Sheriff of Westmorland

Ceremonial position in the English historic county of Westmorland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Westmorland (sometimes spelled Westmoreland) in North West England was abolished in 1974 following Prime Minister Edward Heath's Local Government Act 1972. Westmorland became a part of Cumbria along with Cumberland, parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, including the Furness peninsular. In 2022 Westmorland was reconstituted as Westmorland and Furness following the abolition of Cumbria County Council. Westmorland and Furness have no High Sheriff as Cumbria has remained the ceremonial county.

The traditional county of Westmorland, like neighbouring Lancashire, was itself a new creation during the Middle Ages. It seems to have been treated as part of Yorkshire in the 11th century, and the eventual boundaries represented a merger between an earlier entity called Westmorland, and the Barony of Kendal, which was apparently originally considered part of the Honor of Lancaster, though it did not become part of Lancashire. Kendal is also now part of Cumbria.

The original Westmorland is sometimes referred to as Westmarieland and is later referred to as the Barony of Appleby or "Northern Westmorland".

List of sheriffs

The following is an incomplete list of historical sheriffs.

Except where separately referenced, names are taken from the website of the Public Record Office in Kew. The references given are also used throughout English archives.

Between the thirteenth century and 1849, the office of sheriff was hereditary, firstly granted in perpetuity by King John to Robert de Veteripont and afterwards held by the de Clifford family and then by the Earls of Thanet, until the 11th earl died with no successors. Due to the continued absence of the earlier incumbents on military service the duties would be actually be undertaken by a trusted deputy sheriff.

The office was finally abolished in 1974 when the shrievalty of Cumbria was established.

1800–1899

  • 1825–1832 Charles Tufton, 10th Earl of Thanet
  • 1832–1849 Henry Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet
  • 1849: George Edward Wilson[2]
  • 1851: Edward Wilson, of Rigmaden (Uncle of Christopher Wyndham Wilson, High Sheriff in 1884)[3]
  • 1852: Richard Burn, of Orton Hall[4]
  • 1853: John Wakefield, of Sedgwick House, Kendal[5]
  • 1854: John Wilson, of the Howe[6]
  • 1855: John Hill, of Castle Bank, Appleby[7]
  • 1856: William Wilkinson, of Warcop[8]
  • 1857: Richard Luther Watson, of Ecclerigg, Windermere[9]
  • 1858: Robert Addison, of the Friary, Appleby[10]
  • 1859: William Moore, of Grimes Hill, Kirkby Lonsdale[11]
  • 1860: Matthew Benson Harrison, of Ambleside[12]
  • 1861: William Hopes, of Brampton Crofts, Appleby[13]
  • 1862: Lt-Col. Frederic Gandy, of Heaves, Milnthorpe[14]
  • 1863: William Wilson, of High Park, near Kendal[15]
  • 1864: Matthew Thompson, of Kirkby Stephen[16]
  • 1865: Arthur Shepherd, of Shaw End, near Kendal[17]
  • 1866: Joseph Gibson of Whelprigg, Kirkby Lonsdale[18]
  • 1867: Hugh Rigg, of Crossrigg Hall, Morland, Penrith[19]
  • 1868: Thomas Taylour (commonly called Lord Kenlis), of Underley Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale[20]
  • 1869: James Christopher Wilson, of Low Nook, Ambleside[21]
  • 1870: James Atkinson, of Winderwath, Templesowerby, Penrith[22]
  • 1871: William Henry Wakefield, of Sedgwick[23]
  • 1872: Frank Atkinson Argles, of Eversley, Milnthorpe[24]
  • 1873: Thomas Mason, of Kirkby Stephen[25]
  • 1874: Sir Henry James Tufton, of Appleby Castle, Bart[26]
  • 1875: James Cropper[27]
  • 1876: Edward Balme Wheatley Balme of High Close, Loughrigg, Ambleside[28]
  • 1877: Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Edward Watson of Rothay Holme, Ambleside[29]
  • 1878: Sidney Hughes Le Fleming of Rydal Hall, Ambleside[30]
  • 1879: William Middleton Moore of Grimeshill, Kirkby Lonsdale[31]
  • 1880: Henry Grandy of Castle Bank, Appleby[32]
  • 1881: William Hugh Parkin, junior of Ravencrag, Penrith [33]
  • 1882: William Thompson, of Moresdale Hall, Kendal[34]
  • 1883: Joseph Gibson, of Whelprigg, Kirkby Lonsdale[35]
  • 1884: Christopher Wyndham Wilson, of Rigmaden, Kirkby Lonsdale[36]
  • 1885: Alfred Harris, of Lunefield, Kirkby Lonsdale[37]
  • 1886: Edward Hugh Wilson of Dallam Tower, Milnthorpe[38]
  • 1887: John Edward Hasell, of Dalemain[39]
  • 1888: William Dillworth Crewdson, of Helm Lodge, near Kendal[40]
  • 1889: Francis Markham, of Morland[41]
  • 1890: Walter James Marshall, of Patterdale Hall[42]
  • 1891: Thomas Atkinson Argles, of Eversley, Milnthorpe[43]
  • 1892: James Gandy Gandy, of Heaves, Milnthorpe[44]
  • 1893: Jacob Wakefield, of Sedgwick House, Kendal[45]
  • 1894: Colonel Joseph Withers, of Briery Close, Windermere.[46]
  • 1895: Charles Walker, of Brcttargh Holt, Kendal[47]
  • 1896: Henry Miles Radcliffe, of Summerlands, Kendal[48]
  • 1897: William Smith Paget-Tomlinson, of The Biggins, Kirkby Lonsdale[49]
  • 1898: William Stavert, of Prizett, Kendal[50]
  • 1899: Frank Maude Taylor Jones-Balme, of High Close, Ambleside[51]

1900–1974

  • 1900: William Graham of Eden Grove, Kirkbythore[52] Office declared vacant on bankruptcy PC 8/533
  • 1901: Maurice Bromley Wilson of Dallam Tower, Milnthorpe[53]
  • 1902: William Hibbert Marshall of Patterdale Hall, Penrith[54]
  • 1903: Joseph Torbock of Crackenthorpe Hall, Appleby[55]
  • 1904: Harvey Goodwin of Orton Hall, Tebay[56]
  • 1905: Charles James Cropper of Ellergreen, Kendal[57]
  • 1906: Robert Wilkinson Dent of Flass, Shap[58]
  • 1907: Colonel Bordrigge North North, of Newton Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale[59]
  • 1908: Charles Robert Rivington of Castle Bank, Appleby[60]
  • 1909: Richard Rigg of Applegarth, Windermere[61]
  • 1910: John Rankin of New Hutton and Liverpool[62]
  • 1911: John William Fothergill of Brownber, Newbiggin-on-Lune[63]
  • 1912: William Dillworth Crewdson of Helme Lodge, Kendal[64]
  • 1913: Henry Paul Mason of Eden Place, Kirkby Stephen[65]
  • 1914: Francis Chatillon Danson of Dry Close, Grasmere[66]
  • 1915: Thomas Rogers Shaw of Greenside, Milnthorpe[67]
  • 1916: Colin Somervell of Tenter Field, Kendal[68]
  • 1917: Alec Lionel Rea of Keldwith, Windermere[69]
  • 1918: James Cullen Hamilton of Barrows Green, Kendal[70]
  • 1919: Colonel Frederic Haworth of Ashley Green, Ambleside[71]
  • 1920: Alexander Millington Sing of Dawstone, Windermere[72]
  • 1921: George Henry Pattinson of Gossel Ridding, Winderere[73]
  • 1922: Lieut.-Col. Sidney Roden Fothergill of Lowbridge, Kendal[74]
  • 1923: Robert Durning Holt of High Borrans, Windermere[75]
  • 1924: Gerard Elyetson Thompson of Stobars Hall, Kirkby Stephen[76]
  • 1925: Oswald William Edward Hedley of Briery Close, Windermere[77]
  • 1926: Sir Samuel Haslam Scott, 2nd Baronet of Low Yews, Windermere[78]
  • 1927: Major Edward William Hasell of Dalemain, Penrith, Cumberland[79]
  • 1928: James Winstanley Cropper of Tolson Hall, Kendal[80]
  • 1929: Frederick Rice Markham of Morland, Westmorland[81]
  • 1930: Anthony Lowther, of Clifton Hill[82]
  • 1931: Alfred Henry Willink of Whitefoot, Burneside, Kendal[83]
  • 1932: Edgar Frederick Wrigley of Oakland, Windermere[84]
  • 1933: Henry Oxley Ingham of Augill Castle, Brough[85]
  • 1934: Francis Clayton Scott of Matson Ground, Windermere[86]
  • 1935: Frederick John Milne of Broad Leys, Windermere[87]
  • 1936: Major Arnold Colin Somervell, of High Borrans, Windermere[88]
  • 1937: Henry Hornyold-Strickland of Sizergh Lodge, Kendal[89]
  • 1938: Henry Leigh Groves of Holehird, Windermere[90]
  • 1939: William Miles Moss Forwood of Lindth Fell, Windermere[91]
  • 1940: Charles Windham Leycester Penrhyn-Hornby of Dalton Hall, Burton, Carnforth, Lancs[92]
  • 1941: George Norman Pattinson of The Knoll, Windermere[93]
  • 1942: William Gordon Shorrock of Morland, via Penrith[94]
  • 1943: Capt. Walter Frederick Gaddum of Braban House, Burneside, Kendal[95]
  • 1944: Dr John Cochrane Henderson of St. Andrews, Windermere[96]
  • 1945: Colonel John Heaton of Prizet, near Kendal[97]
  • 1946: John Malcolm Somervell of Broom Close, Kendal[98]
  • 1947: David Riddell of Langbank, Bowness-on-Windermere[99]
  • 1948: Brigadier-General Louis John Wyatt, of The Court Yard, Kirkby Lonsdale[100]
  • 1949: Richard Perceval Hewetson of Stobars Hall, Kirkby Stephen[101]
  • 1950: Anthony Charles Cropper of Tolson Hall, near Kendal[102]
  • 1951: Francis Beresford Chancellor of Eden Gate, Warcop[103]
  • 1952: Oliver Robin Bagot of Levens Hall, Kendal.[104]
  • 1953: Commander Richard Henley Torbock, of Crossrigg Hall, Cliburn.[105]
  • 1954: Surgeon-Captain William Glossop Thwaytes, of Holesfoot, Maulds Meaburn, near Penrith.[106]
  • 1955: Lieut-Colonel Henry Christopher White Bowring of Whelprigg, Kirkby Lonsdale.[107]
  • 1956: Hugh Wykeham David Pollock of Winderwath, Temple Sowerby, near Penrith.[108]
  • 1957: Sir Robert Benson Ewbank, of Tongue Ghyll, Grasmere.[109]
  • 1958: Ronald Arthur Somervell of Haverbrack, Milnthorpe.[110]
  • 1959: Michael Charles Stanley, of Halecat, Witherslack.[111]
  • 1960: Sir Robert Annesley Wilkinson Dent, of Flass, Maulds Meaburn, near Penrith.[112]
  • 1961: Lieut.-Colonel John Raymond Danson, of Dry Close, Grasmere.[113]
  • 1962: Charles Eric Wilson of Rigmaden, Kirkby Lonsdale, (grandson of Christopher Wyndham Wilson, High Sheriff in 1884)[114]
  • 1963: Peter Francis Scott of Long Dales, Windermere.[115]
  • 1964: Captain Anthony George Lowther, of Whitbysteads, Askham.[116]
  • 1965: Major Thomas William Ian Hedley, of Briery Close, Windermere.[117]
  • 1966: Sir Oliver Christopher Anderson Scott, of Yews, Windermere.[118]
  • 1967: Captain Nigel Crichton Pease, of Underley Grange, Kirkby Lonsdale.[119]
  • 1968: Cuthbert Henry Dyke Acland, of Stagshaw, Ambleside.[120]
  • 1969: Sir Cuthbert Barwick Clegg, of Barn Close, Beetham, Milnthorpe.[121]
  • 1970: Robert Sands Crossfield, of Brantfell, Arnside.[122]
  • 1971: James Anthony Cropper, of Tolson Hall, Kendal.[123]
  • 1972: Thomas Martin Heaton of Towcett House, Newby, Shap.[124]
  • 1973: Lieut-Commander Thomas Hornyold-Strickland, Count della Catena, of The North Wing, Sizergh Castle, Kendal.[125]
  • 1974 onwards – See High Sheriff of Cumbria

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI