Southwark Coroner's Court
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London Inner South Coroner's Court is an English coroner's court located at 1 Tennis Street in Southwark, London. It covers cases for the London boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.[1]
The court has handled some high-profile cases including the New Cross house fire (1981), when 13 young people died,[2] and the 1989 inquests into the 51 people who died in the Marchioness disaster when a pleasure boat collided with a dredger on the River Thames.
Before the late 19th century, inquests were often held in local pubs, vestry halls, or even the deceased's home—settings that were frequently criticized for being undignified. The Inner South Coroner's Court was part of a wave of "purpose-built" courts commissioned by the London County Council (LCC) following the Coroners Act of 1887. While many such courts were designed by the LCC's Architects’ Department, the building at 1 Tennis Street reflects the high-quality red-brick and stone-dressing style common in late-Victorian civic buildings. It was designed to look authoritative yet accessible, separating the legal process from the domestic or commercial world.