The Sheriff of Perth was historically a royal official, appointed for life, who was responsible for enforcing justice in Perth, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the hereditary sheriffs were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputes, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.
Following consecutive reorganisations of the Scottish sheriffdoms the position became the Sheriff of Perthshire in 1747 and the Sheriff of Perth & Angus in 1934.Sheriffdoms of Perth and Angus Order 1934 S.I. 1934/1299 (S.70)
The sheriffdom was dissolved in 1975 and replaced by that of Tayside, Central and Fife.
Sheriffs of Perth Kenneth (1164) Roger de Mortimer of Aberdour (1209) John de Moray (1210) Geoffrey de Inverkunglas (1219) John Hay of Naughton (1226-1228) William Blund (1228) Malcolm of Moray (1236) Adam de Lochore William de Munfichet (1245) John Hay of Naughton (1246) William de Lauder (1251) David de Lochore (1255) Gilbert de la Hay (1262) John Cameron (1264) George de Cambrun (1266) Christian de l'Isle (1280) Nicholas de la Haye (1289) Walter de Burghdon (1295) John de Inchmartin (1305) Alexander de Abernethy (1305) John de Stirling (1334) Andrew Buthirgask (1344) John Denniston (1355) Harry de Fotheringay (1357) Hugh de Ros (1362) Andrew Buthirgask (1365) Robert Stewart of Innermeath (1369) Alexander Abercrombie (1370) Thomas de Wanchope (1373) Walter Stewart of Ralston (1381) Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl (1433) John Spence - 1433 - Deputy Archibald Stewart - 1439 - Deputy Patrick Charteris (1440) John de Haddington (1441) William Ruthven (1443) Patrick Charteris (1446) Patrick Graham, Lord Graham (1459) William Graham (1465) Laurence Oliphant, 1st Lord Oliphant (1470) Robert Abercromby (1478) William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven (at 1545) John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl (1695–1724) James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl (1724-1748)
Sheriffs of Perthshire (1747) Patrick Haldane, 1747-1748 James Erskine, 1748–1754 John Swinton, 1754–1782 (died 1799) William Nairne of Dunsinnan, 1783– Archibald Colquhoun, 1793–1807 John Hay Forbes, Lord Medwyn, 1807–1824 Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay, 1824–1834 Adam Anderson, 1835–1841 Robert Whigham, 1841–1849 James Craufurd, 1849–1853 Edward Gordon, Baron Gordon of Drumearn, 1858–1866 John Tait, 1866–1874 James Adam, 1874–1876 John Macdonald, Lord Kingsburgh, 1880– William Gloag, Lord Kincairney, 1885–1889 Charles Pearson, 1889–1890 Andrew Graham Murray, 1890–1891 Andrew Jameson, Lord Ardwall, 1891–1905 Christopher Nicholson Johnston, KC, 1905–1916 John Wilson KC, 1917–1920Who Was Who 1929–1940, p. 40. James Condie Stewart Sandeman KC, 1920–
Sheriffs of Perth and Angus (1934) Daniel Patterson Blades, 1934-1945 (Solicitor General for Scotland, 1945) James Frederick Strachan, KC, 1945–1948 Laurence Hill Watson, KC, 1948–1952 Thomas Blantyre Simpson, QC, 1952–1954 Christopher William Graham Guest, QC, 1954–1955 Sir James Randall Philip, QC, 1955–1957 Charles Shaw, Baron Kilbrandon, 1957–1958 Hector McKechnie, QC, 1958–1963 George Emslie, Baron Emslie, 1963–1966 Ian MacDonald Robertson, QC, 1966–1966 Margaret Henderson Kidd, QC, 1966–1974 William Murray, 8th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield, 1974–1975 Sheriffdom replaced in 1975 by the sheriffdom of Tayside, Central and Fife.
See also Historical development of Scottish sheriffdoms
References