Pen and Sword Books: Tracing Your Legal Ancestors by Stephen Wade

Tracing Your Legal Ancestors (9 reviews)

A Guide for Family Historians

by Stephen Wade
Imprint: Pen & Sword Family History
Found in: Local History Books
British History Books
Series: Tracing your Ancestors
Paperback
192 pages
ISBN: 9781848842267
Published: 10 November 2010

£14.99

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The law had as much influence on our ancestors as it does on us today, and it occupies an extraordinary range of individuals, from eminent judges and barristers to clerks and minor officials.Yet, despite burgeoning interest in all aspects of history and ancestry, lawyers and legal history have rarely been looked at from the point of view of a family historian. And this is main purpose of Stephen Wade’s accessible and authoritative introduction to the subject.
Assuming that the reader has little prior knowledge of how or where to look for such information, he traces the evolution of the law and the legal professions. He describes the parts played in the system by solicitors, officers of the High Court, registrars, recorders, town clerks, clerks of the peace, proctors, coroners, notaries, parliamentary agents, judges, barristers and magistrates. Also he identifies the various archives, records and books that the family researcher can turn to, and discusses other sources including the internet.
Stephen Wade’s concise account of legal history and research resources will be an invaluable guide for anyone who is studying the subject or seeking an ancestor who was associated with it.

Stephen Wade is a freelance writer specializing in the history of crime and the law in Britain and Ireland. He has written fourteen true crime and crime history books, including Tracing Your Police Ancestors and Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors. His history of detectives, Plain Clothes and Sleuths, was published in 2007 and he is currently completing a history of the City of London Police. He also teaches crime history at the University of Hull and, as a visiting lecturer, at Oxford. He has contributed to Family Tree Magazine, Ancestors and other periodicals.

The book by Stephen Wade, is an easily read comprehensive introduction to practitioners in the law profession whose roles are discussed and the sources of information for their career histories identified. The books in this... [read full review]

Essex Family Historian, March 2012

Despite burgeoning interest in all aspects of history and ancestry, lawyers and legal history have rarely been looked at from the point of view of a family historian. And this is the main purpose of... [read full review]

Kent Family History Society Journal

Family historians with legal connections in the past will find this book very useful. It explains the way in which the legal systems works today, how that systems grew up over the ages, and... [read full review]

British Association for Local History

The latest edition of Pen and Sword's "Tracing" series focuses on those who worked within the legal professions, concentrating mainly on England and Wales, though with an additional chapter on Scotland and Ireland. read full review]

Discover my Past, England and Scotland

This is a comprehensive introduction to researching lawyers and the law. Stephen Wade traces the evolution of the law and the legal professions and identifies the various archives, records and books that the family... [read full review]

Sussex Family Historian

The law had as much influence on our ancestors as it does on us today, from judges and barristers, to clerks and minor officials. But despite this, lawyers and legal history has rarely been looked... [read full review]

Family Tree, March 2011

In just 200 pages, Wade introduces the multifaceted activities associated with the legal profession, and suggests plenty of sources of further information on individuals who worked in law.
The author clearly has a thorough grasp... [read full review]

Family History Monthly

I have a friend whose main ambition in his life is to marry three of his daughters off to members of the legal profession. The other, and again with self-interest at heart, he is... [read full review]

Your Family History, Reviewed by Ray Westlake

The British legal system is horribly complicated and confusing – Quarter Sessions, Assizes, Magistrates, County Court, High Court to name but a few. There are lawyers, barristers, judges, recorders, registrars, clerks and coroners to name... [read full review]

Daly History Blog

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About Stephen Wade

Stephen Wade is a professional writer specialising in regional crime, family heritage and nineteenth century history. He has written numerous books for Pen and Sword, most recently Britain’s Most Notorious Hangmen, Tracing Your Police Ancestors and DNA Investigations.

He lives near Scunthorpe.

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