Lancashire Record Office - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

__________________________________________________________________________Lancashire Record Office: What’s in it for Blackburn with Darwen?Petty Sessions and Magistrates CourtsThe Petty Sessions dispensed summary justice – i.e. a verdict and sentence wasdelivered by two or more Justices of the Peace without the involvement of a jury.They typically dealt with lesser offences, held licensing sessions and made ordersrelating to adoption, lunacy, probation etc. In 1974 they were replaced by theMagistrates Courts.The Blackburn County Petty Session division included Livesey and Pleasington, aswell as many places outside the present borough of Blackburn with Darwen. In1960 it joined with Church to become Blackburn with Church Petty Sessionaldivision. Darwen also had both borough and county sessions.These records are not all fully open to public inspection.Courts of Petty Sessions before 1974OurReference Court DescriptionPSBK Blackburn BoroughPetty Sessions• minutes 1900-1946; registers 1914-1974; licensing registers 1872-1932;filiation and maintenance orders 1845-1935; approved school orders;probation of offenders register 1908-1957; adoption of children registers1927-1960; lunacy proceedingsPSBLPSDABlackburnHundred/County PettySessionsDarwen PettySessionsregisters 1934-1960; account books• minutes 1918-1953; chairmen'snotebooks 1956-1968; registers 1880-1974; court files 1949-1967; committaland appeal papers 1960s; licensing:minute books 1872-1934; registers1931-1960; files 1953-1966; plans oflicensed premises including hotels,public houses, cinemas, theatres andclubs; register of maintenance orders1861-1867; financial records, 1940s-1969• minutes 1906-1954; registers 1881-1973; files 1944-1967; domestic courtminutes 1960-1980; licensing: minutes1881-1947; registers 1905-1962;files1904-1967; plans of licensed premisesincluding hotels, public houses,cinemas, theatres and clubs; financialrecords; adoption registers 1927-197832