Assizes: Northern and North-Eastern Circuits: Indictment Files

ASSI 44

1607-1971

This series comprises the indictment files of the Northern Circuit before 1876 and of the North-Eastern Circuit after that date.

In addition to indictments the files also contain such records as precepts to the sheriff of the county to prepare for the session, lists of justices of the peace, and of jurors, recognizances, gaol calendars, and coroners' inquisitions. These documents are frequently filed separately in files labelled ended rolls. In the nineteenth century files a new document in the form of certificates of a defendant's previous convictions is to be found attached to the relevant indictment.

Each piece in ASSI 44/1-207 contains the extant files for one or more years.

Indictment files are arranged by date of session and by county. The chronological run of the series is substantially complete from 1607, except for large gaps from 1700 to 1721, and from 1891 to 1923.

The pieces containing the twentieth century files (ASSI 44/211-416) are organised by session, and are generally in much better physical condition than the older pieces. Some of the older files have broken, or documents have strayed from them and may be found loose in the box. ASSI 44/1-2 are particularly incomplete.

ASSI 44/208-210 contain other stray documents or parts of files, for the most part dating from the eighteenth century and in extreme disorder.

The indictment files of the 1891-1923 period were destroyed erroneously by the clerk of the circuit during the Second World War.

Public Record(s)

English

• Justices of Assize, North-Eastern Circuit, 1876-1971
• Justices of Assize, Northern Circuit, 1541-1876

491 bundles and files

Subject to closure for periods up to 100 years

Topics

Legal