COURTS OF LAW

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: CLA/040
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: COURTS OF LAW
Date(s)	: 1301-1965
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 10.9 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: Corporation of London

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The records of Courts of Law show the civic authorities dealing with criminal matters as agents of the Crown within the City, and, within their own courts, adjudicating upon civic and commercial matters brought before them.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of various City of London Courts of Law, 1301-1965, including the Royal Courts, Nuisance Assizes, Court of Judicature, Borough Court of Record, Southwark, the Central Criminal Court, Assize of Bread and Possessory Assizes.

Records of the Royal Courts include plea rolls, escheat rolls, inquisitions post mortem, writs, proceedings, and articles relating to the history of the court, while the records of the Possessory Assizes, comprising the Assizes of Novel Disseisin, Fresh Force and Mort d'Ancestor, include rolls of assizes and precedent books.

Records of the Civic courts (Nuisance Assizes, Court of Judicature, Borough Court of Record, Southwark) include pleas of nuisance, Southwark fire decrees and court books.

Records of the Central Criminal Court include registers of felons' gods, petitions for return of goods, auction catalogues, prints and photographs, financial accounts, statistics and papers relating to civil defence duties during World War Two.

Records of the Assize of Bread include mealweighters books, including quantities of wheat sold and delivered; register of bakers and cornfactors, prices of wheat and flour and papers of the Committee on the Assize of Bread.

Also papers relating to cases of bankruptcy and debt, papers of the London Chamber of Arbitration and other legal records and administrative papers.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

In sections according to catalogue.

Conditions governing access:

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: City of London

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Corporation of London Records Office

Allied Materials

Related material:

For Corporation of London records relating to courts see: CLA/004: Mansion House Justice Room, CLA/005: Guildhall Justice Room, CLA/023 Court of Husting, City of London, CLA/024: Mayor's Court, City of London, CLA/025: Sheriff's Court, City of London, CLA/026: City of London Court, CLA/027: Mayor's and City of London Court, CLA/038: Court of Requests, City of London, CLA/039: Courts of Judicature, City of London, CLA/040: Courts of Law, CLA/041: City of London Coroners Court, CLA/042: Southwark Crown Court, CLA/047: City of London Sessions, COL/CA/MGA: Court of Aldermen Magistracy Committee, COL/CC/AJC: Court of Common Council Administration of Justice Committee, COL/CC/CRC: Court of Common Council Court of Requests Committee, COL/CC/CRE: Court of Common Council Central Criminal Court (Extension) Committee, COL/CC/CRN: Court of Common Council Central Criminal Court Newson Smith Committee, COL/CC/LPC: Court of Common Council Law, [Parliamentary] and City Courts Committee, COL/CC/SDC: Court of Common Council Secondaries and Sheriffs' Courts Committee, COL/CHD/IC: Chamberlain's Department: Institutions and Courts and COL/PL for plans of courts.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
February 2009