Westminster Police Court Records

[nellie d]

Has anyone any experience of accessing the Westminster Police Court records?
I am assuming that it is one of those things that will need a trip to an archive centre rather than being available on line?
I am all the way down in Cornwall, so a visit to any of the London based  Archives isn’t possible. I believe that the necessary records may well be held at the London Metropolitan Archives.
Is anyone planning a visit there at all, and would be prepared to look something up for me please?
I am after a record of the proceedings against Mary Ann Bastin, nee Simpson, who was summoned to Westminster Police Court for threatening behaviour towards her sister, Selina Buck, nee Simpson and Marian Evans. I became aware if this case via The British Newspaper Archives, where the case was widely reported across the country on 10th and 11th April, 1885.
My purpose for doing this, is to find out what happened to her daughter, Selina Ellen Bastin, the 15 year old girl that was allegedly abducted.
I know she died at St Michael’s Free Home in Axbridge, just over a year later in August 1886.
Thank you 🤞🏻

[Bookbox]

Has anyone any experience of accessing the Westminster Police Court records?

I'm not aware of any surviving records for the Westminster Police Court before 1896. But you could email LMA to ask them. This sort of general enquiry is normally answered free of charge.

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/history-and-heritage/london-metropolitan-archives/about-lma/contact-the-lma

[nellie d]

Has anyone any experience of accessing the Westminster Police Court records?

I'm not aware of any surviving records for the Westminster Police Court before 1896. But you could email LMA to ask them. This sort of general enquiry is normally answered free of charge.

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/history-and-heritage/london-metropolitan-archives/about-lma/contact-the-lma

Thank you Bookbox

[Copper1]

From some partial 'Law Directory pages I have, the Westminster Police Court was certainly at Vincent Square by the mid 1850's Vincent Square, SW1 through at least until 1905. By the time of 1920 it was found at Rochester Row, SW1 - much later being re-titled Westminster Magistrate's Court* at a time when police courts ceased their function
.
The records* as described here below by TNA are held by the London Metropolitan Archives in Clerkenwell.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/8ea89e16-4a69-48d1-8de1-537b01b89149

However, I have found some newspaper titles often report cases, some preceding being sent for trial:
The British Newspaper Archive is a starting point to then compare to the FindMyPast section they have scanned.
see this link. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/s
This link to the BNA free search titles is helpful. Search for titles 'South London xxxxxxxxx'. Another resource for newspaper 'West London xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' which covered the adjacent area to Westminster  may be fruitful. These two particular areas were well served by reporters being sent out on a regular basis to record court cases. Something we could well do with today but staff and shorthand transcribing appears to be a lost art.

[nellie d]

Thank you Copper1.
That gives me a different angle to approach this xx