Catalogue description Court of King's Bench, Crown Side, and Supreme Court of Judicature, High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division: Affidavits

The main series of affidavits of the Crown Side of the King's Bench, few of them dating from before 1714 but apparently substantially complete from the 1730s.

They normally give the name and occupation of the person swearing, and served a large variety of purposes. Some support or oppose criminal informations, informations quo warranto or informations qui tam; others, especially in the 20th century, support or oppose applications for the issue of the main prerogative writs (certiorari, habeas corpus, mandamus); or confirm the carrying out of process, such as the service of a rule of court.

They often include related documents, and can provide information on such matters as local government, crime and public disorder, trade union disputes, women, children, slaves and the insane.

Indexes are in KB 39

Many affidavits were missing at transfer but these are only noted in piece descriptions from KB 1/697 onwards.

Customs and excise affidavits from 1727 to 1829 survived destruction and are now in KB 32