Individuals serving as Civics since 1835
The historic record of past Sheriffs is transcribed in the bible currently held in the Mayor's Parlour.
2020 - 2022
Gloucester’s office of Sheriff is known to be at least 250 years older than the City Council. In 1200 local government was undertaken by the Burgesses. King John’s Charter of 1200 is the first to give authorisation for two bailiffs to perform the role of Sheriff, the first being Walter Cadivor and Robert Calvus. Gloucester's archives hold a full list of Sheriffs from that time to the present day. It was not until The Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 that the number of sheriffs was reduced from two to one.
The Sheriff's role in the earliest days was as agent of Royal jurisdiction in Gloucester. The Sheriff presided over local courts, had powers of summons and distraint, held the key to the gaol, collected fines and taxes and executed Royal writs, such as those to repair the castle and provision the army. Many of these duties were undertaken as recently as 1732 (remaining responsible for the tax field) and summoning the court until the major overhaul of local government in 1974.
The 1483 Letters Patent of Richard III provided that there should be two Sergeants-at-Mace to serve the two Sheriffs. Since that time, on formal occasions, they have joined the Mayor's macebearers and preceded the Mayor and Sheriff in procession.
As with other shrievalties the local government reorganisation in 1974 reduced the role of sheriff to being largely ceremonial or an ‘office of dignity’. Gloucester's City Council were keen to retain the City's cultural heritage and preserve the office of Sheriff and so combined it with that of Deputy Mayor in the late 1980s.