Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Three more of Carmarthenshire Archives collections have been made available to view. The records include Carmarthenshire Court of Quarter Sessions 1794-1971 – order books and judge’s notebook, Carmarthenshire Rural District Council minute books from 1950-1972 and Carmarthen District Council minute books from 1974-1996. The Court of Quarter Sessions usually tried crimes that could not be tried summarily by the Justices of the Peace without a jury in petty sessions, and were sent up by the process of indictment to be heard in Quarter Sessions. The court did not have jurisdiction to hear the most serious crimes such as capital punishment or later life imprisonment. These crimes were sent for trial at the Great Sessions, or after 1830, the Assize Court. In addition to its criminal jurisdiction and prior to the creation of the County Council in 1888, the court was also responsible for a number of administrative functions, such the repairs of roads and bridges, supervising the lunatic...

Unearthing the past and digging up the family secrets is rapidly becoming one of the nation’s favourite pastimes. People who are itching to find out what their ancestors were like and where they came from can get help at Carmarthenshire County Archives. The archive service can help bring family stories to life, and with advances in online technology the process has become much easier. A variety of original historical records are now available electronically including the census, parish registers, probate and wills records, electoral registers and their predecessors poll books, and some estate records, such as rentals. Executive board member for archives Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “Looking into their family history has become a really popular pastime for many people. “A number of TV shows have encouraged this interest and there have been some fascinating stories told. “Our archive service is available to help Carmarthenshire people find out more about their family history and see what a...