Old Bailey Court Transcripts free online

[PrueM]

Argh!  How annoying - there's a result in the list of hits, for my g-g-grandfather (a witness, I hasten to add, not a defendant!) but I can't view the actual proceedings!   

Oh well, at least I know it's there.  I thought I'd be safe searching this time of day, with the UK in sleep mode, but obviously didn't count on all the other Aussies and Americans doing the same as me 

[Simon G.]

Very interesting stuff.  I had to look during my lunch hour at work (probably when most people are either sleeping or working), and it was all fascinating stuff.  Found seven items of interest ranging from trial for "simple larceny" through to what for me is the far more telling trial for "bigamy".  Very happy.

[Aulus]

I've been waiting ages for the final set of records to be added, and was delighted it got coverage on Radio 4 and I'm pretty sure also on BBC Breakfast.

I've known from a couple of newspaper reports that a Florence Stevenson took a theatrical agent to court in April 1894, and was hoping that it was the mysterious "Great Aunt Florence" (see picture, left).  In the end it wasn't her, though it did lead me to find her, though the mystery still remains unresolved.

What I did find on oldbaileyonline was my great x3 grandfather appearing as a witness in a trial for bigamy.  Some scoundrel had married and then after "several quarrels" split up with his sister, and had then gone on to marry again.  Said scoundrel got 18 months imprisonment.

[Dancing Master]

Been around for years but they added some extras recently hence the "Big News".  Very good site, unfortunately none of my lot on it or is that a good thing.

[01debbie]

Thanks Su!

I searched it a few years ago with no joy...just tried again & BINGO!!  One of mine was the victim of a pickpocket in 1847.

Debbie

[Musicman]

Historic Old Bailey Trials go online – including those of the Suffragettes, Dr Crippen, and Oscar Wilde - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7365879.stm

Should make some interesting reading!

John

[Paul Caswell]

Nice one John.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

Its been running at a crawl for the last few days but it seems faster today. Lots of interesting reading.

Paul

[tidybooks]

Hi,

I have managed to get on the site, but not able to see transcripts of trials. Is there a secret? Anybody been able to get to the actual trials so far?

Tom

[Musicman]

Thanks for posting the link, Paul - now why didn't I remember to do that? 

John

Another article about this site, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7361701.stm, a few cases are mentioned, including:

In 1835 John Alberson was indicted for breaking into the Lambeth home of his former employer, stealing coats, trousers, waistcoats and handkerchief, a pair of gloves and a memorandum book. Found guilty of burglary, he was sentenced to death - at the age of just 13.

In 1853 Richard Pardenton and Joseph Woods were accused of dangerous driving, in operating a railway engine in an "incautious" manner.”

A final comment from the article: “One of the highlights of the website is the ability to search for crimes, criminals and locations mentioned in trails via an interactive map of the capital.


Moderator comment: topics merged