| Description | This section includes the Court of Pleas, the Quarter Sessions, Coroners Court and the Petty Sessions (when they are not included in the Quarter Sessions records - both series should be checked).
The pre-1600 Bailiff Court records are in BA/G because the nature of business is largely Orders in Council and petitions/complaints for resolution by Mayor and Bailiffs or their referral to the Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed to enact or enforce. The Governor was the Crown representative in Berwick when martial law was operational and the focus was on the management of the Garrison and billeted soldiers. The Town Officials had no jurisdiction over them or the Crown property in Berwick and had to petition the Governor to take action through his officers.
The Manorial Court records for the manors of Berwick-upon-Tweed and Tweedmouth and Spittal are in a separate section of the catalogue - BA/M.
Litigation records are in the Town Clerk sections of BA/G and BA/C |