Coroners' inquests
1. About this guide
This guide explains how to find coroner's inquest papers for someone who died in London.
An inquest is an investigation by a coroner into a death which appears to be due to unknown, violent or unnatural causes. Most deaths do not result in an inquest.
2. What do I need to know to get started?
Try to find out:
- Name of deceased
- Date of death/inquest
- Place where death/inquest occurred
From 1875, a death certificate will indicate if an inquest took place. It will normally give the name of the coroner, the coroner's district and date of the inquest. Death certificates can be purchased from the General Register Office.
If you only have the date and place of death, please contact the team as they can help you find the likely coroner's district.
3. Surviving Records
Records are arranged by coroner's district. Please browse the following individual catalogues for surviving records (the catalogues for the Greater London Coroners' Districts are not available online):
| Coroner's District | Catalogue Reference |
| City and Liberty of Westminster | WJ/SP/C, COR/WES |
| City of London | CLA/041 |
| Duchy of Lancaster | MJ/SP/C/LAN, COR/DOL |
| Greater London Eastern | COR/E |
| Greater London Inner North | COR/IN |
| Greater London Inner South | COR/IS |
| Greater London Inner West | COR/IW |
| Greater London Northern | COR/N |
| Greater London Southern | COR/S |
| Greater London Western | COR/W |
| London Central | COR/LC |
| London Eastern | COR/LE |
| London North Eastern | COR/LNE |
| London Northern | COR/LN |
| London South East | COR/LSE |
| London South Western | COR/LSW |
| London Southern | COR/LS |
| London Western | COR/LW |
| Middlesex Central | MJ/SP/C/C, COR/B, COR/MC |
| Middlesex Eastern | MJ/SP/C/E, COR/ME |
| Middlesex North Eastern | MJ/SP/C/NE, COR/MNE |
| Middlesex Western | MJ/SP/C/W, COR/MW |
| North West Kent | COR/NWK |
| Southwark | CLA/042 |
A copy of a City of London Coroner’s roll for 1276-1278 can be found on Folio 127B of letter book B at COL/AD/01/002. A translation of Folio 127B is available on British History Online.
For homicides in Middlesex up to about 1834, inquests may be found in the Middlesex Sessions rolls. See research guide Criminal court cases: Middlesex Quarter Sessions up to 1889 for further information.
For homicides in the City of London between the 1670s and 1780s, inquests may be found in the City of London Sessions papers. See research guide Criminal court cases: City of London Sessions for further information.
There is a separate series of inquests at COR/PA for those who died when the Princess Alice steamship sunk in the River Thames in 1878.
4. Online Records
Some inquests for the City of London and Southwark, 1788-1799, Middlesex, 1750-1800 and City of Westminster, 1760-1799 can be found on the London Lives website.
5. Can't find an inquest?
Many inquest files have not survived.
Luckily you can often find full reports of inquests in local newspapers. Some newspapers can be searched on The British Newspaper Archive (charges apply).
6. Records less than 75 years old
Coroners’ inquest files which are less than 75 years old cannot be accessed in person .
If you wish to gain access, you will need to contact the current coroner for the area in question. Please contact the team for further information.
7. Records held elsewhere
Further inquest files for London can be found at the following archives:
- Westminster Abbey Muniments for inquests in the City of Westminster, 1760-1880 and Middlesex, 1783-1784
- Westminster Archives for inquests in Paddington, 1840-1864
- The National Archives for medieval and early modern inquests and inquests in the Duchy of Lancaster, 1817-1878
- Kent Archives for inquests in Kent including Charlton, Deptford, Greenwich, Lee, Lewisham, Plumstead and Woolwich before 1889
- Surrey History Centre for inquests in Surrey including Battersea, Bermondsey, Camberwell, Lambeth, Newington, Rotherhithe, Wandsworth and part of Southwark before 1889