[4] The Charter of Charles II granted "that the sheriffs of the city and its county, may hold their court of pleas in the Guildhall, and prosecute and try, in the name of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty of the said city, any plea, in any personal or mixed action, and any cause or matter arising or happening in the said city or county; and upon every recovery or judgment given in the sheriff's court, they may levy damages given, and costs of suit, by distress taken on the goods and chattels of every person against whom such judgment has been given; and in failure of goods and chattels, then on those of their sureties, or may arrest their bodies or the bodies of the said sureties."
By the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 (5 & 6 Will 4 c 76), this court was confirmed in all its powers, and the town council were empowered "to appoint the necessary officer, before whom such court is to be holden."
This officer was called the Judge of the Borough Court.
[7] The whole of the provisions of the Summary Procedure on Bills of Exchange Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict c 67) were extended to this court,[8] as also were those of the Schedule to the Borough and Local Courts of Record Act 1872 (35 & 36 Vict c 86).
Section 44(2) conferred a power to make regulations to provide for the compensation of persons who suffered loss of employment or loss or diminution of emoluments attributable to the effect of section 44(1)(b) or to the abolition of the Norwich Guildhall Court.