Execution Dock at Wapping.
Execution Dock at Wapping. The High Court of Admiralty had jurisdiction over civilian crimes committed at sea and directly offshore and was established by Edward III circa 1360. It tried cases of murder, piracy and prizes (ships and goods captured at sea) and was presided over by one admiral by the early 15th century. It had a Marshall and court officers and sat at the Old Bailey. By the 16th century it had responsibility for trying all crimes that were committed at sea or along the English coast outside the borders of individual counties, involving English merchant ship’s crews but not Royal Naval seamen. It functioned as a criminal court up to 1834 when this role was transferred to the Central Criminal Court, however it continued to try cases involving shipping, collisions, and salvage. The Judicature Acts of 1873 and 1875 saw the High Court of Admiralty merged with the other courts of England into the High Court of Justice. In its role as a criminal court it dealt w...