Quarter Sessions: Court records
The following source list was originally available only on paper in one of the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject, but may relate only to one West Yorkshire district, or be an incomplete list of sources available. Please feel free to add or update with any additional information. |
Please note, as with all court records any items under 100 years old which contain personal information may be subject to access conditions. Researchers wishing to view such items are advised to contact WYAS: Wakefield prior to their visit.
The Quarter Sessions were held four times a year at dates specified by statute. The three main records of the court are the Sessions rolls, the indictment books and the order books.
Records of the West Riding Quarter Sessions held at WYAS: Wakefield:
- Sessions Rolls (ref. QS1) 1662, 1665-1971
The Session rolls are general files containing the original documents generated by the business of the Quarter Sessions. If a Session was adjourned separate rolls exist for each subsequent session. The majority of the rolls are made up of indictments and the accompanying information, examinations, depositions, calendar of prisoners etc. These indictments were then written out into volumes of indictment books (see below). The administrative records included in the rolls is mainly signed reports of committees and officers, licensing and registration applications, agreements and petitions.
- Contracts for the Conveyance of Vagrants (ref. QS2) 1745-1782
Articles of agreement and bonds made annually between the Treasurer and contractors. These items have since been removed from the Session rolls.
- Recognisances (ref. QS3) 1810-1859
These are generally orders for individuals to appear before the Session.
- Indictment books (ref. QS4) 1637-1642, 1647-1971
These registers contain transcripts of indictments (charges) brought before the Quarter Sessions, the originals of which can be found on the Session rolls. The books are in Latin until April 1733 (except for the period July 1651 to May 1660). They provide details of the charge, conviction or aquittal, names of jurors and witnesses etc. At the end of each indictment is a brief statement of the verdict and sentence.
- Notebooks of Chairmen of the Sessions (ref. QS5) 1969-1971
These survive for the period 1969-1971 only.
- Records on Proceedings of Indictments (ref. QS6) 1701-1867
These are formal statements of all proceedings taken in respect of certain specific indictments. Similar statements may also be found in the Indictment books (see above).
- Calendar of Prisoners (ref. QS7) 1816-1849, 1867-1971
Prior to 1816 the Calendars are in the Session Rolls. They generally contain a prisoner's name, age, committing magistrate, date admitted to house of correction and details of their offence. The Calendars are arranged by the date of the session at which prisoners were due to appear. Included in the West Riding Calendars are assize calendars from 1867 to 1898.
- Court Registers (ref. QS8) 1952-1971
These registers include details of cases tried on indictment, some sentences and appeals heard by the quarter sessions.
- Estreats of Fines (ref. QS9) 1703-1866
Estreats (copies of an original record) of forfeited recognisances and fines were returned to the sheriff for transferring to the Exchequer. They provide details of the name, address, trade and offence of those concerned. They are in Latin up to 1733-1734. There are no records for the years 1736-1751, 1766-1776, 1804-1821 and 1830-1849.
- Order Books (ref. QS10) 1638-1642, 1647-1649, 1653-1971
The order books contain a record of all business of the quarter sessions, both administrative and judicial (apart from indictments which were transcribed in separate registers - see above). The quarter sessions acted as a court of appeal for decisions made in the petty sessions (primarily relating to Poor Law matters such as rate assessments, valuations and disputes), and information relating to these appeals can be found in the order books. Also the wide-ranging duties of the quarter sessions such as licensing, the supervision of elections and various county administration became an increasingly large proportion of the content of the order books. This administration included the running of institutions such as county asylums, houses of correction and new establishments such as the West Riding Constabulary. An index to the general orders of quarter sessions compiled in the early 1880s is available (ref. QD1/705).
- Printed Orders and Agenda of Quarter Sessions (ref. QS11) 1821-1971
The general administrative orders printed for circulation to the justices are available for the years 1821-1859, 1911-1915 and 1925. The orders for the Pontefract session survive for 1838-1855 and include reports of committees. The complete printed orders of sessions and reports of the committees from 1838-1888 are to be found in the Accounts of the Treasurer (ref. QD2/1-111).
- Petitions (ref. QS12) 1834-1865
There are 27 petitions in favour of holding a West Riding assizes at Wakefield, 1834; 2 petitions on policing 1851 and 1855; and 35 petitions against the adoption of the Highways Act 1862, mostly from the township in the Great Ouseburn poor law union.
- Private Asylums (ref. QS13) 1837-1847
Under an Act of 1832 application for a license to keep a private asylum was to be made to the quarter sessions. When an application was initially made it would include plans drawn to specifications outlined in the Act. There are plans for proposed asylums at Acomb (1837); Painthorpe, Crigglestone (1841); Field Head, Stanley (1842); Darnall Hall (1845); and White Windows House, Sowerby Bridge (1847). Also available are minutes of the committees of visitors of private asylums (ref. QC5) and papers of the clerk of the peace for private asylums (ref. QD1/386-389).
- Appeals Committee (ref. QS14) 1934-1962)
Under provisions of section seven of the Summary Jurisdiction (Appeals Act) 1933, quarter sessions were obliged to delegate the hearing of appeals from courts of summary jurisdiction to a standing committee of justices to be known as the appeals committee. The West Riding quarter sessions first appointed an appeals committee in January 1934, which met four times a year thereafter.
- Ratings Appeals Committee (ref. QS15) 1929-1950
Under the provisions of the Rating and Valuation Act 1925 an aggrieved ratepayer could appeal against the decision of the local assessment committee which lead to the appointment of the Ratings Appeal Committee. However this jurisdiction was superseded by local vaulation courts created by the Local Government Act 1948.
- Procedure of Quarter Sessions (ref. QS16) 1801-1880
Manuals of session procedures exist for 1801, 1834 and 1880. Those for 1834 and 1880 include lists of bridges maintained by the West Riding and by the wapentakes.
- Parliamentary Elections (ref. QS17) 1832
This includes a list of polling districts for the West Riding and each constituent township and parish, giving the number of voters in each township as approved by sessions in October 1832. Other records relating to parliamentary elections can be found in the clerk's papers (ref. QD1/597-602) and the registers of electors 1840-1889 (ref. QE14).
- Byelaws (ref. QS18) 1886
Bye-laws under the provisions of the Highway and Locomotives (Amendment) Act 1878 were first made by quarter sessions on 5 April 1880 and altered at the session of 29 June 1885.
- Yearbooks (ref. QS19) 1890-1914
24 printed year books contain lists of magistrates, summaries of general orders, reports of committees and accounts (including those for the West Riding Constabulary).