Sheriff of Roxburgh, Berwick and Selkirk facts for kids

The Sheriff of Roxburgh was a very important person in Scotland a long time ago. This person was like a top police officer and judge for the area called Roxburgh. Their main job was to make sure everyone followed the law and kept the peace.

For many years, being a Sheriff was a family job. This means the title was passed down from parent to child, like a family business. But after a big event called the Jacobite uprising in 1745, things changed. In 1748, the government decided that Sheriffs should be chosen differently. Instead of being hereditary, they became paid professionals called "sheriff-deputes." These new sheriffs were trained lawyers, making sure they knew all about the law.

Later, the job of Sheriff of Roxburgh grew bigger. In 1868, it joined with the Sheriff of Selkirk to become the Sheriff of Roxburgh and Selkirk. Then, in 1872, it got even bigger by adding parts of the Haddington and Berwick area. This new, larger area was called the sheriffdom of Roxburgh, Berwick and Selkirk. This combined role lasted until 1975. After that, a new, even larger sheriffdom was created, which is now known as the Sheriff Principal of Lothian and Borders.

Who Were the Sheriffs of Roxburgh?

The role of Sheriff of Roxburgh has a long history, with many people holding the position over the centuries. These individuals were key figures in local government and justice.

Early Sheriffs (Before 1748)

The first known Sheriff of Roxburgh was a person named Gospatric, around the year 1120. For hundreds of years, the position was often held by powerful families. The Douglas family, for example, held the sheriffdom for a very long time, right up until 1747.

Here are a few examples of early Sheriffs:

• Gospatric (around 1120)
• Walter Corbet (1199)
• Nicholas de Soules (1237, 1246)
• Alexander Ramsay (1342)
• William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale
• George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus (1397)

Sheriffs-Depute (After 1748)

After 1748, the Sheriffs were no longer chosen by family lines. Instead, they were trained lawyers appointed to the role. These were known as "Sheriffs-Depute."

Some of these important Sheriffs-Depute included:

• Gilbert Eliot (1748-1753)
• William Scott of Woll (1753)
• Walter Pringle (1754-1769)
• William Oliver Rutherfurd of Edgerston (1807 to over 1861)

Sheriffs of the Combined Areas (1872-1975)

When the sheriffdoms of Roxburgh, Berwick, and Selkirk were combined in 1872, a new line of Sheriffs took charge. These individuals oversaw a much larger area.

Some of the Sheriffs during this period were:

• John Cheyne (1885-1886)
• Andrew Jameson (1886–1890)
• Edward Theodore Salvesen (1901–1905)
• Harald Robert Leslie (1956–1961)
• Robert Smith Johnston (1964–1970)
• Henry Keith, Baron Keith of Kinkel (1970–1971)
• John Oswald Mair Hunter, Lord Hunter (1972-1975)

The sheriffdom of Roxburgh, Berwick and Selkirk was officially ended in 1975. Its responsibilities were then taken over by the new Lothian and Borders sheriffdom.

See also

• Historical development of Scottish sheriffdoms