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 1558: Sir Thomas le StrangeA genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland 1572–1573: Thomas Nugent 1574: Thomas mac Riccard Tute of Sonnagh 1606–1612: Sir Edmund Fettiplace 1642: Edward Tuite, of Tuitestown (killed in battle, 1642) 1655: James ShaenBergin, John, Shaen, Sir James, Dictionary of Irish Biography (October 2009). Retrieved 25 January 2023. 1661: Ridgeley Hatfield 1663: Charles Lyons 1677: Sir Edward TyrrellA Genealogical History of the Tyrrells (1904), p.17. Retrieved 17 January 2023. 1692: Walter Pollard, jnr 1698: Ralph Elrington, of Killeenbrack

Anne, 1702–1714 1703: Edward Bertles 1705: Thomas Magan, of Togherstown 1709: Richard Plummer

George I, 1714–1727 1715: Thomas Judge, of Grangebegg 1718: Arthur Reynell, of Castle Reynell 1720: Richard Berry, of Wardenstown 1721: Arthur Judge, of Bishopstone and later of Mosstown 1727: Arthur Reynell, of Castle Reynell

George II, 1727–1760

1728: Hon. Humphrey Butler of Belturbet 1729: Herbert Price 1729: Major Charles Hampson (died 1729) 1730: Herbert Price 1731: Charles Lyons of Ledeston Hall 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 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 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 1760: Richard Sterne Tighe

George III, 1760–1820

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 1771: Thomas Fetherstonhaugh 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 1782: William Fetherstonhaugh 1783: John Meares, of Meares Court 1784: James Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle 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 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 1798: Dillon Pollard 1799: James Nugent, of Clonlost 1800: Edward John Briscoe, of RiverdaleA genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland, Bernard Burke, 1912 1801: Thomas Fitzgerald Nugent 1802: Alexander Murray 1803: Joseph Morgan Daly 1804: Henry Daniel 1805: Theobald Fetherstonhaugh, of Mosstown 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 1813: Ralph Smyth, of Glananea 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

George IV, 1820–1830

1821: Richard Handcock, Junior 1822: Hugh Morgan Tuite, later of Sonna 1823: Robert Smyth, of Drumcree 1824: Thomas James Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle 1825: Anthony J. Doppling, of Lowtown 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

William IV, 1830–1837

1831: Hon. Augustus Caulfeild Browne 1832: William Barlow Smythe, of Barbavilla 1833: Edward Briscoe, of Grangemore 1834: R. W. Cooper 1835: Sir Percy Fitzgerald Nugent, 1st Bt., of Donore 1836: William Chapman of Killua Casle, Athboy 1837: John Ennis

Victoria, 1837–1901

1838: James Nugent, Count of Holy Roman Empire 1839: Richard Winter Reynell, of Killynon 1840: William Pollard, of Kinturk 1841: Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh, of Mosstown 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 1845: Hon. Laurence Harman King-Harman, of Newcastle 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 1849: Lt-Col. John Caulfeild, of Bloomfield 1850: Sir John Hugh Nugent, 3rd Bt., of Ballinlough 1851: Sir Richard George Augustus Levinge, 7th Bt. 1852: John Richard Malone, of Baronston 1853: Charles Brinsley Marlay (later Rochfort), of Belvedere 1854: Sir Francis Hopkins, 2nd Bt., of Athboy Complete baronetage, p.435 1855: John James Nugent 1856: Sir Benjamin James Chapman, 4th Bt., of Killua Castle 1857: Howard Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle 1858: Thomas James Smyth, of Ballynegall 1859: John Longworth, of Glynwood 1860: Hon. Robert Reginald Temple Harris 1861: Hon. Henry William Parnell, later 3rd Baron Congleton 1862: John Devenish Meares, of Meares Court, Moyvore 1863: 1864: John Wilson, of Daramona House 1865: 1866: John James Ennis (later 2nd Bt.), of Ballinahown Court, Athlone. 1867: Francis Hume Kelly, of Glencara 1868: Joseph Tuite, of Sonna. 1869: 1870: Hon. Francis William Browne, of Galston Park, Killican. (later 4th Baron Kilmaine) 1871: Hon. George Mostyn. 1872: George Nugent Purdon, of Lisnabin. 1872: Hon. Sir Leicester Curzon Smyth. 1873: Walter William Dutton Pollard-Urquhart, of Castle Pollard. 1874: James Corry Jones Lowry, of Rockdale. 1875: Joshua Harry Cooper. 1876: Major Rochfort Hamilton Boyd-Rochfort, of Middleton Park, Castletown. 1877: William Benjamin Digby, of Ballincurra. 1878: William Edward Smyth, of Glananea. 1879: 1880: Captain Crofton Thomas Burton Vandeleur, of Wordenstown. 1881: Henry Loftus Lewis, of Violetstown.Edward Walford.The county families of the United Kingdom 1882: Francis Travers Dames-Longworth, Q.C., of Glynwood. 1883: Charles Kelly, of Lunestown. 1884: Hon. Patrick Emilius John Greville-Nugent, of Clonyn Castle 1885: William Lewis Devenish-Meares, of Meares Court. 1886: Harry Corbyn Levinge, of Knockdrin Castle. 1887: Henry Ernest William Fetherstonhaugh-Whitney, of Newpass. 1888: William Lyster Smythe. 1889: Sir Montagu Richard Chapman, 5th Bt., of Killua CastleComplete Baronetage 1890: Cecil Howard Digby Fetherstonhaugh, of Bracklyn Castle. 1891: Francis Vansittart Chapman 1892: Col. James Smyth, of Gaybrook. 1893: William Evans Esq, Gillardstown, Killucan. 1894: William Edward Wilson, FRS, of Daramona. 1895: William Bury Homan-Mulock. 1896: Col. John Richard Malone, of Baronston. 1897: Henry Arthur Shuckburgh Upton, of Coolatore, Moate.(1870–1947) 1898: 1899: Captain the Hon. Ronald Fulke Greville. 1900: Edward Travers Dames-Longworth, of Glynwood 1901: Lt-Col. Francis Edward Romulus Pollard-Urquhart, of Castle Pollard

Edward VII, 1901–1910

1902: Richard William Winter Bayley, of Ballinderry. 1903: Edward Kenrick Bunbury Tighe. 1904: George Arthur Boyd-Rochfort, of Middleton Park. 1905: John David Fetherstonhaugh, of Rockview. 1906: Charles Brinsley Marlay (later Rochfort), of Belvedere. 1907: Hugh Ponsonby Wilson, of Coolure. 1908: Sir Richard William Levinge, 10th Bt. 1909: Major Gerald Dease, Turbotston. 1910: Gustavus Rochfort Wade (later Hyde), of Lynnbury.

George V, 1910–1922

1911: John Granville Wilson, of Daramona House. 1912: Joseph Leycester Devenish-Meares, of Meares Court. 1913: Robert Wolfe Smyth, of Portlick Castle. 1914: 1915: Henry Maurice Tuite, of Sonna. 1916: Col. Edward Winter Purdon-Winter, of Lisnabin. 1917: Major Thomas Gibbons Hawkesworth Smyth, of Ballynegall. 1918: Henry Maxwell Smyth, of Drumcree House. 1919: Captain Percy Philip O'Reilly, of Colamber. 1920: Major Patrick Henry Augustus O'Hara, of Mornington. 1921: 1922: Sir Walter Richard Nugent, 4th Bt.

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.]