Petty Sessions (Magistrates Court / Police Court)
Petty Sessions Courts met daily and dealt with minor crimes, licensing, juvenile offenders and civil matters such as bastardy, child maintenance and adoption.
City of Manchester Petty Sessions Court
We hold some records for the City of Manchester Petty Sessions Court, 1839-1970 (ref: GB127.M117). The Manchester Petty Sessions area of jurisdiction was the Borough / City of Manchester.
Manchester County Petty Sessional Division
A growth in population of Manchester and Salford led to the formation of the Manchester County Petty Sessional Division in 1868. It met at the newly built Strangeways Court. Lancashire Record Office holds records for this division (ref: GB124.A.PSDM). We also holds some records for this court (ref: GB124.A.TRAFF, restricted access).
The division's area of jurisdiction compromised areas outside the City of Manchester and the City of Salford. For example in 1885 it compromised of the following townships:
- Barton-on-Irwell, Blackley, Burnage, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Clifton, Crumpsall, Didsbury, Failsworth Flixton, Gorton, Great Heaton, Heaton Norris (that part outside The Borough of Stockport ), Levenshulme, Little Heaton, Moss Side, Moston, Newton Heath, Openshaw, Pendlebury, Prestwich, Reddish, Stretford, Urmston, Withington and Worsley.
By 1908 the townships in the Division comprised:
- Barton, Clifton, Davyhulme, Failsworth, Flixton, Gorton, Heaton Norris, Irlam, Levenshulme, Pendlebury, Prestwich, Stretford, Swinton, Urmston and Worsley.
The following boroughs or divisions in the Manchester region also had their own petty sessions / magistrates courts:
Altrincham.
We hold some records (ref: GB124.A.TRAFF).
Bolton Borough
Records are held by Bolton Archives (ref: JBO).
Bolton County.
Records are held by Lancashire Record Office (ref: PSBo) and Bolton Archives (ref: JLA).
Bury Borough.
We hold:
Court Registers 1886-1954, Clerks' Registers 1928-1940, Juvenile Court Registers 1933-1955, Clubs' Registers 1922-1962, Licensing Registers 1872-1943, Music Licensing Register 1893-1946, Bastardy Orders 1904-1954, Maintenance Orders 1944-1954, Minute Books 1882-1970 (ref: GB124.A17).
Bury County.
We hold:
Court Registers 1930-1955, Juvenile Court Registers 1933-1955, Licensing Registers 1903, Music Licensing Register 1948-1964, Maintenance Orders 1900-1954, Bastardy Orders 1892-1954 (ref: GB124.A17).
Dukinfield.
Records are held by Cheshire Record Office (ref: QPDu)
Heywood Borough.
We hold:
Court Registers 1913-1955, Clerk's Register 1920-1922, Juvenile Court Registers 1933-1951, Maintenance Orders 1902-1952, Bastardy Orders 1902-1959, Nuisance Orders 1904-1918, Court Orders 1931-1959, Probation Case Committee Minute Book 1950-1964 (ref: GB124.A17).
Hyde
Records are held by Cheshire Record Office (ref: QPH)
Middleton Division
Records are held by Lancashire Record Office (ref: PSMd and PSMi).
Middleton Division
Records are held by Lancashire Record Office (ref: PSMd and PSMi). We also some court registers 1955-1990 for Middleton Magistrates Court (ref: GB124.A.MIDD restricted access)
Oldham
We hold records 1889-1976 (ref: GB124.A.OLD restricted access).
Rochdale Borough
We hold Court Registers 1935-1991 (ref: GB124.A.ROC restricted access).
Some records are also held by Lancashire Record Office (ref: PSRo).
Salford City
Records are still held by Salford Magistrates Court.
Stalybridge and Tameside area
Records are held by Tameside Local Studies and Archives.
Stockport (Borough and County)
Records are held by Stockport Archive Service (ref: MC).