County courts were created by an Act of 1846 and soon proved to
be very popular, as they sat often and could hear small civil cases
(such as bankruptcy, debt, workers' compensation, divorce and so
on) without going to the expense of electing juries. Philip Riden
discusses the courts briefly in Record Sources for Local History
(Batsford 1987).
A County Court was established at Peterborough under the 1846
Act, and came within Circuit No 35. They shared the Magistrates
Court in Thorpe Road until 1873 when a purpose built Court was
opened in New Road. This continued to be the Court until December
1986 when it closed in preparation for the move to the Combined
Court Centre, Rivergate.
These Courts were originally for civil proceedings for small
claims, but their legal jurisdiction and the geographical area
which they covered, varied over time.
The courts' records are Public Records as defined by the Public
Records Act of 1958.
- Huntingdon Record Office holds records of:
- Huntingdon County Court 1847-1988 (CT1).
- Peterborough County Court (which had jurisdiction over the
Soke, most of Norman Cross and Whittlesey) 1847-1954 (CT3).
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