Surname

This box searches the field in the Associated Records database which includes the surname of the alleged criminal.

To cope with possible variations in spelling, you may use all the strategies available with keyword searches: the Plus + and Minus - signs, multiple words, exact phrases defined by double quotation marks " ", and wild cards. In the case of hyphenated names, such as Lapierre-Smith, the hyphen is treated as a space. But in name searches hyphens do not work within phrase searching, so for hyphenated names do not enclose your search term within double quotation marks.

Offence

This box searches the field in the Associated Records database which identifies the offence of the alleged criminal.

The text used to describe each offence, however, follows the usage of the original document, or of the archive or library in which the document is kept, and has not been standardised. There are many different ways of describing a theft, for example, including theft, stealing, pilfering, etc. You are advised therefore to look for variant terms for the type of offence you are interested in and to conduct more than one search. This search works as a keyword search, and you may use all the strategies available with keyword searches: the Plus + and Minus - signs, multiple words, exact phrases defined by double quotation marks " ", and wild cards. In the case of hyphenated terms, such as highway-robbery, the hyphen is treated as a space. But in associated records searches hyphens do not work within phrase searching, so for hyphenated names do not enclose your search term within double quotation marks.

Linked to Trial

If you know the trial reference number for a trial (this information is provided at the top of the trial when it is displayed) and want to search for associated records linked to it, type it in this box precisely. By typing in t followed by the year only, or year and month only, followed by a % sign, you can also search by date. For example, by typing t1725%, will find all the associated records linked to trials which took place in 1725, while t172501% will find all records linked to trials held at the January sessions in 1725.

Document Type

There are approximately 450 individual document descriptions included in the Associated Records database covering everything from an Affidavit to a Warrant. The text used to describe each document type, however, follows the usage of the archive or library in which it is housed, and has not been standardised. Therefore there are many different types of letters, examinations, criminal biographies and other documents. You are advised therefore to look for variant terms for the type of document you are interested in and conduct more than one search. This search works as a keyword search, so a search for "examination" will find all cases of "examination and affidavit", "deposition, examination and affidavit", etc. as well as all cases only identified as "examination". You may use all the strategies available with keyword searches, the Plus + and Minus - signs, multiple words, exact phrases defined by double quotation marks " ", and wild cards. In the case of hyphenated terms, such as account-book, the hyphen is treated as a space. But in associated records searches hyphens do not work within phrase searching, so for hyphenated names do not enclose your search term within double quotation marks.

The most important keywords include:

Document Description or Title

This field of the Associated Records database gives a complete title for published works, or a modern description of manuscript documents. This field is best searched by keyword: you may find useful results by typing in a name, or offence, or place, or title keyword. All records which include that keyword in the document description field will be listed. Searching by variant terms for your keyword will produce additional results. You may use all the strategies available with keyword searches, the Plus + and Minus - signs, multiple words, exact phrases defined by double quotation marks " ", and wild cards. In the case of hyphenated terms, such as highway-robbery, the hyphen is treated as a space. But in associated records searches hyphens do not work within phrase searching, so for hyphenated names do not enclose your search term within double quotation marks.

Library or Archive

Records from twenty-two different archives, libraries, and microfilm/fiche collections have been included in this database. You can choose to list all the records for any one of these by choosing from the menu. For information and contact details about each of these locations, see About the Associated Records.

Time Period (From Month/Year; To Month/Year)

By filling in the From and To date boxes you can specify the period you wish to search. The dates of all trials are recorded as the first day of each Sessions in which they were heard, although most meetings of the court lasted several days. The execution date as given in the Ordinary's Accounts is used in respect to these pamphlets.

Please note that up until 1753 England and Wales still used the Old Style, Julian calendar. As a result, prior to 1753 dates in the Proceedings and the Ordinary's Accounts were between 10 and 11 days out of kilter with the Gregorian calendar used on the continent and adopted at mid-century. In the material reproduced here, the start of the year has been taken to be 1 January throughout, rather than 25 March. Please note that many editions of the Proceedings prior to 1714, and of the Ordinary's Accounts throughout the period 1679-1772, were either never published, or do not survive. To see which editions are available, please consult the Proceedings by Date and Ordinary's Accounts by Date search pages.