Petty Sessions

Stories of grass roots justice from the Penpont JP’s notebook

Talk by Jonathan Williams

From 1772 until 1845 three successive members of the Penpont family used the same notebook to record their activities as Justices of the Peace. They contain notes made at monthly ‘petty sessions’ meetings held in village pubs, and complaints and evidence heard by them as magistrates sitting in their own home. This rare survival sheds a light on the justice system operating at its lowest level, dealing with alehouse brawls, petty theft, poaching, sheep stealing, illegitimacy and the poor law. These are fascinating stories of local life that never made it into the history books.

This talk is free and open to all

Booking details to follow