Club meeting at Ashmores

14th October 2021 County Lieutenancy – Judith Swann

Judith outlined her presentation with a little history, the local scene and the role of the High Sherriff.

It started in 1547 where the Lord Lieutenant (LL)was appointed as the representative of the soveriegn, it was a temporary military post when the military functions of the Sheriff were transferred to him and he became responsible for the county bodies of the trained bands. The trained bands had their origins in the Fyrd of Anglo-Saxon times and were the pre-cursors of the Militia of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Lieutenancy was not initially a cut and dried system and only gradually developed, indeed it was not until after the Restoration that the move towards a Lord Lieutenant in each County took place. Before that, senior noblemen, usually absentee, tended to hold multiple Lieutenancies, and later appointed Deputies to serve locally.

The early Commissions were not for life, and only lasted for the event of crisis for which they were originated. His active duties were mainly to do with the raising and training of the forces of the Crown. However, by whatever name called from time to time, the Lord-Lieutenant was also responsible for the selection and administration of the Justices of the Peace. Therefore since the early years of the 18th Century the Lord-Lieutenant has normally, but not invariably, been the leading Justice under the title of Custos Rotulorum - Keeper of the Rolls. Thus it evolved that the Lieutenancy was not only the arm for raising troops, but also a means of communication between the Government and the country, working through the Deputy Lieutenants in the former case and through the Justices in the latter.

Ladies were appointed in the ‘70’s and of the 98 in the UK, a third are now female. We are infrequently visited by Royalty in Nottinghamshire, but Judith was very lucky (her words) to meet the Princess Royal on her visit to a national Townswomen’s Guild conference at Newark.  Judith was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in 2004, possibly in recognition of her voluntary involvement in the community including her role as a magistrate, her work with the NSPCC and 35 years as a reservist in the Royal Naval Reserve. She did point out though that the current 53 Deputies represent a very broad band of backgrounds.

She talked about the many awards that the LL is involved in, either recommendations for Honours such as OBE, MBE, Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services ( for which Bingham Audio Magazine were recognised), Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Technology, Q A for Young People, Queen’s Scouts, Queen’s Guide, Queen’s Boys Brigade.  The BEM award is presented in person locally, plus the invitation to the Queen’s Garden Party.  Many of the ceremonies require Judith to wear her naval uniform, but others just need to wear her ‘badge of Office’, as pictured.

The High Sherriff is an Annual Law and Order appointment

Her presentation stimulated a number of questions which were expertly fielded ….Trevor provided a Vote of thanks for the wide ranging and informative talk and members joined with a show of their appreciation.              AR