The Office of High Sheriff is at least 1000 years old, having its roots in Saxon times before the Norman Conquest. It is the oldest continuous secular office under the Crown.
Originally the office held many of the powers now vested in the Lord-Lieutenant, High Court Judges, Magistrates, local authorities, Coroners and even the Inland Revenue. In England and Wales a High Sheriff is appointed for each County, and although originally the principal representative of the Crown the High Sheriff now takes precedence in the County immediately after the Lord-Lieutenant. This applies except when precedence is deferred to a Lord Mayor, Mayor or Chairman of a local authority in municipal premises, or at a municipal event.
The High Sheriff remains the sovereign’s representative in the County for all matters relating to the judiciary and is responsible for the well-being and protection of Her Majesty’s High Court Judges when on circuit in the County.
High Sheriffs are appointed annually for a one year term of office, and the present High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire is Charles Phillip Liell Francklin.
Nominations to the Office of High Sheriff are dealt with through the presiding High Court Judge of the Circuit and the Privy Council for consideration by The Sovereign in Council.
The annual nominations of three prospective High Sheriffs for each County are made in a meeting of the Lords of the Council in The Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice presided over by the Lord Chief Justice on 12 November in each year. Subsequently the selection of new High Sheriffs is made annually in a meeting of the Privy Council by The Sovereign when the custom of “pricking” the appointee’s name with a bodkin is perpetuated.
Eligibility for nomination and appointment of High Sheriff under the Sheriff’s Act of 1887 excludes Peers of Parliament, Members of the House of Commons, Commissioners or Officers of Customs and Excise or Inland Revenue, Officers of the Post Office and Officers of the Navy, Army or Royal Air Force on full pay, Clergymen whether beneficed or not and Barristers or Solicitors in actual practice.
As previously indicated the appointment of a High Sheriff is for one year only except in the event of something untoward happening to the High Sheriff’s expected successor when a High Sheriff must remain in Office until the appointment of a successor is executed.
High Court Writs are still exercised in the name of the High Sheriff, although the work in this connection is undertaken by an Under Sheriff or Enforcement Officer.
The High Sheriff receives no remuneration from the public purse.
For more information about High Sheriffs visit www.highsheriffs.com
