Court Records

[Derek]

I wonder if anyone has attempted to trace court records from the late 19th century. There are a couple listed in the London papers as due to be heard on a given day which may have a bearing on my family research and I wondered whether it was possible to trace the records, and if so how I should go about it? Unfortunately, although the papers record the fact that the cases are to be heard, they don't actually give any report on the proceedings.

A second question concerns having a missing individual declared legally dead. I understand that seven years has to elapse between the person last being heard of and them being declared dead but I wondered what process had to be followed and how this was recorded. Would a death certificate still be issued?

If anybody has crossed swords with these particular issues, I would be really grateful if you could point me in the right direction.

Many thanks.

[BC Wench]

Hello Derek,

A few years ago I found on the web the "Staffordshire Calendar of Prisoners" http://uk-transcriptions.accessgenealog ... 0Intro.htm and was interested in an Edward Pargeter on there when the offence took place in 1824. I contacted Staffordshire Record Office giving them the information which was on the Calendar of Prisoners, they wrote back explaining how many pages there were and the cost (I can't remember how much I paid, but it wasn't mega bucks.) It was very interesting reading and with the names mentioned in the proceedings, it actually showed me that I was following the wrong Edward Pargeter born 1803.

As I say it was a few years ago when I wrote to Staffordshire Record Office, but I can now see they have information on their services for the Calendar of Prisoners at http://www.staffsnameindexes.org.uk/Sta ... ls&Index=A

So, depending on where the hearing took place, I would suggest you contact the Record Office of that particular area.

[MarkCDodd]

The records for the Old Bailey are online.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/forms/formMain.jsp

Local Assizes are usually covered in local newspapers.

There are several online site with historical newspapers and they are worth searching.

[Derek]

Thanks a lot for that information, I will see what that turns up. Some of what I want to see is in the Chancery Division and is likely to be civil as opposed to criminal and I guess that's likely to be elsewhere. Does anybody have an idea where that might be?

Thanks again.

Derek