The Sheriff of Banff was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order and bringing criminals to justice in Banff, Scotland.
Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite rising of 1745, the hereditary sheriffs were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputes, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.
Following a merger of sheriffdoms it became the Sheriff of Banff, Elgin & Nairn in 1854 and the Sheriff of Aberdeen, Kincardine & Banff in 1882.
Sheriffs of Banff
Sheriffs-Principal
- Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan (ER, i: clxxviii, clxxx; and 15)
- Ranulf de Strachan(1264) (ER, i: clxxviii, clxxx; and 15)
- John Comyn, Earl of Buchan (1290) (ER, i, 49)
- Walter de Berkeley (1304-1305)
- Duncan de Ferendraught (1305)
- Hamelin of Troup (1328)
- Phillip de Meldrum (1343)
- William de Fotheringham (1357)
- Nicolas Hawden - 1357 - Deputy
- John de Inverpefer (1369)
- Alexander Ogilvie, (1452-1453)
- Walter Ogilvie of Beaufort - 1452 - Deputy
- Walter Ogilvie of Beaufort (1453-?)
- William Abernethy (1458)
- Archibald Liddle - 1470 - Deputy
- James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan (1470)
- Robert Stewart - 1470 - Deputy
- George Baird, 1634- (died 1642)
- Alexander Douglas 1654-
- James Erskine, 7th Earl of Buchan (died 1664)
- Sir James Baird of Auchmedden, c.1664 (died 1691) (jointly)
- James Baird the younger, 1668-?1681 (jointly with James Baird of Auchmedden) (died 1681)
- Sir George Gordon of Edinglassie, 1681-1691 (jointly with Sir James Baird of Auchmedden)
- James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater, 1693âÂÂ?1730
Sheriffs-Depute
Sheriffs of Banff, Elgin and Nairn (1854)
See also
References