Quarter Sessions: Leeds

The following source list was originally available only on paper in one of the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject, but may relate only to one West Yorkshire district, or be an incomplete list of sources available. Please feel free to add or update with any additional information.

Leeds had powers to hold its own sessions of the peace from the charter of 13 July 1626 (WYAS Reference LL1/1) and exercised them from the later 17th century. The charter issued 2 November 1661 (WYAS Reference LL1/2) on the restoration of the monarchy clearly defines the Leeds Court of Quarter Sessions, to be held separately from the Quarter Sessions of the West Riding of Yorkshire. This privilege was abolished by the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 but was restored by the charter of William IV, 3 June 1836 (WYAS Reference LL1/5).

Leeds continued to have its own Quarter Sessions until 1971, at which time the three tier criminal court system of Assize Courts, Quarter Sessions and Petty Sessions was abolished and replaced by a two tier system of Crown Court and Magistrates Courts.

The following is a list of records for the Leeds Court of Quarter Sessions held by WYAS Leeds.

Description	Date	WYAS Reference
Order and Indictment Books	1698-1809, 1844-1967	QL/1/1-24
Calendars of Prisoners	1896-1971	QL/2/1-43
Highway stopping up orders	1908-1970	QL/3/1-167
Tramways Orders	29 Nov 1932	QL/4
Gas orders	1934-1937	QL/5/1-3
Case papers	1933-1971	QL/6-7
Recorder's notebooks	1943-1971	QL/8
Precepts	1964-1971	QL/9