Manchester Quarter Session Records
1839-1954
Archives
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M116/1 THE COURT AND ITS OFFICIALS
M116/1/1-6 Grants, orders, approvals and certificates, 1839-1883
M116/2 THE COURT IN SESSION
M116/2/1 Clerk of the Peace minutes, 1847-1900
M116/2/2 Assistant Barrister minutes, 1865-1900
M116/2/3 Calendars Of Prisoners - see also M116/2/4
M116/2/4 Quarter Sessions files, 1839, 1842-1954 (indexed Jun-Dec 1839, Oct 1842-Mar 1911)
M116/2/5 Depositions, 1875-1951 (with gaps) (indexed 1875-1911)
M116/2/6-10 Miscellaneous records
M116/3 ADMINISTRATION
M116/3/1 Certificate Re Altering Railway Reference Book, 1877
M116/3/2 Coroners' Accounts For Inquests, 1843-1872 (with gaps)
M116/3/3-4 Depositions and recognizances of inspectors, 1843-1901
M116/4 ENROLMENT, REGISTRATION AND DEPOSIT
M116/4/1-6 Highways; Parliamentary Plans; Board of Trade Plans; Ordnance Survey; Maps Of Manchester; Societies Rules Etc.; Returns Of Masonic Lodges, 1846-1960
M116/5 CLERK OF THE PEACE
M116/5/1-3 Tables Of Fees; Correspondence; Miscellaneous, c.1850-1927
M116/6 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS
M116/6/1-3 Various, 1831-1853
Related Material:For session order books for the Lancashire Quarter Sessions 1626-1888 see microfilm MF 211-277 (originals held at Lancashire Record Office)
Place:/Manchester/Manchester/Lancashire/England
Title:
Manchester Quarter Session Records
Date of work:
1839-1954
Reference number:
GB127.M116
Level of description:
Fonds
Includes:
Custodial history:
Manchester was granted its own Quarter Sessions on 1 April 1839, as a corollary of the Charter of Incorporation of 23 October 1838. It was replaced by the Crown Court under the Criminal Justice Administration Act, 1956.Before 1839 Manchester cases were tried at the Salford Hundred Quarter Sessions. The library has calendars of prisoners tried at these Sessions, 1808-1847 (L27/1,2 and P37 16/2), and notes of proceedings before members of the Mosley family, 1616-1630, 1661-1672 and 1734-1739 (MS f347.96 M2). The official Quarter Sessions records for the Salford Hundred are at the Lancashire Record Office, but some are on microfilm in the Local History Library.As the borough had no gaol in 1839, agreement was made with the county magistrates that persons sentenced to up to six months imprisonment should be housed in the New Bailey Prison, Salford, with the county prisoners for the Hundred. Longer term prisoners went to the County Gaol at Lancaster. In November 1839 the judges in the Court of Queen's Bench stated that Manchester, not having a borough gaol, could not enter into contract for the maintenance of its prisoners in the county gaol. Therefore the county magistrates ordered that only prisoners convicted by county magistrates could be admitted to the New Bailey. This made the Borough Sessions ineffective and accounts for the gap in the files from December 1839 to October 1842 (M116/2/4).In August 1842 the Borough Incorporation Act became law. This removed all doubts about the validity of the Charter of Incorporation and the corporations right to negotiate for the maintenance of its prisoners. A new contract was made for short term prisoners to be kept in the New Bailey and it was not until 11 March 1850 that the Borough Gaol, Hyde Road, was opened. Even this was inadequate and some prisoners were still sent to the New Bailey.
Source:
Transferred to the Library in 1964 and 1971 from the City Magistrate's Court, Minshull St., Manchester.
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedThe deposition files (M116/2/5) are on restricted access for 100 years, although under the Freedom of Information Act 2001, a request can be made via email, or in writing, for a review of a file.The deposition files (M116/2/5) are on restricted access for 100 years, although under the Freedom of Information Act 2001, a request can be made via email, or in writing, for a review of a file.Any files that name the victim of a sexual offence should not be released, but remain closed for 100 years. Special consideration should also be taken for serious crimes such as murder.
Use restrictions:
Unrestricted
General notes:
Arrangement:Arranged by function
Topics:
Record types:
Manchester Archives and Local Studies
Language:
English
Record number:
7189548
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Total copies: 1