Crime and the rural community in eighteenth century Berkshire, 1740-1789
Eighteenth Century Berkshire was a relatively prosperous agricultural county, with a steadily growing population and several thriving commercial centres. This thesis has examined the recorded incidence of the most common criminal offences against the person and against property in the fifty years between 1740 and 1789. Common assault was the most frequent offence against the person, but its incidence remained fairly steady until the 1770s, and only thereafter did it cause the authorities any real concern. The incidence and variety of assaults was examined and so too were murder, infanticide, manslaughter and rape. It is suggested that violence was never far below the surface of the small, close-knit communities of rural Berkshire, yet it was not indiscriminate. Recorded theft was also examined and there was a considerable increase in prosecutions during the period. Convictions for petty larceny were particularly large. Factors which might have been responsible for this increase in recorded crime were examined and so too was the process of detection, apprehension and conviction. Justices of the Peace, although diligent, prudent and severe when required to be, were too few in number and too widely scattered
Williams, R. J.
Eighteenth century crime
Crime and the rural community in eighteenth century Berkshire, 1740-1789. Eighteenth Century Berkshire was a relatively prosperous agricultural county, with a steadily growing population and several thriving commercial centres. This thesis has examined the recorded incidence of the most common criminal offences against the person and against property in the fifty years between 1740 and 1789. Common assault was the most frequent offence against the person, but its incidence remained fairly steady until the 1770s, and only thereafter did it cause the authorities any real concern. The incidence and variety of assaults was examined and so too were murder, infanticide, manslaughter and rape. It is suggested that violence was never far below the surface of the small, close-knit communities of rural Berkshire, yet it was not indiscriminate. Recorded theft was also examined and there was a considerable increase in prosecutions during the period. Convictions for petty larceny were particularly large. Factors which might have been responsible for this increase in recorded crime were examined and so too was the process of detection, apprehension and conviction. Justices of the Peace, although diligent, prudent and severe when required to be, were too few in number and too widely scattered
crime rural_community berkshire eighteenth century berkshire relatively prosperous agricultural county steadily grow_population several thrive commercial centre examine recorded incidence common criminal offence person property common assault frequent offence person incidence remain fairly steady thereafter cause authority real concern incidence variety assault examine murder infanticide suggest violence never far surface small close_knit community rural berkshire yet indiscriminate recorded theft also_examine considerable increase prosecution period petty particularly large factors might responsible increase record crime examine process detection apprehension conviction justices peace although severe require number widely scatter