Records of Crime and Punishment

An introductory guide to historical records of criminals, policing, law and order in Derbyshire. Most records relating to crime and punishment contain personal information - if the records relate to people who were born less than 100 years ago, access restrictions apply.  Please contact us to discuss arrangements for accessing these records. Police Outside of …

Family History – Next Steps

A guide to help you dig deeper into your family history and add flesh to the bones. Where your ancestor lived: See the guides to building history for the types of sources available for finding out where your ancestors lived. Where your ancestor went to school: Admission registers for a large number (though not all …

New book from a genealogist hunting a criminal ancestor

We recently exchanged emails with someone who turns out to be the author of a new book, "Finding Thomas Dames". It sounds likely to interest anyone who has come across villainy in their family tree (or has hopes/fears of doing so).  Find out more about the book on Lynne Morley's blog. Did you know we …

Explore Your Archive – Prisoners of War

I first became aware that there had been Napoleonic prisoners in Derbyshire when I came across an unusual gravestone at St Mary and All Saints church, Chesterfield, aka the Crooked Spire.  The inscription translated as 'In memory of Francois Raingeard, thirty years of age, Prisoner of War, died 1oth March 1812' and bore the message 'Stop Traveller!  If …

Explore Your Archive – On This Day: French Prisoners of War

From the Derby Mercury, 14th November 1811: On Wednesday the 6th inst. Dominique Ducasse, Captain and Aid-de-Camp to Gen. Dufour, Tugdual Antoine Kerenor, Lieutenant, and Julien Deslories, Ensign, three French prisoners of war at Chesterfield, were conducted from the house of correction there, by a military escort, on their way to Norman Cross Prison, for …