Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Quarter Sessions, Records

Judges' notebooks.

The origins of today’s Magistrates’ Courts can be traced to the court of Quarter Sessions and to the Justices of the Peace (lay judges) appointed by the Crown to act within each county. The Glamorgan Quarter Sessions covered almost the whole of the historic county of Glamorgan, and dealt with both judicial and administrative matters. Thus, in addition to criminal trials, the court was responsible (for example) for the upkeep of bridges and the county gaol, provision of care for lunatics, registration of electors and the county police force, and it acted as an appeal court for the Poor Law administered by the parishes.

In 1908 the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil was granted county borough status and was permitted to hold Quarter Sessions for the borough separate to those for the County of Glamorgan. The Quarter Sessions were abolished in 1971 when the court was replaced by the Crown and Magistrate's Courts.

Chronological.

Items containing information on named individuals may be restricted in accordance with data protection legislation and GA policy.

Deposited by Merthyr Tydfil Law Courts, March 2010.

Compiled by Louise Cordery for the Glamorgan Archives, with reference to Glamorgan Archives catalogues, Glamorgan Archives leaflet: 'Records of the Courts'.

Normal Glamorgan Archives conditions apply.

All records which meet the collection policy of the Glamorgan Archives have been retained.

It was previously thought that no records had survived from the Merthyr Tydfil Quarter Sessions. These volumes, however, thought to be from the Borough Quarter Sessions, were deposited along with records from other Merthyr Tydfil courts.

Accruals are not expected.