Other Projects

Ballot Lists are records of men, initially aged 18 to 50, later adjusted to 18 to 45, who were eligible for conscription into the Hertfordshire Militia by ballot. These lists, covering the years 1758 to 1786, with some extending to 1801, were compiled by Constables in each parish or town ward. They are particularly valuable as they provide details about not only the residents of each parish, but also their occupations, the number of children they had, and any disabilities they suffered from. The individuals listed range from yeoman farmers and tradesmen to labourers and servants, making these lists comparable to a census.

Hertfordshire boasts an almost complete collection, likely the most comprehensive for any county. Recognising their importance for family historians, the Society chose to transcribe and publish them for wider access.

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The Old Poor Law records have been transcribed by the Society from the records retained at Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies (HALS). They are valuable resource for family historians as they relate to those people who would otherwise go unrecorded. The reference to the Old Poor Law is to those records prior to the Poor Law Reform Act of 1834. The records still extant are at the earliest the late 17th Century up to 1834. The general terms of reference for poor relief were based on the 16th Century Tudor enactments from 1597 to 1601 and the Poor Law Act of 1603.

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The records transcribed by the Society range from 1538 to 1837. The Allen Marriage Index 1538–1837, as amended by Brian Gravestock, forms the basis of the Marriage Index available to search online on the website of Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS). Even after Brian Gravestock’s sterling work, there still remained useful genealogical information in Allen’s material that had not been made generally available. This work by the Society is an addition and extension to the current HALS Marriage Index.

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The Society has transcribed the Hatfield Quarter Sessions from 1588 to 1619, spanning the late reign of Queen Elizabeth I and the early reign of King James I and VI. This period saw the introduction of the Elizabethan poor law and stricter settlement rules. The sessions, held quarterly at Epiphany, Easter, Midsummer, and Michaelmas, were led by Justices of the Peace and handled minor offenses like poaching, vandalism, theft, and drunkenness. Serious crimes were referred to the Assize court. A Clerk of the Peace recorded the proceedings and retained court fees.

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The Society’s publication “Transported Beyond the Seas” by Ken Griffin is the result of his research into the court records of St. Albans and Hertford at the time when transportation to British colonies for felonies and misdemeanours was accepted as an appropriate punishment.

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