England Crime and Punishment

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England

Crime and Punishment

Criminal records

In England, crimes were tried in different courts, usually depending on the severity of the crime. Felonies went to the assize courts, or their equivalent for London, Old Bailey. Individuals who committed misdemeanors and some felonies were tried in quarter sessions, or their equivalent for boroughs, borough sessions. Lesser crimes were adjudicated in petty sessions.

Few of these records are indexed or available online, a notable exception being the Old Bailey.

Criminal Registers

• 1770-1935 England & Wales, Crime, Prisons & Punishment, 1770-1935 at FindMyPast($) - index and images
• 1770-1951 UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1785-1853 London, England, Newgate Calendar of Prisoners, 1785-1853 at Ancestry, index & images ($)
• 1791-1892 England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 at Ancestry, index & images ($)
• 1791-1892 Criminal Register Index - Convictions Registers for Gloucestershire 1853-1879 at Genebug, index
• 1834-1934 UK, Registers of Habitual Criminals and Police Gazettes, 1834-1934 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1850-1933 West Midlands, England, Criminal Registers, 1850-1933 at Ancestry, index and images ($)
• 1855-1931 UK, After-Trial Calendar of Prisoners, 1855-1931 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1868-1929 UK, Calendar of Prisoners, 1868-1929 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Police Files

• 1850-1950 West Midlands, England, Police Files and Ledgers, 1850-1950 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Assizes

Main article: Assize Court Records

Petty Sessions

Main article: England Petty Session Records

Quarter Sessions

Main article: England Quarter Session Records

Borough Sessions

Main article: England Borough Session Records

Old Bailey

Old Bailey was the central criminal court for London and Middlesex. Its proceedings from 1674-1913 are available online.

Main article: Records of the Old Bailey in London, England

Prison Records

• Dorset Crime and Punishment
• Gloucestershire Crime and Punishment
• London Crime and Punishment
• Yorkshire Crime and Punishment

• Poverty and Juvenile Crime - Prisons

Prison Hulks

• UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 at Ancestry (£)
• Wikipedia List of British prison hulks

Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment U.K. (free) includes a list of 'all U.K. executions from 1735-1964' and identifies 'places of execution.'

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.