Freshford & District Local History Society
Wednesday, 27th September 2023
7.30pm
Freshford Village Memorial Hall
Dr. Rose Wallis is a senior lecturer in British Social History at the University of the West of England in Bristol. She is also Associate Director of the Regional History Centre at UWE, Bristol.
Her talk will explore the role of the magistracy as local government, and the particular problems it posed in a fashionable city like Bath.
At the end of the eighteenth century, the local Magistrates or Justices of the Peace were responsible for both criminal judicial proceedings and local government administration including such social security as existed. They were unpaid and untrained, their authority was based as much on their social status as gentlemen as their office.
With a rising population, war and political agitation, economic depression, increasing poverty and crime and, believe it or not in this locality, growing tourism, the magistracy faced unprecedented challenges.
Though much has changed in the intervening years, much remains the same.
Members free Visitors £3.00 Everyone welcome