Data: Criminals in Scotland 1801-1917

New release from Findmypast: Scotland, Criminal Database 1801-1917

Search this database of more than 130,000 records of Crown Office Precognitions and High Court Trial Papers to find out if your ancestor was ever in trouble with the law or the victim of a crime. Each record includes a transcript of the original document that, depending on its age and nature, may reveal a wide variety of facts. Records may include biographical details surrounding your ancestor’s birth, their address, descriptions and occupation as well as details of their trial. This may include the date, location and nature of their offense, the names of their victims, previous convictions, the date and location of their trial and the sentence they received.

Crown Office Precognitions are factual statements that have been given by witnesses to both the prosecution and defence before the case goes to trial. Precognitions differ from a witness statement, a witness statement is an account of what the witness has said or seen were as a precognition is an account of the witness’s evidence.