High Sheriff of Westmeath
The High Sheriff of Westmeath was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Westmeath , Ireland from its creation under The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Westmeath County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. The following is an incomplete list: all addresses are in County Westmeath unless stated otherwise.
High Sheriffs of County Westmeath
1543: Robert Dillon
1557: Sir Oliver Nugent [ 1]
1558: Sir Thomas le Strange[ 2]
1572–1573: Thomas Nugent[ 1]
1574: Thomas mac Riccard Tute of Sonnagh[ 3]
1606–1612: Sir Edmund Fettiplace[ 1]
1642: Edward Tuite, of Tuitestown [ 4]
1655: James Shaen [ 5]
1661: Ridgeley Hatfield[ 1]
1663: Charles Lyons
1677: Sir Edward Tyrrell [ 6]
1692: Walter Pollard, jnr [ 4]
1698: Ralph Elrington, of Killeenbrack[ 1]
1703: Edward Bertles[ 1]
1705: Thomas Magan, of Togherstown [ 7]
1709: Richard Plummer [ 4]
1715: Thomas Judge, of Grangebegg [ 8]
1718: Arthur Reynell, of Castle Reynell [ 4]
1720: Richard Berry, of Wardenstown[ 1]
1721: Arthur Judge, of Bishopstone and later of Mosstown [ 8]
1727: Arthur Reynell, of Castle Reynell [ 4]
1728: Hon. Humphrey Butler of Belturbet[ 9]
1729: Herbert Price
1729: Major Charles Hampson (died 1729)
1730: Herbert Price
1731: Charles Lyons of Ledeston Hall [ 4]
1732: Hugh Wilton
1733: Sir Henry Tuite, 6th Baronet of Sonagh
1734: William Handcock
1735: John Gay
1736: Judge Rochfort
1737: William Sherlock
1738: Henry Pilkington, of Tore [ 4]
1739: Ebenezer Lowe
1740: Nicholas Ogle
1741: Thomas Pakenham
1742: Edmond Hill
1743: Robert Cooke
1744: Isaac Smith
1745: Edmond Reynell
1746: Thomas Smyth, of Drumcree
1747: Hans Widman Wood, of Rosmead
1748: John Smith
1748: John Meares, of Meares Court [ 4]
1749: Edward Magan
1750: Arthur Judge
1751: Benjamin Chapman
1752: Morgan Daly
1753: Duke Tyrrell
1754: Hugh Maguire
1755: Samuel Lowe
1756: Edmond Malone, of Baronston
1757: Edmond Malone, of Baronston
1758: John Nugent
1759: Arthur Magan, of Clonearl [ 4]
1760: Richard Sterne Tighe
1761: Thomas Adderly
1762: Hon. George Augustus Rochfort , Lord Belfield (later 2nd Earl of Belvedere)
1763: Brinsley Butler, Hon. Lord Newtown
1764: Sir Richard Levinge, 4th Baronet
1765: Hon. Richard Rochfort Mervyn
1766: Ralph Smith
1767: Joseph Daly
1768: Daniel Chenevix
1769: George Boleyn Whitney
1770: William Smyth, of Fieldstown [ 4]
1771: Thomas Fetherstonhaugh [ 4]
1772: George Paul Monk
1773: Peter Delemar
1774: Sir William Pigot Piers, 5th Baronet
1775: George Tyrrell
1776: Robert Hodson, 1st Baronet. of Tuitestown (now Greenpark)
1777: Hon. Robert Rochfort
1778: John Lyons of Ledeston Hall
1779: John Reynell
1780: Richard Malone
1781: Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh, of Mosstown [ 4]
1782: William Fetherstonhaugh [ 4]
1783: John Meares, of Meares Court
1784: James Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle [ 4]
1785: Hon. Robert Moore
1786: Henry Widman Wood
1787: Philip Batty
1788: Henry Purdon
1789: Mark Synnott (died 1789) and replaced by James Caulfield Browne
1790: Ralph Smyth, of Gaybrook [ 4]
1791: Sir Charles Levinge, 5th Baronet
1792: Thomas Hutchinson Smyth
1793: William Smyth, of Barbavilla
1794: Sterne Tighe, of Carrick
1795: Henry Cope
1796: Gustavus Hume Rochfort , of Rochfort
1797: Maurice Nugent O'Connor, of Mount Pleasant [ 4]
1798: Dillon Pollard
1799: James Nugent, of Clonlost
1800: Edward John Briscoe, of Riverdale[ 4]
1801: Thomas Fitzgerald Nugent
1802: Alexander Murray
1803: Joseph Morgan Daly
1804: Henry Daniel
1805: Theobald Fetherstonhaugh, of Mosstown [ 4]
1806: Robert Cooke
1807: James Gibbons
1808: Sir Richard Levinge, 6th Baronet
1809: George Purdon
1810: Walter Nugent
1811: Robert Purdon
1812: William Dutton Pollard, of Kinturk and Castle Pollard [ 4]
1813: Ralph Smyth, of Glananea [ 4]
1814: John Middleton Berry, of Middleton
1815: Robert Handcock Temple, of Waterstown
1816: John Charles Lyons of Ledeston Hall
1817: James Gibbons, jnr
1818: Peter Purdon
1819: Richard M. Reynell
1820: William Henry Magan
1821: Richard Handcock, Junior
1822: Hugh Morgan Tuite, later of Sonna
1823: Robert Smyth, of Drumcree
1824: Thomas James Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle[ 10]
1825: Anthony J. Doppling, of Lowtown[ 11]
1826: Thomas Shugburgh Whitney, of Newpass
1827: Sir Robert Arair Hodson, 2nd Bt., of Holybrooke House, co. Wicklow
1828: Daniel or David James Hearne
1829: Gustavus Lambert
1830: Robert Smyth, of Gaybrook [ 4]
1831: Hon. Augustus Caulfeild Browne
1832: William Barlow Smythe, of Barbavilla
1833: Edward Briscoe, of Grangemore [ 4]
1834: R. W. Cooper
1835: Sir Percy Fitzgerald Nugent, 1st Bt. , of Donore
1836: William Chapman of Killua Casle, Athboy [ 12]
1837: John Ennis
1838: James Nugent, Count of Holy Roman Empire
1839: Richard Winter Reynell, of Killynon
1840: William Pollard , of Kinturk [ 4]
1841: Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh, of Mosstown [ 4]
1842: Hercules Robinson , R.N., of Rosmead
1843: George Augustus Boyd , of Middleton Park House
1844: Sir Montague Lowther Chapman, 3rd Bt. , of Killua Castle [ 13]
1845: Hon. Laurence Harman King-Harman, of Newcastle[ 14]
1846: Hon. Laurence Harman King-Harman and Sir George Frederick John Hodson, 3rd Bt., of Holybrooke House, co. Wicklow
1847: Richard Steel Fetherston-Haugh
1848: James William Middleton Barry, of Ballinagall, Mullingar [ 15]
1849: Lt-Col. John Caulfeild, of Bloomfield[ 16]
1850: Sir John Hugh Nugent, 3rd Bt., of Ballinlough [ 17]
1851: Sir Richard George Augustus Levinge, 7th Bt.
1852: John Richard Malone, of Baronston [ 4]
1853: Charles Brinsley Marlay (later Rochfort), of Belvedere
1854: Sir Francis Hopkins, 2nd Bt., of Athboy [ 18]
1855: John James Nugent[ 19]
1856: Sir Benjamin James Chapman, 4th Bt., of Killua Castle
1857: Howard Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle[ 20]
1858: Thomas James Smyth, of Ballynegall
1859: John Longworth, of Glynwood[ 20]
1860: Hon. Robert Reginald Temple Harris
1861: Hon. Henry William Parnell, later 3rd Baron Congleton
1862: John Devenish Meares, of Meares Court, Moyvore[ 21]
1863:
1864: John Wilson, of Daramona House [ 4]
1865:
1866: John James Ennis (later 2nd Bt.), of Ballinahown Court, Athlone .
1867: Francis Hume Kelly, of Glencara [ 4]
1868: Joseph Tuite, of Sonna.[ 4]
1869:
1870: Hon. Francis William Browne , of Galston Park , Killican. (later 4th Baron Kilmaine)[ 22]
1871: Hon. George Mostyn.
1872: George Nugent Purdon, of Lisnabin.[ 4]
1872: Hon. Sir Leicester Curzon Smyth .[ 4]
1873: Walter William Dutton Pollard-Urquhart, of Castle Pollard.[ 4]
1874: James Corry Jones Lowry, of Rockdale.[ 4]
1875: Joshua Harry Cooper.
1876: Major Rochfort Hamilton Boyd-Rochfort, of Middleton Park , Castletown .[ 23]
1877: William Benjamin Digby, of Ballincurra.[ 24]
1878: William Edward Smyth, of Glananea.[ 4]
1879:
1880: Captain Crofton Thomas Burton Vandeleur, of Wordenstown.[ 4]
1881: Henry Loftus Lewis, of Violetstown.[ 25]
1882: Francis Travers Dames-Longworth , Q.C., of Glynwood.[ 4]
1883: Charles Kelly, of Lunestown.[ 4]
1884: Hon. Patrick Emilius John Greville-Nugent, of Clonyn Castle
1885: William Lewis Devenish-Meares, of Meares Court.[ 4]
1886: Harry Corbyn Levinge, of Knockdrin Castle .[ 26]
1887: Henry Ernest William Fetherstonhaugh-Whitney, of Newpass.[ 27]
1888: William Lyster Smythe.
1889: Sir Montagu Richard Chapman, 5th Bt. , of Killua Castle [ 28]
1890: Cecil Howard Digby Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle.[ 4]
1891: Francis Vansittart Chapman
1892: Col. James Smyth, of Gaybrook .[ 4]
1893: William Evans Esq, Gillardstown, Killucan .[ 29]
1894: William Edward Wilson , FRS, of Daramona.[ 4]
1895: William Bury Homan-Mulock.
1896: Col. John Richard Malone, of Baronston.[ 4]
1897: Henry Arthur Shuckburgh Upton, of Coolatore, Moate .(1870–1947)[ 30]
1898:
1899: Captain the Hon. Ronald Fulke Greville .
1900: Edward Travers Dames-Longworth, of Glynwood[ 4]
1901: Lt-Col. Francis Edward Romulus Pollard-Urquhart, of Castle Pollard [ 4]
1911: John Granville Wilson, of Daramona House.[ 4]
1912: Joseph Leycester Devenish-Meares, of Meares Court.[ 4]
1913: Robert Wolfe Smyth, of Portlick Castle .[ 34]
1914:
1915: Henry Maurice Tuite, of Sonna.[ 35]
1916: Col. Edward Winter Purdon-Winter, of Lisnabin.[ 36]
1917: Major Thomas Gibbons Hawkesworth Smyth, of Ballynegall .[ 37]
1918: Henry Maxwell Smyth, of Drumcree House.
1919: Captain Percy Philip O'Reilly , of Colamber.
1920: Major Patrick Henry Augustus O'Hara, of Mornington .[ 38]
1921:
1922: Sir Walter Richard Nugent, 4th Bt. [ 1]
References
[The Grand Juries of the County of Westmeath from the Year 1727 to the Year 1853 with an Historical Appendix , published by John Charles Lyons on the Ledestown Press in 1853.]
^ a b c d e f g h "Upton Papers" . Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2012 .^ A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland
^ "Enhanced British Parliamentary Papers on Ireland" .^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland, Bernard Burke, 1912
^ Bergin, John, Shaen, Sir James , Dictionary of Irish Biography (October 2009). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
^ A Genealogical History of the Tyrrells ^ Burke's Irish Family Records . 1976.^ a b Burke's Distinguished Families of America . 1948.^ Conlon, Larry. "History of Freemasonry in Meath and Westmeath" . Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012 . ^ "High Sheriffs, 1824" . The Connaught Journal . 1 March 1824. Retrieved 10 May 2011 .^ "HIGH SHERIFFS FOR 1825" . The Connaught Journal. Retrieved 28 April 2011 .^ Gentleman's and Citizen's Almanack . 1837. p. 237.^ "CHAPMAN, Montagu Lowther (1808–1852), of Killua Castle, co. Westmeath" . History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 13 October 2013 .^ "New Irish Sheriffs" . The Armagh Guardian. Retrieved 28 April 2011 .^ "The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954)" . Trove. Retrieved 3 August 2013 .^ "The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954) Friday 8 June 1849" . Sydney Morning Herald . Trove. 8 June 1849. Retrieved 4 August 2013 .^ "Ireland Old News" . Ballina Chronicle. Retrieved 26 April 2011 .^ Complete baronetage, p.435
^ Shrewsbury School Register 1798-1898 . 1898.^ a b Walford, Edward (1860). The county families of the United Kingdom ^ "Ireland Old News" . Ballina Chronicle. Retrieved 26 April 2011 .^ "No. 8027" . The Edinburgh Gazette ^ Eton College (1905). The Eton Register ^ Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1905). Armorial families : a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour ^ Edward Walford.The county families of the United Kingdom
^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition . 2003.^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom (Volume ed.59, yr.1919) . ^ Complete Baronetage
^ Thom´s Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . 1893. pp. xlvii.^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom ... 59th edition . p. 1358. ^ Walford, Edward (1871). The county families of the United Kingdom ^ a b Walford, Edward (1912). The county families of the United Kingdom ^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom . Vol. 59. ^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom (Volume ed.59, yr.1919) . ^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom (Volume ed.59, yr.1919) . ^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom (Volume ed.59, yr.1919) . ^ The Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal (Volume 55, 1921) .^ Walford, Edward (1919). The county families of the United Kingdom (Volume ed.59, yr.1919) .
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