Book Description

An easy-to-use guide for British family historians tracing ancestry connected with the insolvency system. Debtors’ prisons are infamous, but very little has been written about the records of those confined within them in London or elsewhere in the country. Even less has been written about the trials of those who were often incarcerated following misfortune or mismanagement rather than criminal intent. That is why Paul Blake’s handbook is so useful for researchers who want to learn about forebears who may have been caught up in the insolvency system. In a series of information-filled chapters, Blake covers the historical background to the handling of debt and debtors, and bankruptcy and bankrupts. In addition, he describes the courts and procedures faced by both creditors and debtors, and the prisons where so many debtors were confined. Throughout the book, details are given of the records that researchers can turn to in order to explore the subject for themselves. Many are held at The National Archives, but others are to be found at local record offices around the country. Paul Blake’s book will be appreciated by local, social and family historians, as well as those with an interest in debtor crime and punishment, and bankrupts in general.