Custos rotulorum Facts for Kids

The Custos rotulorum (say it: KUSS-toss roh-TOO-lor-um) is a special job title that means "keeper of the rolls" in Latin. This important role exists in the United Kingdom (but not Scotland) and in Jamaica. It's mostly about keeping official records and representing the government in a local area.

The Custos in the UK
- How the Role Changed
- The Role in Ireland
The Custos in Jamaica
See also

The Custos in the UK

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Custos rotulorum used to be the person in charge of a county's official records. This made them the most important civil officer in that county. Today, the job is mostly for show and doesn't involve many active duties.

How the Role Changed

In the past, the Lord Chancellor would choose the Custos. But since 1545, the King or Queen makes the choice. This person is usually someone important. Since 1836, the role of Custos has been combined with another job called the Lord-Lieutenant in England. The Lord-Lieutenant is the King's or Queen's personal representative in a county.

Historically, the Custos was also one of the Justices of the Peace. These are people who help keep law and order and deal with minor legal issues. The actual records were looked after by an official called the clerk of the peace. The Custos used to appoint this clerk. However, a law in 1888 changed this, and the county council took over the appointment. The job of clerk of the peace was eventually ended in 1971.

The Role in Ireland

The Custos rotulorum role was also used in the Kingdom of Ireland. From 1831, this title was given to the Lord Lieutenant of each county. So, the Lord Lieutenant of a county also held the Custos title. These roles were stopped in Ireland by a law in 1898. After the Irish Free State was formed in 1922, these honorary jobs were completely removed. However, Lord Lieutenancies are still used in Northern Ireland.

The Custos in Jamaica

The role of the Custos in Jamaica comes from its time as a British colony. It started in England in 1391 when King Richard II appointed Custodes and Justices of the Peace to help keep law and order.

Early Days in Jamaica

The first mention of the Custos in Jamaica was in 1668. The Custos was seen as the most important citizen in a parish. They were appointed by the Governor to help keep order and uphold the law. The first Custos mentioned by name was Henry Morgan. He was the Custos of Port Royal in 1680.

The Custos Rotulorum in Jamaica must be a Justice of the Peace. They used to handle small criminal cases.

Past Duties of the Custos

Over time, the Custos had many important duties, including:

Being the main Magistrate for the parish and leading the local court.
Welcoming the King or Queen, any royal family member, or the Governor when they visited the parish.
Suggesting suitable people to the Governor to become Justices of the Peace.
Being a member of the local council, called the Parochial Board, and attending its meetings.
Visiting hospitals, poorhouses, and prisons to make sure they were run properly.
Setting up voting places for elections and appointing people to manage the voting.
Being the head of the Board of Highways and Bridges in the parish.

How the Custos is Appointed Today

Today, there is a Custos Rotulorum for every parish in Jamaica. The Governor-General appoints them, following advice from the Prime Minister. The Custos must live in the parish they serve.

Current Duties of the Custos

The Custos holds their job as long as the Governor-General wishes. They usually leave the role if they move out of the parish or turn 75.

Here are some of their main duties today:

They represent the Governor-General in the parish.
They welcome important visitors like the King or Queen, royal family members, or the Prime Minister during official visits.
They are the Chief Magistrate of the parish.
They create a schedule for the Justices of the Peace to ensure enough are available for court and other duties.
They lead a committee that suggests people to the Minister of Home Affairs for appointment as Justices of the Peace.
They take an interest in local volunteer groups and make sure their work is recognized.
They meet the Judge of the Circuit Court when court sessions begin.

In recent times, Custodes have also served as:

Head of the Governor-General's Achievement Awards Committee.
Head of the Parish Advisory Committee on Local Government Reform.
Head of the Community Consultative Committee for the parish.
Co-Head, with the Mayor, of the Labour Day Committee.
Head of the Prime Minister's Values and Attitudes Committee for the parish.
Head of the parish Disaster Preparedness Committee.
President of the Lay Magistrates Association.

Special Privileges

A Custos has certain privileges:

They are called "Honourable" during their time in office and after they retire.
They can put special "C R" (Custos Rotulorum) plates on their car.
They usually receive a National Honour called the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) when they are appointed.

Custos rotulorum facts for kids

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