Catalogue description Assizes: Oxford Circuit: Criminal Depositions and Case Papers

Very few of these Oxford Circuit documents pre-date the 19th century. They relate mainly to murder and more serious cases although after 1956 a wider selection is included. The series includes depositions relating to the Reform Bill riots at Bristol in 1831 and to the Chartist riots at Hanley in 1842, the trial of Major Herbert Rowse for the murder of his wife in 1921 and the trial of Harold Jones for the murder of Florence Little, also in 1921.

Minute books (not all of which will be open until 2002) giving the outcome of these cases can be found in: ASSI 2

Papers relating to Harold Jones's acquittal on an earlier charge of murder do not survive here but see papers in HO 45/25417

The depositions for the period from summer 1936 to summer 1941 were destroyed by enemy action during the Second World War.

Medical and probation reports for some depositions have been transferred to ASSI 89