This index contains the names of the principals in all the court cases reported in the Ambleside Lakes Herald newspaper from March 27, 1880 to December 25, 1885. Most of the cases are from police court and petty sessions in Ambleside, Windermere, Kendal, Keswick and Hawkshead. Not all cases are reported in the newspaper - the closer to Ambleside the more complete the coverage.

The names are as I found them in the newspaper. Besides my own transcription errors there are inconsistencies within the newspaper. For example Robert and Thomas Bunting are brought before the Ambleside Police Court accused of uttering a base coin and the matter was referred to the Quarter Session, where the names are Robert and Thomas Buntin.

Few details are given in the newspaper reports to assist with identification. In some cases only the last name is given, for example “Smith v Jones”, with no further clue to assist in identification. Where the identification column gives the name of a place it means the individual is “of” that place or “a resident of” that place - at least that is the information given in court.

For civil cases both plaintiff and defendant are mentioned in this index, with a cross reference to the other party given in the description of the case.

In the Result column, a number of days indicates the length of the prison sentence, and an amount is the fine to be paid.

David Leverton