Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QS
  • Title
    Quarter Sessions
  • Admin/biog history
    The Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year. They were abolished in England and Wales in 1972, when the Courts Act 1971 replaced them together with the Courts of Assize (Assizes) with a single permanent Crown Court of England and Wales. The Quarter Sessions were named for the four annual meetings they held later settled as Epiphany, Easter, Midsummer (The Translation of St. Thomas)[1] and Michaelmas sessions. The Quarter Sessions generally heard crimes that could not be tried summarily by the justices of the peace without a jury in petty sessions, which were sent up by the process of indictment to be heard in Quarter Sessions. The Quarter Sessions did not have jurisdiction to hear the most serious crimes, most notably those subject to capital punishment or later life imprisonment. These crimes were sent for trial at the periodic Assizes. The Quarter Sessions also had some limited civil jurisdiction, and until the Local Government Act 1888 created elected county councils, also had important administrative functions in their respective counties. Much of the court's administrative business was delegated to committees of magistrates, who had specific responsibilities. Most of these administrative functions were transferred to county councils when they were established. These functions included: Repair of roads and bridges Highway diversions Construction and maintenance of county buildings Administration of the county gaol (jails) Supervision of public and private lunatic asylums Supervision of petty sessions Licensing of public houses Supervision of the English Poor Laws (pre-1834) The county militia The police Setting county rates
  • Archival history
    The Quarter Session records for the Bedfordshire Quarter Sessions form the core collection of Bedfordshire Archives Service having been transferred to Bedfordshire County Council along with civil functions in 1889. Some Bedford Borough Quarter Sessions material is amongst the Bedfordshire material. For other Bedford Borough Quarter Sessions see BorBF.
  • Level of description
    fonds
Hierarchy browser