Records of the Old Bailey in London, England

England Court Records

The Old Bailey was the criminal court for London and Middlesex, from April 1674 to October 1834. It then became the Central Criminal Court and its jurisdiction extended beyond that of London and Middlesex to the whole of the English jurisdiction for trial of major cases.

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913 are available to search online. The records contain details on more than 197,000 criminal trials and they can be searched by:

• Keyword
• Surname
• Given Name
• Alias
• Offence
• Verdict
• Punishment
• Time Period
• Reference Number
• Place and Map

Information about How to Read an Old Bailey Trial has also been provided.

Proceedings of the Old Bailey Online Edmond Dashwood, defendant, killing: murder, 31 Aug 1688. He was one of five soldiers indicted and tried for the murder of John Snape at Hackney. Samuel Dashwood, justice in Front Matter from Old Bailey Proceedings; 15th January 1703. William Remnant appears in trial of Richard Hutton, John Wright, theft: housebreaking 14 Sep 1752. Remnant’s deposition as a witness to the breaking and entering of Edward Salmon’s house in Chancery Lane and stealing two saws is quoted. William Remnant,juror in Front Matter from Old Bailey Proceedings; Sir Crisp Gascoyne, Session VII, Thursday 6th September 1753. William Gardiner, victim in trial of Louisa Mears, theft: pick pocketing, 10 April 1828. She stole two rows of coral beads from his daughter Sarah Anna aged two and a half, and sentenced to be transported for seven years.

A Royal Pardon of George IV

This document was offered for sale online by Mullock-Madeley. George IV and Sir Robert Peel document on paper signed by the King at the head and countersigned by Peel, dated March 5th 1828, being a Royal pardon for Thomas Millgrove Sheppard sentenced to death at the Old Bailey in Dec 1827 for burgling the house of W.H. Fellowes MP at 15 Lower Brook Street. The document commutes the sentence to one year in the House of Correction in Middlesex.

In 1834 the Old Bailey was designated the Assize court for London and the surrounding counties and the name change to Central Criminal Court took place at the same time. Post-1834 records are at TNA and include:

• After trial calendars.
• Printed shorthand notes of proceedings.
• Depositions.
• Indictments.
• Court books.
• Appeals, criminal petitions and transportation records.

TNA's research guide L27 describes these records.

Websites

• History of The Old Bailey Courthouse (London Lives). Includes paintings, sketches, and photographs of the building.