England, Kent, Quarter Sessions and Court Files, 1558-1899

What is in This Collection?

This Collection includes records from 1558 to 1899.

The collection consists of Quarter Sessions and Court Files for the County of Kent. Availability of the records varies by year and locality. Only a small percentage of citizens ever appeared before the magistrates of the Quarter Sessions. The records varied in form over time an with the location where the court was held. However, they generally included five main sections:

• Order books. These were the official records of a judge’s decisions
• Indictments. These recorded the criminal charges against a defendant and usually included such information as the defendant’s name, place of residence, details of the crime, and witnesses to it
• Minute books. These were notes from the clerk of the peace, who detailed the court proceedings
• Sessions’ rolls or files. These are records used during the session and usually included such things as petitions, depositions, jury lists, examinations, and other lists
• Any other documents that were lodged with the clerk of the peace

General Information About These Records

Quarter Session records can help you identify names, residences, occupations, and family relationships. They may also contain information leading you to the records of other ancestors such as the parents, siblings, and children of the primary person in the court case.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

To Browse This Collection

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:
Court files

• Names
• Places of residence
• Birthplaces
• Birth dates
• Parents
• Family members
• Spouse
• Place of marriage
• Occupations