Records of Supreme Court Funds and the Supreme Court Pay Office

Division within J

1726-1980

Records of Supreme Court Funds and the Supreme Court Pay Office relating to funds transferred to, paid into or deposited in court.

Correspondence and papers of the Supreme Court Pay Office are in J 102, general cash and securities ledgers in J 106, accounts of unclaimed balances in J 122, rules and standing (office) orders in J 140, ledger index in J 143, direction books and journals in J 144 and account books and registers in J 159.

Chancery Division Accounts are in J 337, Directions in J 338, and Purchase Receipts in J 339.

Supreme Court Pay Office, Indexes to Accounts, are in J 340.

Carryings Over of Accounts are in J 341.

Indexes to Queen's / King's Bench accounts, carryings over and accounts are in J 342.

Lunacy and Court of Protection indexes, carryings over and principal payments are inJ 343.

For the Court Funds Office website, please see: MJ 6

Public Record(s)

English

• Supreme Court of Judicature, Court Funds Office, 1975-1987
• Supreme Court of Judicature, Supreme Court Pay Office, 1884-1975

14 series

Topics

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The Supreme Court Pay Office had its origins in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery established by the Court of Chancery Act 1725. In 1872 the functions of the accountant general were transferred to the Paymaster General under the Court of Chancery (Funds) Act 1872; in 1884, following the Supreme Court of Judicature (Funds etc) Act 1883, the several accounting departments of the Supreme Court were amalgamated in the Supreme Court Pay Office under the charge of the Paymaster General.

In practice, this work was undertaken by an assistant paymaster general for Supreme Court business who was also responsible for vote accounting work. In 1922 the latter responsibilities were transferred to the permanent secretary to the Lord Chancellor consequent upon his appointment as accounting officer for the Supreme Court vote.

In 1926 following the Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925 the Supreme Court Pay Office was also transferred to the control of the Lord Chancellor's Office, under the clerk of the crown as accountant general, but remained an Office of the Supreme Court under the executive direction of a chief accountant.

The Supreme Court Pay Office was responsible for carrying out the instructions of the court in respect of all funds transferred to, paid into or deposited in court to the credit of any cause, matter or account. For this purpose an account was maintained at the Bank of England in the name of the accountant general, although since the Administration of Justice Act 1977 it could be maintained at such other bank as designated by the Lord Chancellor with the concurrence of the Treasury.

In 1975 the Supreme Court Pay Office was re-named the Court Funds Office, and in 1987 it became a division of the Public Trustee Office, with the Public Trustee as Accountant General.