Catalogue description Supreme Court of Judicature, High Court of Justice, Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division: Admiralty Prize Court Minute Books

This series comprises minute books which contain brief details of the progress of prize cases heard in the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice while sitting as a Prize Court during the First and Second World Wars. They are entered under the reference number of the originating writ.

As regards First World War cases, the first four books have indexes of ships. Until August 1916, retaliatory prize cause cases, which provided for the seizure and detention of enemy cargo, whether in British, allied or neutral ships, are entered separately in HCA 57/12. Similar retaliatory cases for the Second World War are entered separately throughout in HCA 57/34. There is also a card index to Second World War cases in HCA 57/35.

For a report on the work of the Marshal of the Prize Court for the period 1914 to 1924, see ADM 1/8693 /261.

For records regarding commissions setting up prize courts, see HCA 59

For corresponding case papers of the Treasury Solicitor, see TS 13

Supreme Court of Judicature, High Court of Justice; Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, 1875-1970