records
- Admission registers
- Description books
- Visitor books
Local police force archives
Newspaper reports
The London Archives
The archives holds a variety of London court records including coroners, magistrates or petty sessions, county courts, quarter sessions and Old Bailey Proceedings.
Society of Genealogists
The unique collection of records in the Society of Genealogists’ library holds considerable information about crime in books, records and pamphlets. The SoG’s regional resources contain records that relate directly to criminal ancestors, such as calendars of prisoners, microfiche copies of summary convictions and other court records.
British Library
Law and Legal Studies. Historical and current resources for the study of law, legislation and society. The Library has a wealth of material to support research on law including legislation, cases and traditional legal commentary.
National Library of Wales
The library holds the records from the Court of Great Sessions. The records are an important and unique collection pertaining to the legal administration of Wales before 1830, in particular the gaol file collection which has been indexed from 1730 to 1830.
National Records of Scotland
Holdings include records of criminal courts, criminal investigations and prisons.
Period Covered
1361 – 1971
Genealogical Value
- Name, address and occupation of defendant and plaintiff.
- Family relationships may be cited.
- Names, addresses and occupations of those involved in the non judicial business of the sessions such as licensing, land tax returns and illegitimacy issues.
Further References
Quarter Session Related
- Gibson, Jeremy. Quarter Sessions Records for Family Historians: The Family History Partnership, 2007
- McLaughlin, Eve. Quarter Sessions: Your Ancestor & the Law: Varneys, 1995
- Moir, Esther. Local Government in Gloucestershire 1775-1800: A Study of Justices of the Peace: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, 1969
- Moir, Esther. The Justice of the Peace: British Institutions: Penguin Books, 1969
- Ratcliffe, Richard. Basic Facts About Quarter Session Records: Family History Partnership, 2007
Crime General
- Bard, Robert. Tyburn: The Story of London’s Gallows: Amberley Publishing, 2012
- Bard, Robert. Death in London: Places of Execution, Then and Now: Historical Publications, 2007
- Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
- Brandon, David & Brooke. Alan. London West End 1800-1850 Murders And Misdemeanours: Amberley Publishing, 2009
- Brandon, David & Brooke. Alan. Olde London Punishments: The History Press (30 April 2010
- Cale, Michelle. Law and Society : An introduction to sources for criminal and legal history from 1800: PRO Publications, 1996
- Campbell, Charles. The Intolerable Hulks: British Shipboard Confinement 1776-1857 Fenestra Books, 2001
- Decharne, Max. Capital Crimes : Seven Centuries of London Life and Murder: Arrow Books, 2013
- Eatwell, Alison. Crime, Clemency and Consequence in Britain 1821-1839: A Slice of Criminal Life: Pen & Sword History, 2017
- Emsley, Clive. Crime and Society in England: 1750-1900: Routledge, 2010
- Emsley, Clive. Crime and Society in Twentieth Century England: Routledge, 2011
- Gilfillan, Ross. Crime and Punishment in Victorian London: A Street-Level View of the City’s Underworld: Pen & Sword Books, 2014
- Gray, Adrian. Crime and Criminals of Victorian England: The History Press, 2011
- Hall, Malcolm. Gloucestershire Murders and Misdemeanours 1820-1829: Amberley Publishing, 2008
- Hawkings, David. Criminal Ancestors: A Guide to Historical Criminal Records in England & Wales: The History Press, 2009
- Hawkings, David. Bound for Australia: A Guide to the Records of Transported Convicts and Early Settlers: The History Press, 2012
- Herber, Mark. Criminal London: A Pictorial History from Medieval Times to 1939: Phillimore & Co, 2002
- Higgs, Michelle. Prison Life in Victorian England: The History Press, 2007
- Hitchcock, Tim & Shoemaker, Bob. Tales from the Hanging Court: Hodder Arnold, 2006
- Howse, Geoffrey. A History of London’s Prisons: Wharncliffe True Crime, 2012
- Jack, Elizabeth. A Victorian Prisoners of Gloucester Gaol: A Rogues’ Gallery: The History Press, 2009
- Jeaffreson, John Cordy (ed). Middlesex County Records. 4 Vols: Greater London Council, 1972 (1886) (Volumes available to download and view at the Internet Archive or at British History Online)
- Knapp, Andrew & Baldwin, William. The Newgate Calendar: London, 1828 (Available from: Google Books)
- Marson, Edward. Prison: Five Hundred Years of Life Behind Bars: The National Archives, 2009
- May, Trevor. Victorian and Edwardian Prisons: Shire, 2008
- Oates, Dr Jonathan. Tracing Villains and Their Victims: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books, 2017
- Paley, Ruth & Fowler, Simon. Family Skeletons: Exploring The Lives of our Disreputable Ancestors: The National Archives, 2005
- Reake, Janet. How to Trace Your Convict Ancestors: Their Lives, Times and Records: Hale & Iremonger, 1999
- Stevens, Mark. Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum: Pen and Sword Books, 2013
- Storey, Neil. The Victorian Criminal: Shire Publications, 2011
- Wade, Stephen. Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2009
- Wade, Stephen. Tyranny and the Lash : Prisoners & Punishment in British History: Robert Hale Publishers, 2011
- Watson, Katherine. Poisoned Lives: English Poisoners and their Victims: Hambledon Continuum, 2006
- Woolf, Alex. Past In Pictures : A Photographic View of Crime and Punishment: Wayland Publishers, 2013
Websites
Our Criminal Ancestors
Getting Started Guide: Quarter Sessions
FamilySearch
Introduction to Quarter Sessions Records
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Criminal court cases: an overview. This is a guide to searching for records of criminal court cases in England and Wales.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of prisoners and convicts. This guide will help you to search for records of prisoners serving sentences in England and Wales.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Courts of law records held in other archives.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Criminal court cases: Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court). Use this guide for advice on how to find the records of trials held at the Old Bailey, later known as the Central Criminal Court.
The London Archives Research Guide
Criminal court cases: City of London Sessions.
The Genealogist
Up before the Justices of the Peace. Quarter Session records reveal everything from licencing ale houses to dealing with Witches.
Manchester Archives
Court Records Guide
Surrey History Centre Research Guide
Quarter Sessions and Assize records
Guildhall Library
Tracing London criminals. Old Bailey Sessions Papers. The Papers, covering 1673 to 1913, are made up of printed transcripts of both London and Middlesex trials and usually contain more information about the accused and the circumstances of the offence than the formal official records.
Legacy Tree Genealogists
Using England Quarter Session Records for Genealogy
Dorset History Centre
Quarter Sessions: What are they?
General Crime Resources
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of prisoners and convicts. This guide will help you to search for records of prisoners serving sentences in England and Wales.
Our Criminal Ancestors
Our Criminal Ancestors is a public engagement project, led by the University of Hull in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University, that encourages and supports to explore the criminal past of their own families, communities, towns and regions. Source guides include researching prison ancestors and tracing transported criminals.
Society of Genealogists Guide
Finding Criminal Ancestors
London Lives
Researching Crime. London Lives allows users to link together the records of several different courts to trace individual criminal careers, or at least an individual’s repeated encounters with the law, over a number of years.
London Picture Archive
Search over 250,000 photographs, prints and drawings as well as over 1,000 maps of London from the collections at The London Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery. Search for people or places or browse subject areas such as ‘Law & Crime’.
Proceedings of the Old Bailey
Crime, Justice and Punishment: The Historical Background to the Proceedings of the Old Bailey including a glossary of judicial terms, explanations of types and categories of indictable offences, trial procedures, verdicts, punishments and other topics.
Guildhall Library
Tracing London criminals. The Library has many sources for tracing London Criminals, including an extensive collection of Old Bailey Sessions Papers. The history and the changing nature of the information found in these is described in some detail with notes on London criminal courts, transportation, indictments and guidance on further research.
The London Archives Research Guide
Law and Crime. Our records on law and crime cover obvious things like criminal cases and prison records, as well as topics which can reveal much about family history like the records of the Court of Orphans and Coroner Inquests.
Register of Qualified Genealogists
Researching Criminal Ancestors.
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
The 14 best websites for tracing prisoners in your family history, by Jonathan Scott.
Family Tree
Researching “Black Sheep” Ancestors with Criminal Records, by David A. Fryxell.
Family Tree
5 ways to find your criminal ancestors, by Emma Maxwell.
Family Tree Resources
Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors.
Findmypast Blog
How to find criminal ancestors in the newspaper archives, by Alex Cox.
Digital Panopticon
A Guide to Researching Family History. Learn about crime and criminal justice with research guides covering the historical background to crime and punishment and the courts.
The Victorian Web
Crime in Victorian England. Explore crime related essays covering Victorian England.
Capital Punishment U.K.
The resource site for the history of death penalty in Britain. History of the death penalty in Britain.
Victorians
Victorian Crime and Punishment.
National Records of Scotland
Research Guide: Crime and Criminals. The archives holds many records relating to crime and criminals. Information about crime and criminals can be found in the records of criminal courts, criminal investigations and prisons.
ScotlandsPeople Guide
Prison registers. Read how to search prison registers and understand their contents.
Bodleian Libraries
Broadside Ballads Online. The site features a digital collection of 30,000 English printed ballad-sheets from between the 16th and 20th centuries with links to other resources for the study of the English ballad tradition
National Library of Scotland
Digital Gallery: The Word On The Street: Online collection of nearly 1,800 Scottish broadsides between 1650 and 1910.
Harvard Law School Library
English Crime and Execution Broadsides. Explore This collection of nearly 600 broadsides highlighting crime and capital punishment, primarily in England, as seen through the popular press in the 18th and 19th century.
Online Databases
Ancestry
Datasets Include:
- Warwickshire Occupational and Quarter Session Records, 1662-1866. This database contains a collection of records from Warwickshire Quarter Sessions, most of which relate to occupations.
- Middlesex County Records – Calendar of the Sessions Books, 1690-1709. This book, originally published in 1905, is a calendar of the Sessions books for Middlesex County. This calendar serves as an index that notes volumes and pages where items can be found in the Session books at the London Metropolitan Archives.
- Dorset, Quarter Sessions Order Books, 1625-1905. This database contains records of the Quarter Sessions from the county of Dorset.
- Lancashire, Quarter Session Records and Petitions, 1648-1908. The Order books and Petitions form part of the series of Quarter Sessions’ records held at Lancashire Archives. The Order books record the decisions made at the court. The Petitions were brought to court by those seeking poor relief, settlement, licences for various trades etc.
- Yorkshire, England, Quarter Session Records, 1637-1914.
- Dorset, England, Jury Lists, 1825-1921.
- Worcestershire, Quarter Sessions Order Books, 1632-1921.
- Birmingham, England, Petty Session Registers, 1892-1923. This collection contains records and registers of Petty and Quarter court sessions from Birmingham, United Kingdom between 1892 and 1931.
- UK, Calendar of Prisoners, 1868-1929. These calendars, usually recording prisoners ‘after-trial’ are lists, for the most part printed, of prisoners tried at Assizes and Quarter Sessions. The original documents are held in series HO 140 at The National Archives.
- UK, After-Trial Calendar of Prisoners, 1855-1931. These ‘after-trial’ calendars are lists, for the most part printed, of prisoners tried at Assizes and Quarter Sessions.. The records are held in series CRIM 9 at The National Archives.
- UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951. This collection comprises 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. The records are held in series PCOM 2 at The National Archives.
Findmypast
Datasets Include:
- Yorkshire, Sheffield Quarter Sessions, 1880-1912. Search more than 11,800 records to find those guilty of crimes and their victims and discover the sentence handed down.
- Wiltshire Quarter Session Calendars, 1728-1890.
- Surrey Quarter Sessions, 1780-1820. Search more than 47,000 records of non-capital crimes to find those that committed the crimes as well as witnesses and victims.
- Shropshire Quarter Sessions Rolls Index, 1831-1920. Search for your ancestor in over 90 years’ worth of Quarter Sessions records for the county of Shropshire.
- Hampshire, Portsmouth Quarter Sessions Browse. Explore thousands of criminal records from these court Quarter Sessions and discover if your Portsmouth ancestors had been caught up in a criminal activity.
- Wiltshire Registers & Records. Search Quarter Sessions Great Rolls for the County of Wiltshire.
- Northamptonshire Quarter Sessions Licences, 1689-1932. Discover if your ancestor held a license in Northamptonshire.
To restrict and filter your search to a county or place or dataset click on ‘Browse Record Set’ on the Courts & Legal search page.
Findmypast
London Lives, Culture & Society 1680-1817. London Lives chronicles the lives of Londoners through the exploration of a variety of sources including criminal registers, session papers, ordinary’s accounts from Old Bailey, apprentice records, coroner inquests, workhouse minutes, Register of admissions to workhouse, clerks’ papers, Churchwarden’s account books, Vestry minute books/vestry minutes, Register of removal orders, Pauper examination books/examination books, bastardy bonds and much more.
Findmypast
London Poor Law Records, 1581-1899. Genealogical Abstracts from the City of London Parochial Poor Law Records including Bastardy/Affiliation Orders, Bastardy Bonds and Examinations as well as Quarter Sessions and Quarter Sessions Appeals. These records were compiled by genealogist Cliff Webb.
University of Exeter
Court Depositions of South West England, 1500-1700. Explore 80 fully transcribed depositions with original images relating to 20 cases heard in the church courts and Quarter Sessions between 1556 and 1694 across Devon, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
FamilySearch
England, Kent, Quarter Sessions and Court Files, 1558-1899. Browsable image collection comprising of order books, indictments, minute books. sessions rolls or files [including petitions, depositions, jury lists and examinations] as well as any other documents that were lodged with the clerk of the peace.
The Genealogist
Datasets include coverage for Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Surrey and Middlesex, Somerset, Lancashire, Cheshire, Wiltshire, North Riding of the county of York, Staffordshire.
Bath Ancestors
Quarter Sessions Court Minutes, 1785-1931. A record of cases heard at the Bath Court of Quarter Sessions 1785-1791 and 1837-1931. Types of cases tried at the court varied over time, but always excluded very serious crimes. Brief details of the crime and verdict are recorded.
British History Online
- County of Middlesex. Calendar To the Sessions Records: New Series, Volume 1-4, 1612-1618.
- Middlesex County Records. Calendar of Sessions Books 1689-1709.
- A calendar of writs, indictments, recognizances, orders and memoranda from the Sessions Books for Middlesex. The volume includes a substantial introductory essay by the editor.
- London Record Society: Justice in Eighteenth-Century Hackney: Hackney Petty Sessions Book.
Worcestershire Archives
Explore the Past
- Worcestershire Quarter Sessions, Calendar of Prisoners, 1839-1849.
- Worcestershire Quarter Sessions, Court Papers, 1830, 1850-1857 (chronological).
- Worcestershire Quarter Sessions, Court Paper, 1830, 1850-57 (alphabetical by surname).
Cornwall OPC
Criminal and Civil Courts Database. Search transcribed Quarter Session and Assize Records.
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks
Extracts from the Order Books of Cornwall Quarter Sessions 1832-1838, transcribed by John Evans.
Heritage and Culture Warwickshire
Calendars of Prisoners, 1800-1900. The database is an index to the ‘Calendars of Prisoners’ or lists of those held in the County Prisons in Warwick, Birmingham and Coventry for trial at the Assize and the Quarter Sessions courts held in Warwick.
Herefordshire Archive and Records Centre
Herefordshire Prison Register Index, 1849-1915. This is a combined index to 15,000 named prisoners awaiting trial at the General Quarter Sessions for Herefordshire, 1849-1881 and convicted prisoners at Hereford County Gaol, 1881-1915.
Somerset Heritage Centre
Index to the Quarter Sessions Order Books. The Order Books record orders, petitions, traverses, lists of juries, calendars of prisoners, recognizances and other business dealt with by the Quarter Sessions.
National Library of Wales
Crime and Punishment, 1730-1830. The database comprises data about crimes, criminals and punishments included in the gaol files of the Court of Great Sessions in Wales from 1730 until its abolition in 1830. Records from less serious crimes heard at Quarter Sessions are held at county record offices and can be searched at Archives Wales. Monmouthshire formed part of the Oxford Assize circuit and are available from The National Archives at Kew.
FamilySearch
Wales, Court and Miscellaneous Records, 1542-1911. This collection contains browsable images of Court Records and Marriage Bonds from the National Library of Wales. Records include Consistory Court papers, Court records-Crown Books, Court records-gaol files, Marriage bonds and Memoranda of the Great Sessions.
Staffordshire Name Indexes
- Quarter Sessions Coroners Index, 1850-1861
- Quarter Sessions Indictments, 1581-1733
- Quarter Sessions Jurors Lists Index, 1811-1831
- Calendar of Prisoners at Staffs. Quarter Session, 1779-1921
GENUKI
Devon Court Records. A variety of transcribed quarter session records including: Calendars of Prisoners extracted from Devon Quarter Sessions, 1655-1882 and Transportation of Felons.
CD Roms
Midlands Historical Data
Worcestershire Quarter Sessions, 1591-1643
Oxfordshire Family History Society
Oxfordshire Quarter Session summaries and calendars compiled by Canon Oldfield, 1687-1830.
Hertfordshire Family History Society
Hertfordshire Quarter Sessions 1588-1619.
Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire Family History Society
Cambridge Quarter Sessions, 1733-1945; Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions, 1660-1918.
GenFair
Browse tens of thousands of family history products from hundreds of suppliers. The largest range of products covering the British Isles and overseas. Products include: the Newgate Calendar and East Sussex Quarter Sessions, 1810-1854.
Peterborough & District Family History Society
Index to Peterborough Quarter Sessions, Inquests & Workhouse Indentures. This CD contains PDF and Excel files which summarise details of cases at Peterborough Quarter Sessions, 1872-1916; Inquests, 1822-1925; Workhouse Indentures, 1867-1917; 14 cases from Huntingdon Assizes, 1894, 1907-1916; plus 1881 census Workhouse Inmates.
Shropshire Family History Society
Shropshire Quarter Sessions Rolls Indexes, 1830-1920.
Check local family history societies for transcriptions published on CD or available to download.
