Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

“Concealing my want of power”: social relations and the magistracy in Northamptonshire in the long eighteenth century

Gray, D. (2012) “Concealing my want of power”: social relations and the magistracy in Northamptonshire in the long eighteenth century. Invited Presentation presented to: North American Conference on British Studies (NACBS) 2012, Montreal, Canada, 09-11 November 2012. (Unpublished)

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Invited Presentation)
Abstract: This paper analyses the notebook of an eighteenth-century magistrate, Philip Ward. As Ward was especially diligent in recording the rationale behind his decision-making, it offers a unique insight into the summary process. The paper considers the nature of the business that Ward dealt with and the amount of discretion he exercised in making his decisions. Importantly, since Ward was operating before Richard Burn published the first edition of his guide for JPs this particular magistrate drew upon his own legal experience and his father’s extensive law library. So while Ward was not making up the law as he went along he was working out how to apply it to the hearings that came before him.
Uncontrolled Keywords: justices of the peace, magistrates, crime, justice, discretion
Subjects: D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain > DA670 Local history and description > DA670.N7 Northamptonshire
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV7231 Criminal justice administration
D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain > DA498 1714-1760
K Law > K Law (General) > K2100 Courts. Procedure
Creators: Gray, Drew
Northamptonshire and East Midlands: Social Issues
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > School of Social Sciences (to 2016)
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities > History
Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > History
Date: 10 November 2012
Date Type: Presentation
Event Title: North American Conference on British Studies (NACBS) 2012
Event Dates: 09-11 November 2012
Event Location: Montreal, Canada
Event Type: Conference
Language: English
Status: Unpublished
Refereed: No
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/4654

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item