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Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors - A guide for Family Historians - Stephen Wade, Pen & Sword Family History, 2009, ISBN 978 1 84884 057 7; 176 pages, soft cover

Most of us will have a skeleton somewhere in our ancestral cupboard. In Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors, Stephen Wade provides a comprehensive guide to tracing the lives of these often most interesting but elusive of our ancestors.

In the introduction Wade provides the ground work for a basic understanding of the policing and justice system and how it has developed over time. The differences between the main criminal courts are explained as are the rolls of the various court officials. Most aspects of criminal history are covered as are the different types of crime committed: murder, robbery, fraud, sexual offences, poaching, protests and public disorder crimes are all mentioned. There are also useful explanations of the terminology used in the justice system including a glossary.

Each of the subsequent chapters deals with a specific type or category of crime. These include the various types of homicide, crimes against the person, social protest, fraud and deception, theft and robbery, sexual crimes, rural crimes and treason. Each chapter then deals with the different types of offence within that category. For example the chapter on sexual crimes deals with rape, sodomy, obscenity and pornography, bigamy, prostitution and, oddly, abduction.

Each chapter includes sections on the ‘Research Process’ and ‘Case Studies’. In the research process section information is given on which courts would have dealt with the crime and where the records are held. The case studies provide a fascinating insight into the workings of the courts. There is also a useful ‘Survey of Sources and Records’. The book is well illustrated throughout.

This book provides a fascinating insight into the historical workings of the judicial system and if you have a criminal ancestor to research it will be an invaluable guide. The book costs £12.99 and is available from the publisher's web site - www.pen-and-sword.co.uk