Worship Street Police Court

[The Station Cat]

Ladies/Gents,

Has anyone ever done any research of the records of the Worship Street Police Court?

How far do they go back (do they cover 1888-1891)?

How easy are they to search?

[Wickerman]

Ladies/Gents,

Has anyone ever done any research of the records of the Worship Street Police Court?

How far do they go back (do they cover 1888-1891)?

How easy are they to search?

I don't believe they exist as a separate file collection.
Courts typically kept files from cases for several weeks, and sent them for archiving periodically - like say, every six weeks?
All the courts in London sent in their files in bundles. They likely exist at the L. M. A. (London Metropolitan Archive), but you cannot request them by the name of the court, because they are mixed in with all the other court records. Plus, they are filed by the date of the receipt of that bundle, not by the court date of the trial/inquest.
This makes it very confusing for researchers.

I've been through the process

[Robert]

It is possible to search the Find My Past criminal records for Worship St. Most results cover five or six years in the 1890s.

[The Station Cat]

I don't believe they exist as a separate file collection.
Courts typically kept files from cases for several weeks, and sent them for archiving periodically - like say, every six weeks?
All the courts in London sent in their files in bundles. They likely exist at the L. M. A. (London Metropolitan Archive), but you cannot request them by the name of the court, because they are mixed in with all the other court records. Plus, they are filed by the date of the receipt of that bundle, not by the court date of the trial/inquest.
This makes it very confusing for researchers.

I've been through the process

Many thanks Wickerman, looks like I'll have to shelve that idea.

I'm going down to Whitechapel again at the end of the month, I was going to see if I could view the archives during my visit .

[The Station Cat]

It is possible to search the Find My Past criminal records for Worship St. Most results cover five or six years in the 1890s.

Thanks for the tip Robert, but that's a little bit too late for the period I was hoping for.

[The Station Cat]

Just a thought what about local papers do archives survive for them?

Where are they and what papers should I be looking at for the Whitechapel, Bethnal Green areas?

[etenguy]

Hi Station Cat

There is the British Newspaper Archives, housed through the British Library, I think. They have an on-line searchable database. ( Link https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ ) and I believe you can order papers to be viewed in the Reading room at the British Library (after going through some hoops).

These archives certainly include the 1880s. There is a free option but allows only three searches. Otherwise there are paid for options.

[Wickerman]

Just a thought what about local papers do archives survive for them?

Where are they and what papers should I be looking at for the Whitechapel, Bethnal Green areas?

Try local libraries, some do have local papers archived.
If that fails contact the nearest town hall.

[The Station Cat]

Try local libraries, some do have local papers archived.
If that fails contact the nearest town hall.

Many thanks Wickerman, I'll give Bethnal Green library a try!!



etenguy, thanks also for the link.

[The Station Cat]

Went to Bethnal Green library.

They have several newspapers from the period on microfiche.

East London Observer
East London News
East London Advertiser
Eastern Argus and Bethnal Green Times
Hackney Standard
Eastern Post

I looked through the East London Observer for the entire year of 1888. There was a regular feature that covered Police Court cases of interest. Unfortunately from a research point of view, although the cases related to H Division and K Division, I could find no cases where the officer involved was named, they always seemed to just document their collar number.

Eastern Argus was the same but concentrated on J Division.



What was interesting was that I found another article about PC's MURPHY and GORDEN, who appeared in Tom WESCOTT's Bank Holiday Murders, if anyone's read that. The article appeared in the 22nd Sept 1888 addition. It appears these two constables must have worked together on a regular basis. They attempted to arrest a known burglar in the Feather Public House Virginia Road, Bethnal Green. Murphy sustaining a serious beating for his troubles. What was interesting I thought was that this article is reporting on something not relating to Jack the Ripper, which would appear to evidence that life in the area went on as pretty much normal despite Jack.

Another thing that I did notice whilst looking through all the papers was the fact that all the articles relating to Jack the Ripper in these local papers, weren't front page news as I'd always believed, but appeared within the papers as small articles, which could be easily missed if you were scan reading the paper.