From police panel to Petty Sessions: late-September diary spans current oversight and historic court records

The week of 22–29 September in the Bristol area brings together scheduled public meetings and a family-history session devoted to older criminal justice records.

On Tuesday 22 September, Bristol City Council has scheduled its Human Resources Committee for 10am [5]; Somerset Council has scheduled the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Panel for 10.30am [7] and its Planning Committee - West for 2pm [6]. First Bus said Broadwalk, Knowle will be closed between 9.30am and 3.30pm on 22, 23 and 24 September, affecting services 36 and 45 [3].

On Monday 28 September, the Bristol & Avon Family History Society is holding a Bath Group talk via Zoom in which Gill Blanchard will discuss prison, criminal and legal court records, including the differences between Petty Sessions, Quarter Sessions and Assize Courts [4]. On Tuesday 29 September, Bristol City Council's Values and Ethics Sub-Committee is scheduled for 11.30am [1] and Somerset Council's Planning Committee - South for 2pm [2].

The notices set out a week in which local bodies are scheduled on ethics, planning and policing, while a separate talk examines how court and prison records can be used to learn about the legal system encountered by earlier generations [1][2][7][4].