The Central Criminal Court, commonly called the Old Bailey after the street which it fronts.
The first recorder of London was appointed in 1298. Originally it seems likely that the recorder would have recorded pleas in the court of the Lord Mayor and the aldermen and delivered their judgments. A charter granted by Henry VI in 1444 appointed the recorder ex officio a conservator of the peace. The recorder increasingly exercised judicial functions thereafter, eventually becoming the principal judge in the City of London.
The recorder became a judge at the Central Criminal Court when it was created by Parliament in 1834. The Central Criminal Court became part of the Crown Court under the Courts Act 1971, but the recorder maintained their position when the office of recorder in other cities became honorary.
Functions
In addition to hearing criminal trials at the Central Criminal Court, the recorder of London heads up court list management (including allocation of cases) to the court's judges. The recorder also provides legal advice to the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen.
The recorder of London is the returning officer at the election of the verderers of Epping Forest, and is usually appointed High Steward of Southwark, appointed by the Court of Aldermen, holding the sitting of the three courts leet of the City's (largely ceremonial) manors there each year.
The recorder can act as the deputy of the Common Serjeant in the election of the Sheriff and their presentation to the King's Remembrancer at the Quit Rent ceremony.
1659–1668 – William Wilde (later Justice of the Common Pleas and then Justice of the King's Bench)
1668–1676 – John Howell
1676–1678 – Sir William Dolben (later Justice of the King's Bench)
1678–1680 – Sir George Jeffreys (later Chief Justice of the King's Bench)
1680–1683 – George Treby (displaced after the City of London's charters were suspended in 1683 under the Quo Warranto proceedings; restored in 1692, but then Chief Justice of the Common Pleas)
1683–1685 – Sir Thomas Jenner (later Baron of the Exchequer)
1685–1687 – Sir John Holt (later Lord Chief Justice)
^According to Henry Machyn, Cholmley's funeral (as Recorder) was in 1563. See J.G. Nichols (ed.), The Diary of Henry Machyn, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London, Camden Society (London 1848), Original Series Vol. XLII, p. 307.