Sheriff of Dumbarton facts for kids

The Sheriff of Dumbarton was a very important person in the old days in Dumbarton, Scotland. Their main job was to make sure everyone followed the rules and to catch people who broke the law. They were like a top police officer and a judge all rolled into one!

What Was the Sheriff of Dumbarton?

For a long time, being a Sheriff was a family job, passed down from parents to children. This meant that the job stayed in the same family for many years. But after a big event in Scotland in 1745, called the Jacobite uprising, the government decided to change things.

From 1748, these family-based sheriffs were replaced. New sheriffs, called "sheriff-deputes," were chosen. These new sheriffs were paid for their work. They had to be trained lawyers, meaning they knew a lot about the law in Scotland. Their job was to make sure justice was fair for everyone.

Changes Over Time

The job of Sheriff of Dumbarton changed its name a few times over the years.

• In 1854, the role became the Sheriff of Dumbarton and Bute. This happened when the areas of Dumbarton and Bute were combined for this job.
• Later, in 1871, it changed again to the Sheriff of Stirling and Dumbarton.
• Then, in 1881, it became the Sheriff of Stirling, Dumbarton and Clackmannan. This shows how different areas were grouped together for the sheriff's duties over time.

A Look at Some Sheriffs

Many people held the important job of Sheriff of Dumbarton throughout history. Here are a few examples:

• William Bisset (1237)
• Uilleam, Earl of Mar (1264-1266)
• Walter Bailloch Stewart (1271-1288)
• John de Menteith (1303-1308)
• Malcolm Fleming, Earl of Wigtown (around 1309-1326)
• John Colquhoun of Luss (1425)
• Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox (1494)

After 1748, when the new system started, some of the Sheriff-Deputes included:

• James Colquhoun (1775–1805)
• John Campbell Colquhoun of Milligs (1815–1854)

Sheriffs of Dumbarton and Bute

When the areas of Dumbarton and Bute were combined in 1854, Robert Hunter was the sheriff from 1854 to 1871. In 1871, the job was split again. Dumbarton became part of a new area called the sheriffdom of Stirling and Dumbarton. Bute became part of the Sheriffdom of Renfrew and Bute.

See also

• Historical development of Scottish sheriffdoms