The justices of the peace and the administration of local government in the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire between 1680 and 1750
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the criminal, civil and administrative work of the county magistrates of the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire between 1680 and 1750. There is a distinct lack of regional studies for this period, though much has been written about the county community during the era of the English Revolution of the mid seventeenth century and about the effect upon local society of the industrialisation of the late eighteenth century. This is a serious omission for late Stuart and early Georgian times comprise a vital period in the development of local government. It was a time when the country gentlemen who acted as Justices of the Peace were most autonomous. Yet it was also a period which witnessed some fundamental and permanent changes in the organisation and administration of local government. The thesis is divided into two. The first section contains four chapters and deals with the structure of local government. The general organisation at county level is explained, and the backgrounds, interests and attitudes of the actual individuals who served as magistrates are closely examined. An analysis is also undertaken of the relationship between the Justices and central government,
Maddison, Michael Eric Watts
History
The justices of the peace and the administration of local government in the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire between 1680 and 1750. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the criminal, civil and administrative work of the county magistrates of the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire between 1680 and 1750. There is a distinct lack of regional studies for this period, though much has been written about the county community during the era of the English Revolution of the mid seventeenth century and about the effect upon local society of the industrialisation of the late eighteenth century. This is a serious omission for late Stuart and early Georgian times comprise a vital period in the development of local government. It was a time when the country gentlemen who acted as Justices of the Peace were most autonomous. Yet it was also a period which witnessed some fundamental and permanent changes in the organisation and administration of local government. The thesis is divided into two. The first section contains four chapters and deals with the structure of local government. The general organisation at county level is explained, and the backgrounds, interests and attitudes of the actual individuals who served as magistrates are closely examined. An analysis is also undertaken of the relationship between the Justices and central government,
justice peace administration local_government east_west yorkshire purpose_examine criminal civil administrative work county magistrates east_west yorkshire distinct lack regional_study period though much_write county community era english revolution mid seventeenth_century effect_upon local_society industrialisation serious omission late stuart early georgian time comprise vital period development local_government time country gentleman act justices peace autonomous yet_also period_witness fundamental permanent change organisation administration local_government divide_two first_section contain four_deal structure local_government general organisation county level explain background interest attitudes actual individual serve magistrate closely_examine analysis also undertaken relationship justices central_government