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From the time of Henry I, the sheriffs of London have
also been sheriffs of the county of Middlesex.
Men chosen to be sheriffs of London and Middlesex held their office for one year, from Michaelmas
(29 September) to Michaelmas, though election to the office was held some weeks in advance of that date.
The election of sheriffs was held on various days in earlier years, but in 1538 the election day was set on Lammas Day (1 August). Then on 27 May 1585 an Act of Common Council changed the election day from Lammas Day to Midsummer Day (24 June), effective immediately. Thereafter, election day for sheriffs was on Midsummer Day. By common custom, on election day one sheriff was chosen by the lord mayor and the other by the commonalty in Common Hall. Citizenship, proper character, and no prior service as sheriff were the only requirements for eligibility. It has often been assumed that candidates, or at least the lord mayor's candidates, had to be aldermen, but this was not so. It was the case, though, that persons chosen as sheriff by either the lord mayor or the commonalty were usually already sitting aldermen, or men likely to be elected aldermen. The result was that "from 1552 to 1679 the series of 264 sheriffs contains no name which does not also appear as an alderman" [Beaven 2.xxxviii]; hence the mistaken assumption. Not infrequently, men who were elected refused to serve as sheriff. "In 1580 seven persons were elected who successively refused to serve; in 1591, thirteen; in 1613, twelve; in 1614, eleven; in 1639, as many as thirty-two" [Beaven 2.xxxv]. |