Collection CC - Croydon County Court

Accession Number: SB5

Croydon County Court Records

Collection comprises of; Plaint and Minute Books July 1851-December 1968, Bankruptcy Registers 1870-1940, Ledger 1847-1850, Administration Ledgers 1884 -1948, Liabilities (War-time Adjustment) Act 1941 Index 1944-1950, Register of Winding Up Orders 1892-1938, Register of Petitions Under Companies (Winding Up) Act 1890 1892-1982, Home and Re-issued Foreign Execution and Commitment Book 1923-1924, Taxing Officers Register (The Companies Acts 1862-1890) 1893-1913, Equity Suites and Other Proceedings Register 1946-1969, Transfers In: Index (in reused Bills of Sale Acts book) 1964-1976 and Workmens Compensation Act Register 20 December 1898-4 July 1908.

Item date: 1847-1982

Administrative history: County Courts in their modern form were established by the County Courts Act 1846. They were presided over by a judge (with no jury) and their role was to provide a quick and cheap resolution to small debt and other civil cases. They were gradually given further responsibilities. Under the Bankruptcy etc Act 1847, jurisdiction for bankruptcy cases relating either to non-traders, or to traders owing relatively small sums, passed to County Courts. The Bankruptcy Act 1883 gave them (in all bankruptcy cases) all the powers and jurisdiction of the High Court. Until 1947, they had reponsibility for cases under the Workmens Compensation Acts. Croydon County Court opened in 1848. It was held first at the Town Hall (in the High Street); from 1893 at temporary accomodation in Park Street; from 1906 at the County Court Buildings, Scarbrook Road; from 1968 at the Law Courts, Barclay Road; and from 1991 at the Law Courts, Altyre Road. Its area of jurisdiction initially covered the same area as the Croydon Poor Law Union; ie. Croydon, Addington, Beddington , Coulsdon, Merton, Mitcham, Morden, Sanderstead, Penge, Wallington and Woodmansterne. Chelsham, Farleigh, Tatsfield and Warlingham were added to its area in 1859. As a Bankruptcy Court, and for judicail trusts, its jurisdiction extended over a wider area, covering much of Surrey (but excluding the Kingston, Guildford and Farnham districts); and also the Bromley and Orpington district of Kent.

Custodial history: Deposited by Surrey Record Office, July 1996. Formed of two deposits with SRO: the first, comprising the five items with PRO AK 1 references, was deposited in April 1988 by the Public Record Office ; the second was deposited in August 1994 by the Clerk of the Courts, Law Courts, Croydon.