Waterford Grand Jury Collection

Context

Creator(s): Waterford Grand Jury and Waterford Turnpike Board

• Administrative History ↴

  Waterford County was established by the writ of John, King of England and Wales and Lord of Ireland in the thirteenth century. In the medieval period a Sheriff appointed by royal authority administered the county. The Sheriff was responsible for the collection of taxes, repair of castles, gaols, arrangements for court sessions, the policing of the county, the election of a Coroner and the construction of roads and other public works. The King’s Judges visited twice yearly to hold Assizes with the assistance of the Grand Jury. The members of the Grand Jury were chosen by the Sheriff from among the largest landowners in the county. From the seventeenth century the Grand Jury began to acquire functions beyond the administration of justice and became involved in the provision of roads and bridges and the collection of county cess, the tax levied to pay for these works. Gradually they accumulated further functions and by the beginning of the nineteenth century they were responsible for a wide range of works and services including roads and bridges, lunatic asylums, county infirmaries and fever hospitals, dispensaries, courthouses and gaols. The administrative powers and duties of the grand juries were transferred to County Councils and Rural District Councils by the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898.

• Archival History ↴

  The collection was held by Waterford County Council and the Grand Jury Query Books and Contract Books were transferred to the County Library. They were transferred from the County Library in 1999 to the County Archive and in 2000 the Grand Jury Accounts and the Waterford Turnpike Board records were transferred from Waterford County Council to the County Archive.

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Official Transfer