High Sheriff of Lancashire.
The shrievalty of the County Palatine has always been esteemed the blue riband of shrievalties. Unlike his compeers elsewhere, the Lancashire sheriff is specially nominated by the King, whilst the office has always been maintained in circumstances of considerable splendour, and entails upon the sheriff the arduous duty of attending eleven assizes in the year, occupying on an average 130 days. The hospitalities attached to the office are also considerable, for the sheriff has to give a dinner to the grand jury and members of the bar at each assize.
Much deference has to be paid to the Judges of Assize, and many points of old-world courtesy and etiquette have to be observed, which add to the interest attaching to the office; and there can be little doubt that the sheriff's turn-out—a coach-and-four, with trumpeters and javelin men in their handsome liveries of dark blue and old gold—serves to impart dignity to the administration of the law, and to impress the multitude with its majesty and power.
The High Sheriff is the representative of the King, and takes precedence of everyone in the county, except the Judges of Assize and the Lord Lieutenant.
I was nominated to the office in 1893, and again in 1896, but, there being no one to take my place at Quarter Sessions, I asked to be excused. It was, however, a position which appealed to me—it seemed to me to be the coping-stone to my long devotion to judicial work—and when I was again nominated in 1908, I accepted, and was duly "pricked" by the King.
I appointed the Rev. Canon Armour, D.D., as my chaplain, and my son Miles as the under-sheriff.
The Shire-reve, or high sheriff, was in the old Saxon days a position of great authority and power. He not only was the criminal judge of his shire, but also collected the King's exchequer, and the office was one which brought considerable profit to the holder. All this has been changed, the judicial functions and the collection of the King's revenue have long since been transferred to others; but theoretically the sheriff has considerable powers left in his hands—the power of arrest and the charge of the jails in the county, while the empanelling of juries and all legal processes of every kind are made in his name. He is also the returning officer at all elections; this in Lancashire involves considerable work, as the sheriff is responsible for parliamentary elections in twenty-three divisions, but fortunately for him, the detail work is discharged by the under-sheriff or acting under-sheriff, of whom in Lancashire there are three.
At the Lancaster Assizes in June, 1909, we had an interesting and picturesque ceremony. We drove up in the State carriage to the castle, and were received there by the Constable of the Castle, Mr. Dawson, supported by his two retainers, who were dressed in their costume of the fourteenth century. We proceeded into the Shire Hall, and the Constable requested me to hang my coat-of-arms on the walls with those of my predecessors since 1188. Having done so the trumpeters sounded a fanfare, and afterwards played "A fine old English gentleman." I then made a short speech, and the Constable, with similar ceremony, proceeded to place on the walls the shields of six of his predecessors as Constables. The Constables go back to the time of John of Gaunt. The shields of the Sheriffs and Constables are grouped under the shields of the various monarchs under whom they served, and make a very brave and interesting show. The Shire Hall was filled with spectators, and the function was quite mediæval and interesting in character.
In July, 1909, His Majesty King Edward visited Lancashire to present the colours to the newly-created Territorial Army. This was a special compliment to Lancashire, which had very nobly responded to the call made upon her and had raised a force of 36,000 men. The King and Queen stayed at Knowsley. In the park 15,000 Territorials were reviewed; and on the day following their Majesties proceeded to Worsley Park, where a further 12,000 were reviewed. The high sheriff being a civil officer, I had nothing to do with these functions as they were military, but we were invited to lunch at Knowsley and were then presented to the King and Queen, and afterwards at lunch we had the seats of honour, as it appears that when the King is present the high sheriff takes precedence even of the lord lieutenant. It was an interesting function, and in spite of indifferent weather passed off well.
One of the pleasantest incidents of the shrievalty is the number of distinguished and interesting people one meets. Upon the grand jury we altogether summoned 250 of the leading men of the county, and at our banquets we entertained, in addition to the grand jury, all the official world of the county and many others. During my year I had not only the honour of meeting our late King Edward, but King George, who, as Prince of Wales, was on a visit to Knowsley. I had some years ago the honour of escorting King George and the Queen over the Overhead Railway, when I was surprised and gratified with his interest in commerce, and the knowledge he displayed of the trade of the port; and in the somewhat lengthy conversation his Majesty honoured me with last year at Knowsley, I was still further impressed with his knowledge of Liverpool and his interest in the construction and movements of our great Atlantic liners. His Majesty struck me as being very "human" in his thoughts and sympathies, and ardent in his wish to be in touch with the activities which make for the advance and progress of the country; and I therefore look forward to a reign that will not only be distinguished and brilliant, but in which our King will be found to recognise and encourage by his interest the efforts of his subjects in all that makes for the advancement of the country and the well-being of his subjects.
"Ramleh," East Front.
The judges at our Spring Assizes this year were Lord Coleridge and Mr. Justice Hamilton. They spent the week-end with us at Bromborough. At the Winter Assizes in November we had Mr. Justice Ridley and Mr. Justice Bray. These Assizes will be memorable as having introduced what will be practically continuous sittings in Liverpool and Manchester of the civil judge.
I have been much interested in sitting on the bench during the progress of trials at Assizes. It is an education, and one cannot but be impressed with the great care the judges exercise, and with their patience and solicitude for the prisoner.