Old Bailey. Calendars of indictments, January 1774-December 1790

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Subseries OB/C/J

Content Summary:

The magistrates at Middlesex Sessions prepared bills of indictment which were presented to the jurors. The jurors then decided if there were enough evidence to put the defendant on trial. If so, the bill of indictment would be annotated 'true bill' and the case would be heard at the gaol delivery sessions at the Old Bailey.

The calendars are arranged alphabetically by the name of the defendant and, under each letter, the order is chronological. Next to the names are annotations, usually abbreviated, such as NG (not guilty), GD (gaol delivery), 'G. House of Correction', 'G. Newgate', 'sent to Essex' etc., 'died in gaol', 'indicted in London'. Many entries also record the crime, such as larceny, highway robbery, vagabond and coining, or personal comments, such as 'incorrigible rogue'.

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