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The Shire's Steward

Delving into the historical evolution and administrative functions of a pivotal English county office.

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What is the Sheriff?

A Venerable Office

The office of Sheriff, or more formally High Sheriff, represents one of the oldest secular offices under the Crown in England and Wales. Historically, the sheriff was the chief royal official in a county, responsible for maintaining peace, collecting taxes, and enforcing judicial decisions. For Middlesex, this role carried unique historical nuances due to its proximity and administrative ties to the City of London.

Administrative Significance

The Sheriff of Middlesex played a crucial role in the governance of the county, acting as the monarch's representative. Their duties encompassed a broad spectrum of administrative and judicial functions, ensuring the smooth operation of law and order within their jurisdiction. Understanding this office provides insight into the evolution of local government and royal authority in England.

The County of Middlesex

Middlesex was a historic county in southeast England, bordering the City of London. Its administrative history is intertwined with that of the capital, leading to a distinctive arrangement for its shrievalty for many centuries. The county's evolving boundaries and administrative structures directly impacted the nature and tenure of its sheriffs.

Evolution of the Office

Early Governance & Joint Role

From approximately 1131 until 1889, Middlesex did not possess a distinct, separate sheriff. Instead, a unique arrangement prevailed: a charter granted by Henry I bestowed upon the livery of the City of London the prerogative to elect two sheriffs for "London and Middlesex." This joint shrievalty was maintained through an annual payment of ยฃ300 to the Crown.[1] This historical anomaly highlights the deep administrative connection between the burgeoning City of London and its surrounding county.

The Local Government Act of 1888

A significant transformation occurred with the enactment of the Local Government Act 1888. This legislation fundamentally reshaped local administration across England. Following its implementation, a single High Sheriff of Middlesex was appointed, aligning the county's shrievalty with the standard practice observed in other English counties.[2] Concurrently, the most densely populated areas of Middlesex were incorporated into the newly established County of London, which subsequently acquired its own High Sheriff.

The Office's Demise in 1965

The office of Sheriff of Middlesex ultimately ceased to exist in 1965. This abolition coincided with the broader administrative reorganization that saw the historic county of Middlesex itself dissolved. The majority of its former territory was then integrated into the jurisdiction of the High Sheriff of Greater London, marking the end of a long and distinctive chapter in English local governance.[3]

Early Sheriffs (Pre-1131)

Pre-Charter Appointees

Before the charter of Henry I established the joint shrievalty with London, several individuals held the office of Sheriff of Middlesex. These early figures represent the foundational period of the office, operating under different administrative structures before the formalization of the London-Middlesex arrangement.

  • 1044: Esgar the Staller
  • 1066: Geoffrey de Mandeville
  • Roger de Rames
  • 1103: Hugh of Buckland

Joint Sheriffs (1131โ€“1888)

United Under One Office

For a significant period spanning over seven centuries, the shrievalty of Middlesex was inextricably linked with that of the City of London. During this era, the two sheriffs elected by the livery of the City of London served both jurisdictions concurrently. This unique arrangement meant that there was no separate list of sheriffs exclusively for Middlesex during these years.

For a comprehensive record of the individuals who held this joint office, one would consult the historical lists pertaining to the Sheriffs of London, as their mandate extended to cover Middlesex as well.

High Sheriffs (1889โ€“1965)

Following the Local Government Act of 1888, a distinct High Sheriff was appointed for Middlesex. These appointments were typically made at a meeting of the Privy Council, usually in February or March, with the office held for a shrieval year until the subsequent annual meeting. The following lists detail the individuals who served in this capacity during the modern period of the office's existence.

1889โ€“1899

The inaugural decade of the independent High Sheriff of Middlesex saw a series of distinguished individuals take up the mantle, establishing the new administrative precedent for the county.

  • 1889: Colonel Edward John Stracey-Clitherow, of Boston House, Brentford[4]
  • 1890: Colonel Charles Edward Gostling-Murray, of Whitton Park, Hounslow[5]
  • 1891: Sir John Gibbons, 5th Baronet, of Stanwell Place, Staines, Bt.[6]
  • 1892: Edward Montague Nelson of Hanger Hill House, Ealing[7]
  • 1893: Lieutenant-Colonel William Horatio Harfield of Sunbury Court, Sunbury[8]
  • 1894: Thomas Francis Blackwell of The Cedars, Harrow Weald[9]
  • 1895: August Christoph Rudolf de Wette of Hampton House, Hampton Court[10]
  • 1896: Walter Barnard Byles of Harefield House, Harefield[11]
  • 1897: Lieutenant-Colonel Bernard Tindal Bosanquet of Fairholme, Teddington[12]
  • 1898: Irwin Edward Bainbridge Cox of Moat Mount, Mill Hill[13]

1899โ€“1909

The turn of the century brought new custodians to the shrieval office, reflecting the changing social and political landscape of Middlesex.

  • 1899: Francis Augustus Bevan of Trent Park, Enfield[14]
  • 1900: John Walker Ford of Enfield Old Park, Winchmore Hill[15]
  • 1901: Frederick Cox of Harefield Place, Harefield[16]
  • 1902: Cory Francis Cory-Wright of Northwood, Hornsey Lane[17]
  • 1903: Lieutenant Alfred Henry Tarleton of Breakspears, Uxbridge[18]
  • 1904: Joseph Edward Lilley of The Chestnuts, Wealdstone[19]
  • 1905: Cecil Fane De Salis of Dawley Court, Uxbridge[20]
  • 1906: Alexander Keith Carlyon of Mount Park, Harrow[21]
  • 1907: Thomas Croysdale of Hawke House, Sunbury[22]
  • 1908: Sir George Barham of Sudbury Park, Wembley[23]

1909โ€“1919

This period, marked by significant global events, saw a continuation of the High Sheriff's role in maintaining local order and tradition.

  • 1909: Edward Otter of Stanhope Park, Greenford[24]
  • 1910: Edward Moore of 19 Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park[25]
  • 1911: Sir William John Crump of Glenthorn, Harrow Weald[26]
  • 1912: Arthur Nockolds Gilbey of Swakeleys, Uxbridge[27]
  • 1913: Philip William Poole Carlyon-Britton of Hanham Court, Gloucestershire and 43 Bedford Square, London SW[28]
  • 1914: George Acton Davis of Julian Hill, Harrow on the Hill[29]
  • 1915: Gibbons Grinling of Fairfield, Harrow Weald[30]
  • 1916: George William Barber of Park House, Englefield Green, Surrey[31]
  • 1917: Henry Burt of 15 Albert Court, Kensington Gore, London SW[32]
  • 1918: Stanley Marseille Dent of 13 Westbourne Street, Hyde Park, London W[33]

1919โ€“1929

The post-World War I era saw new individuals assume the High Sheriff's duties, navigating a period of societal change and reconstruction.

  • 1919: Edward Laurence Hamilton of the Cedars, South Mimms[34]
  • 1920: John William Burton of 15 Collingham Gardens, SW5[35]
  • 1921: John McEwan of Carisbrooke, Enfield[36]
  • 1922: Alfred William Perkin of Greenford Green, Harrow[37]
  • 1923: John Maitland of Blythwood, Enfield[38]
  • 1924: Alfred Hollington of The Cottage, The Ridgeway, Potters Bar[39]
  • 1925: Henry Walter Peal of Oakhurst, St Stephen's Road, Ealing[40]
  • 1926: Colonel Cecil Henry Pank of Westfield, Hadley Wood[41]
  • 1927: Percy Barlow of Torkington House, Acton[42]
  • 1928: Colonel Sir Henry Ferryman Bowles of Forty Hill, Enfield, Baronet.[43]

1929โ€“1939

The decade leading up to World War II saw a series of notable figures serving as High Sheriff, upholding the traditions of the office amidst growing global tensions.

  • 1929: Major Sir William Henry Prescott of Allington House, White Hart Lane, Tottenham[44]
  • 1930: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Pinkham of 127 Dartmouth Road, Cricklewood[45]
  • 1931: James Warren of Capel House, Bullsmoor Lane, Waltham Cross[46]
  • 1932: Lieutenant-Colonel Montagu Francis Markham Sloane Kittoe of Leafland, Harrow on the Hill[47]
  • 1933: John Smyth Crone, of Castlereagh, Cleveland Road, W13[48]
  • 1934: Forrester Clayton, of 7 Gunnersbury Avenue, Ealing[49]
  • 1935: Colonel Edwin James King of the Old House, East Finchley[50]
  • 1936: George James Furness of Roundwood House, Willesden[51]
  • 1937: Sir Howard Stransom Button of The Cedar House, Hillingdon[52]
  • 1938: Colonel Augustus Mervyn Owen Anwyl-Passingham of 34 St. Leonard's Terrace, London SW3[53]

1939โ€“1949

During the tumultuous years of World War II and its immediate aftermath, the High Sheriffs of Middlesex continued their civic duties, providing stability and leadership.

  • 1939: George James Barnard Furness of Sheridan, Grimms Hill, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire[54] (son of 1936 high sheriff)
  • 1940: Sir Gilfrid Gordon Craig of The Grange, Hillingdon[55]
  • 1941: William Micah Bolton of "Meloch", Harlesden Road, NW10[56]
  • 1942: Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Walker Roylance of 6 Wellesley House, Lower Sloane Street SW1[57]
  • 1943: John William Catlow of 148 Anson Road, Cricklewood, NW2[58]
  • 1944: Group Captain Alan Sydney Whitehorn Dore of Eastcote Point, Cuckoo Hill, Pinner[59]
  • 1945: Rowland Richard Robbins of Hollycroft, Sipson, West Drayton[60]
  • 1946: Clement Edward Page Taylor of Woodthorpe, 37 Stonebridge Park, NW10[61]
  • 1947: Colonel Robert Robertson Kimmitt, of 8, Cleveland Road, Ealing, W.13.[62]
  • 1948: Brevet-Colonel Maurice Browne, Middlesex Regiment, Inglis Barracks, Mill Hill, N.W.7.[63]

1949โ€“1959

The mid-20th century saw a continued line of High Sheriffs, contributing to the administrative continuity of Middlesex in the post-war era.

  • 1949: George Weston of 10, Sutherland Avenue, Paddington W.9.[64]
  • 1950: Herbert John Nias, of Aysgarth, College Road, Isleworth[65]
  • 1951: John Donaldson Craig of Old Manor Cottage, Park Road, Teddington[66]
  • 1952: Harold Walter Jones of 10, The Paddocks, Wembley Park, Wembley[67]
  • 1953: Major Arthur John Lewer, of Boundary House, Green Walk, Norwood Green, Southall[68]
  • 1954: William Reginald Clemens of 90, Beaufort Park, Hampstead Garden Suburb, N.W.11.[69]
  • 1955: Charles William Skinner of 96, Alderman's Hill, Palmers Green, N.13.[70]
  • 1956: Arthur Hillier, of 31, Arlington House, Arlington Street, S.W.1.[71]
  • 1957: Charles Bennett Baggs, of Laurel Bank, Holders Hill Road, Hendon, N.W.4.[72]
  • 1958: Sir (Stanley) Graham Rowlandson, of 16, Welbeck Street, London W.1.[73]

1959โ€“1965

The final years of the High Sheriff of Middlesex saw a last cohort of officeholders before the county's administrative restructuring.

  • 1959: Herbert Charles Nias, of "Whyte Leafe", The Ridgeway, Fetcham, Surrey.[74]
  • 1960: Sir Christopher George Armstrong Cowan, of Kiln Farm, Rickmansworth Road, Northwood.[75]
  • 1961: Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred James Ross, of Frethun Cottage, 20 Grimsdyke Crescent, Barnet, Hertfordshire[76]
  • 1962: Major George Robert Hesketh Wrangham, of 26 The Avenue, Ealing, London W.13.[77]
  • 1963: Colonel Sir Joseph Henry Haygarth, of "Braeside", Manor Park Gardens, Edgware.[78]
  • 1964: Frederick John Charles Ingram of 52 Vivian Way, Deansway, London N.2.[79]

Demise of the Office

The Dawn of Greater London

The year 1965 marked a pivotal moment in English local government with the formal abolition of the county of Middlesex. This restructuring led to the cessation of the distinct office of Sheriff of Middlesex. The administrative responsibilities and ceremonial duties previously associated with the Middlesex shrievalty were largely absorbed into the newly created jurisdiction of the High Sheriff of Greater London.[3] This transition reflected broader efforts to modernize and consolidate local governance in the rapidly expanding metropolitan area.

Legacy and Continuity

While the specific office of Sheriff of Middlesex concluded, the underlying principles and historical significance of the shrievalty continued. The High Sheriff of Greater London inherited a lineage of service that, in part, traces back to the ancient roles performed by the sheriffs of both London and Middlesex. This continuity underscores the enduring importance of the office in upholding civic tradition and supporting the judiciary, even as administrative boundaries evolve.

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References

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