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Law
and Order Further Sources The following items are available for consultation in our public search room:
Newspapers contain reports of local crimes, accidents and inquests. They also contain information about local courts and some national courts such as the Assizes. Wolverhampton Chronicle 1789-date (microfilm) Express & Star 1884-date (microfilm) Bilston Herald 1871 - 1906 (microfilm) Black Country Bugle1979 onwards Trade directories give information about local courts and some of the officers of the court. Town and county directories 1770-1980s (L91) Wolverhampton Red Books 1892-1960 (microfiche) Crime and Society in Wolverhampton 1815-1860 Roger Swift 1987 (L364) Crime, law and order in two English towns during the early 19th century Roger Swift 1981 (L364) Crime and ethnicity. The Irish in early Victorian Wolverhampton Roger Swift, West Midlands Studies 1980 (vol. 13) (S9) Crime and Law Enforcement in Wolverhampton 1870-1900 David Wood 1986 (L364) Wolverhampton Crime Prevention Panel - crime audit 1994 (L3522sr)
Assizes The Assize had a mainly judicial role and dealt with the most serious criminal cases. The original court records are held at the Public Record Office Staffordshire Assize Calendars 1842-1843 in Collections for a History of Staffordshire (Fourth series, vol. 15) Staffordshire Record Society (S9)The calendars list the names of prisoners brought for trial and the charges against them. Wolverhampton Borough Quarter Sessions 1864 - 1967 (T/QS) The court met four times a year and dealt with criminal and administrative cases. The record books are the most accessible series containing summaries of depositions, convictions, indictments, appeals, and inquisitions. Before 1864 Wolverhampton would have been served by the Staffordshire Quarter Sessions and those records are held at Staffordshire Record Office. Staffordshire Quarter Sessions Staffordshire Quarter Sessions Rolls 1581-1609 in Historical Collections Staffordshire (Vols. 1929, 1930, 1932, 1935, 1940, 1948-1949) William Salt Archaeological Society (S9) Wolverhampton Coroner's Inquests c. 1872-1989 (T-CR) An inquest could be held to investigate the circumstances of unnatural, sudden or suspicious deaths, and deaths in prison. Quarter Sessions record books list inquests for each session and should be consulted first to confirm an inquest took place. Many inquests at the start of the series have not survived. Access: closed for 75 years, must be ordered in advance Petty Sessions Petty Sessions courts dealt with more minor offences and was able to take some of the work load from the Quarter Sessions. It dealt with civil matters such as licensing of public houses and clubs and met once a week. Wolverhampton Petty Sessions 1872-1939 (T-PS) Note - this court did not cover the centre of Wolverhampton only the suburbs. Tettenhall Petty Sessions 1929 - 1966 (T-TPS) Bilston & Sedgley Petty Sessions c. 1873 - 1966 (T-BPS) Staffordshire Constabulary list of cases for petty sessions at Bilston 1914 - 1919 (DX-242) Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court 1898-1987 (T-MAG) This court also met several times a week dealing with minor offences. Licensing for public houses in Wolverhampton was covered by this court. Notes and history of Wolverhampton Borough Justices and Magistrates' Court, 20th cent, Marjorie Jones, JP, PhD. (DX-173)
Wolverhampton Constables' Account Books 1688-1813 (DX-79) The accounts list expenses claimed for the duties they performed. Indexed transcripts by J. Roper also available in searchroom (L3522) Wolverhampton Borough Council Watch Committee signed minutes 1853-1961 (CMB-WOL-C-WAT) This committee was responsible for the administration of the police force. The minutes include details of payments to the police force, expenses, and provision of policing in certain areas as well as quarterly crime return statistics. Wolverhampton Borough Police 1890-1954 (CC-POL) There are five series of records in this collection including: Public Office Books; Report Books; Chief Constable's Report Books; Registers of Convictions; and Fire Brigade Pay Books Annual reports of the Wolverhampton Chief Constable 1958-1964 (L3522) Annual reports of the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police 1965-to date (WM3522) West Midlands Police Authority signed minutes of committees 1966 - 1969 (CMB-WOL-C-WMP) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary - report on the Midland Regional Crime Squad 1995 (WM3522)
Wolverhampton Borough Council Town Clerk - returns of statistics for prisons 1872-1876 (CMB-WOL-CE-6/11) Staffordshire House of Correction (2 parts) in Staffordshire History (vols15 &19) 1992, 1994 (S07) Staffordshire House of Correction 1783-1793 in Staffordshire History (vols17 &18) 1993 (S07) Wolverhampton House of Correction 1745-1821 AJ Standley (L364sr) Wolverhampton Borough Quarter Sessions - rolls 1864 - 1971 (T-QS/H) Contain calendars of prisoners Wolverhampton Borough Quarter Sessions - After-trial calendars of prisoners 1882 - 1965 (T-QS/I)
Blackcountryman - Journal of Black Country Society (S052) contains some items on local notorious crimes. Coal & Ironmasters Association for the Prosecution of Felons poster 1824 (DX-808/6/5/1) A Copy of Verses on the Awful Execution of Charles Christopher Robinson, for the murder of his sweetheart, Harriet Segar, of Ablow Street, Wolverhampton, August 26 1866 (DX-634/4) An Account of the Life, Trial and Behaviour of John Denny who was executed at Shrewsbury on Saturday 3 April 1819 for stabbing, with intent to kill, the Rev John Wilde, of Pontesbury [Shropshire] 1819 (DX-634/46) A True Account of the Trial of John Newton, aged 40, who was executed at Shrewsbury [Shropshire] on Monday the 24 March 1823, for the brutal murder of his pregnant wife 1823 (DX-634/3) A true account of the Trial, Confession and Execution of Ann Harris who underwent the sentence of the Law at Shrewsbury, on Saturday, August 16 for being accessory to the murder of James Harrison at Drayton [?Shropshire] 1828 (DX-634/16) An Account of the Apprehension, Trial, Conviction and Behaviour of Rowland Preston who was executed in front of the County Gaol, Shrewsbury, on Monday 22 March for the Murder of Francis Bruce and Ann Taylor, at Longford, in the Parish of Moreton Sea [Moreton Say, Shropshire] 1813 (DX-634/63) A True and Particular Account of the Trial of William Steventon, for murder at Oldbury: likewise the Trial of John and Robert Cox, Joseph Pugh, John Cox the elder and Ann Harris for Murder at Drayton-in-Hales (Shropshire) and the Execution of W Steventon, Robert Cox and Joseph Pugh who underwent the sentence of the law this morning, Monday, August 4 at Shrewsbury 1828 (DX-634/68)
Blood Money Incident 1817 The case of two soldiers whose harsh sentence for a minor crime lead to the repeal of the Blood Money Act. The Act had rewarded witnesses for the conviction of a felon. Copies of papers relating to Blood Money incident (DX-702) (Original papers are held at the Public Record Office) Blood money: an incident in Wolverhampton with national consequences John Ward (L364)
Case of Jesse Varley 1917 Jesse Varley was an ex-accountant, working as a clerk in the Education department, who defrauded Wolverhampton Council by paying salaries to fictional teachers. Defalcations of Jesse Varley: report to the Rt Hon W Hayes Fisher, PC, MP, 1917 Harry E Hayward (L352p) Borough of Wolverhampton Education accounts. Defalcations of Jesse Varley: report of the Special Committee appointed by the council to make recommendations upon the matters arising upon Sir Harry E Hayward's report 1917 (L3431sr) Borough of Wolverhampton Education Committee Preliminary enquiry as to system, control and audit of education accounts, 1917 (L3431sr)
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