LONDON MAGISTRATES CLERKS ASSOCIATION

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 ACC/2566
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: LONDON MAGISTRATES CLERKS ASSOCIATION
Date(s)	: 1889-1957
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 0.01 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: London Magistrates' Clerks' Association

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

An Act of 1792 established seven 'Public Offices' (later Police offices and Police courts) in the central Metropolitan area. The aim was to establish fixed locations where 'fit and able magistrates' would attend at fixed times to deal with an increasing number of criminal offences. Each office was assigned three Justices of the Peace. They were to receive a salary of £400 per annum. These were the first stipendiary magistrates. Later they were expected to be highly qualified in the law, indeed, to be experienced barristers.

The courts dealt with a wide range of business coming under the general heading of 'summary jurisdiction', i.e. trial without a jury. The cases heard were largely criminal and of the less serious kind. Over the years statutes created many offences that the courts could deal with in addition to Common Law offences. Examples include: drunk and disorderly conduct, assault, theft, begging, possessing stolen goods, cruelty to animals, desertion from the armed forces, betting, soliciting, loitering with intent, obstructing highways, and motoring offences. Non-criminal matters included small debts concerning income tax and local rates, landlord and tenant matters, matrimonial problems and bastardy.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Minute book of the London Magistrates' Clerks' Association, comprising minutes of annual general and committee meetings, with enclosures.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

One item catalogued as ACC/2566/001.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright to these records rests with the 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:

This volume, which had been lost to the LMCA, was found among the records of the South Western Magistrates Court when they were transferred to the Greater London Record Office in April 1986.

Allied Materials

Related material:

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:
June to August 2010.