Description

Admin History:

Quarter sessions were county courts held by the magistrates (also known as Justices of the Peace) from the 14th century four times a year at Epiphany (Jan-Mar), Easter (Apr-Jun), Midsummer (Jul-Sept) and Michaelmas (Oct-Dec). The work of these courts was varied. They dealt with criminal matters from petty theft to rape. Quarter sessions courts also dealt with administrative matters such as licensing. Many Poor Law cases found their way into the Quarter sessions Courts. More serious crimes were referred on to the assize courts where professional judges could handle them, rather than the Justices of the Peace. Assizes were held in Hull at irregular intervals until 1794. Thereafter prisoners committed to the assizes by Hull courts were tried at York. The records of the courts of assizes are held by the National Archives.

Description:

These records are a chance survival from a much larger group of records which was among the 144 cwt destroyed by T. Tyndall Wildridge in 1886. They are chiefly concerned with the following matters:

1. Theft: information of witnesses, and examinations of accused persons

2. Disputes between masters and apprentices and servants: information of persons aggrieved, occasionally writs and orders

3. Settlement: information of uncertified residence by the overseer of the poor parish indicated by HT (Holy Trinity), SM (St. Mary), or the name and examination of the head of the family or other knowledgeable person

4. Insanity

5. Unlicensed Ale Houses. Chiefly information of witnesses

6. Deserted soldiers

In all cases where more than one document refers to the same matter, cross references have been given to obviate the need to repeat the details of the case under each document.