Cornwall Lieutenancy
Last updated: 18/06/2013
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You will find information here about the Lord-Lieutenant of
Cornwall and his role and responsibilities, together with
links to related websites and wider information.
The current Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall is Colonel
Edward Bolitho OBE
Address: Chyandour Office, Penzance, TR18 3LW
Email: edward@bolithoestates.co.uk
Telephone: 01736 363021
For general enquiries on Lieutenancy or related matters
please contact:
The Cornwall Lieutenancy Office, County Hall, Truro, Cornwall,
TR1 3AY
Telephone: (01872) 322100
Email: lieutenancy@cornwall.gov.uk
Links to further information:
Role and Responsibilities of
the Lord-Lieutenant
The Lord-Lieutenant is Her Majesty The Queen's personal
representative in the county. The appointment is made by The Queen
on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord-Lieutenant
normally serves until retirement at 75 years of age. Although the
role is historic, the Lord-Lieutenants have a modern and practical
role. They co-ordinate Royal visits. They present certain honours
and awards on behalf of The Queen, promote the honours system and
assess certain nominations. They encourage the voluntary and
charitable sectors. Many Lord-Lieutenants participate in
citizenship ceremonies and chair the Lord Chancellor's Advisory
Committees which appoint magistrates. The specific role and
functions performed by each Lord-Lieutenant vary widely depending
on the Lieutenancy itself, the geography (i.e. physical size),
population density, number of Royal visits and Lieutenancy
engagements, economy and other factors.
The Isles of Scilly are regarded as part of the Cornwall
Lieutenancy by virtue of the Lieutenancies Act 1997.
The Vice Lord-Lieutenant and
Deputy Lieutenants
The Lord-Lieutenant is supported by a Vice Lord-Lieutenant and
by Deputy Lieutenants, whom he appoints from people who have
rendered particular service to the county in a variety of
ways. The number of deputies depends on the size of the
population. At present the Lord-Lieutenant of
Cornwall is allowed up to 37 deputies.
The Vice Lord-Lieutenant for Cornwall is Michael
Galsworthy, CVO, CBE, DL
Address: Trewithen, Grampound Road, Truro, TR2 4DD
Email: amjg@trewithenestateco.uk
Tel: (01726) 882418
The Lord-Lieutenant is also supported administratively by the
Clerk to the Lieutenancy, which is a role often taken on by the
office of the Chief Executive of the Local County Council or in
Cornwall's case, the unitary authority, Cornwall Council.
The Clerk to the Lieutenancy
is Paul Masters
Address: Cornwall Lieutenancy Office, County Hall,
Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3AY
Tel: (01872) 322100
Email: lieutenancy@cornwall.gov.uk
The Lieutenancy Support Team (based in the same office as above)
are:
The High Sheriff of Cornwall
The
High Sheriff of Cornwall for 2013-14 is James Kitson,
Chartered Accountant
Address: Metherall Gard, Morval, Looe,
PL13 1PN
Tel: 01503 240940
Email: cornwallhs201314@gmail.com
The Under Sheriff of Cornwall is Philip
Reed
Address: Office of the Under Sheriff, 3 Cross Lane, St Austell,
PL25 4AB
Tel: (01726) 74433
Email: p.reed@stephens-scown.co.uk
The Office of High Sheriff is an independent non-political Royal
appointment for a single year. The origins of the Office date back
to Saxon times, when the ‘Shire Reeve’ was responsible to the king
for the maintenance of law and order within the shire, or county,
and for the collection and return of taxes due to the Crown. Today,
there are 55 High Sheriffs serving the counties of England and
Wales each year.
Whilst the duties of the role have evolved over time, supporting
the Crown and the judiciary remain central elements of the role
today. In addition, High Sheriffs actively lend support and
encouragement to crime prevention agencies, the emergency services
and to the voluntary sector. In recent years High Sheriffs in many
parts of England and Wales have been particularly active in
encouraging crime reduction initiatives, especially amongst young
people. Many High Sheriffs also assist Community Foundations and
local charities working with vulnerable and other people both in
endorsing and helping to raise the profile of their valuable work.
The High Sheriff Association adopted DebtCred and Crimebeat in
recent years in response to specific areas of need.
High Sheriffs receive no remuneration and no part of the expense of
a High Sheriff’s year falls on the public purse. The High
Sheriff's role is an annual appointment, commencing in March each
year.
Previous High
Sheriffs
2012-13 Mrs
Catherine Mead
2011-12 Colonel Edward Bolitho
OBE
2010-11 James Piran
Williams
2009-10 Captain Iain
Anthony Mackie
2008-09 Sir Ralph Ferrers
Alexander Vyvyan Bt
2007-08 The Honourable Evelyn
Arthur Hugh Boscawen
2006-07 Mrs Louella
Hanbury-Tenison
2005/06 Mr Peter Hodgson
2004/05 Mr James St Aubyn
2003/04 Mr Christopher Leslie
Perkins
2002/03 Mrs Judith Anne
Coode
2001/02 Mr James Michael
Williams
2000/01 Lady Frances Banham
1999/00 Lt Cmdr Nicholas J
Trefusis
1998/99 Mr Piers Reginald
Thompson
1997/98 Major Charles F
T Edward-Collins
1996/97 Mrs Jill Trench
Morison
1995/96 Mrs Elizabeth
Bolitho
History of the Cornwall Lieutenancy
The office of Her (or His) Majesty’s
Lieutenants for Counties was established in England by the Tudors
in the sixteenth century when France and Spain threatened the
country’s safety. County Lieutenants were appointed for
‘suppressing commotions, rebellions or unlawful assemblies’.
The Lieutenant’s supporters - the local
gentry – were at first an informal group who could help when
needed, but they gradually became formally appointed as Deputies.
Cornwall was one of the first counties to have officially
commissioned Deputy Lieutenants, in 1569.
The Lieutenancy was responsible for organising
and training the local militia - the able-bodied men of
the county - who were expected to provide their own armour
and weapons. Pitchforks and pikes were apparently much in evidence.
Gunpowder was sometimes stored in the local church, as the safest
building in the parish, with occasional predictable
consequences.
During the Civil War and Commonwealth in the
seventeenth century the office of Lord Lieutenant lapsed, but was
reinstated by Charles II at the restoration of the monarchy in
1660.
Many ‘disturbances of the peace’ at that time
ion Cornwall led to the formation of local militia regiments under
the command of the local gentry: Edgcumbe, Coryton, Trelawny,
Trevanion, Vyvyan, Arundel, Godolphin. It was the Deputies’ task to
make sure that all the parishes collected a local rate to pay for
arms, powder and bullets.
By the eighteenth century the County
Lieutenants had acquired another duty and another title, that of
‘custos rotulorum’ or ‘Keeper of the Rolls’. It was their
responsibility to appoint magistrates: local Justices of the Peace
who were charged with the smooth running of the county’s business,
at their quarterly meetings or ‘Sessions’. Maintenance of Roads and
bridges, the county gaol, supervising the work of parishes in
caring for the poor, licensing pedlars and meting houses, and
dealing with minor misdemeanours, all generated a good
deal of business, recorded on long pieces of
parchment which were rolled up for storage. The Lord Lieutenant
represented the Crown and the Lord Chancellor and was therefore
responsible for the ‘good management’ of the records.
Most of the eighteenth century was peaceful at
home, the only threats being in 1715 and 1745 when the Scots
attempted to put the Stuarts back on the throne. But from the 1780s
into the early years of the nineteenth century there was a real
danger that the French might invade. The records from this time
read like a script of ‘Dad’s Army’ – would the elaborate plans for
defending the Cornish coast really have worked? Some of the
Deputies feared the local population, armed with their pikes, as
being more formidable than the French.
IN 1871 responsibility for the local militia
was removed from the Lord Lieutenant’s jurisdiction, but until 1921
he (as they all were then) could still call up able bodied men ‘in
real case of need’.
After the Militia Act of 1882 Deputy
Lieutenants had no military duties at all, but still had to be
commissioned military officers, and this qualification lasted until
the 1960s when ‘civil qualifications’ were accepted.
Royal Visits
It is the duty of the Lord-Lieutenant to meet and attend The
Queen and members of the Royal family on visits to Cornwall (and
the Isles of Scilly) unless the visit is a private one.
A member of the public who wishes to issue an invitation to a
member of the Royal family may submit the invitation direct to the
Household concerned, but Households much prefer the invitation to
be submitted through the Lord-Lieutenant. This allows the
Lord-Lieutenant to offer an opinion on the merits of the proposal
considered in the context of other invitations and visits.
Cornwall enjoys visits from most members of the Royal family on
a regular basis. There are approximately 10 visits a year to
all parts of Cornwall, and usually the Lieutenancy can arrange
these to meet the expectations of the hosts. The
Lord-Lieutenant welcomes early enquiries about potential
invitations so that he can build up a sensible pattern of visits
throughout the year and contact the relevant Households with
comprehensive information.
The Lord Lieutenant expects to take the lead in coordinating
arrangements for the visit, and all enquiries should be directed
through the Lieutenancy Office.
Guidance
notes are available to help you plan for a royal visit, either
by downloading from the link here or by requesting a leaflet from
the Lieutenancy Office
(Photo of The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall at the opening of the
Integrated Health Centre at Penair School, Truro, in July
2009.)
Birthday Messages from Her
Majesty The Queen
A message from The Queen is automatically sent on a person's
100th, 105th and subsequent birthdays.
You can also request that The Queen sends her congratulations on
Diamond (60th), 65th and Platinum (70th) wedding anniversaries and
every year thereafter.
The delivery of these congratulatory messages is arranged
by the Anniversaries Office at Buckingham Palace.
Application forms are available online or you can write to the
Lieutenancy Office who can make the application on your behalf.
Honours
Honours nomination forms are available from either the Cornwall
Lieutenancy Office on (01872) 322100 or can be downloaded direct
from the Cabinet Office website www.gov.uk/honours.
Royal Garden Parties
Every year Her Majesty The Queen hosts a number of
royal garden parties at Buckingham Palace. Over the years these
have evolved into a way of rewarding and recognising public
service. Approximately 30,000 people attend each year from
all walks of life. The Lord-Lieutenant has a small number of
invitations allocated to Cornwall each year and these go to people
that have been nominated for some form of recognition for the
contribution they have made in their local communities.
Queen's Award for
Voluntary Service
The
Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given
to volunteer groups across the UK for outstanding work done in
their local communities. Information about what work the award is
given for, who decides on the nominations, and when the
announcement of winners is made can be found online using the link
above. Nomination forms are also available to download,
together will full guidance and detailed information about the
Award.
Queen's Award for Enterprise
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are highly prestigious awards
for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of
Innovation, International Trade and Sustainable Development. The
Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion is awarded to individuals
who encourage entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in others.
The awards are made annually by Her Majesty
The Queen, and are only given for the highest levels of excellence.
They are judged to a demanding level and winners receive a number
of benefits and worldwide recognition.
Previous corporate winners have come from a
diverse selection of business sectors and have included large and
small businesses. Recipients of the individual award have been from
varied social and professional backgrounds.
The closing date for entries is the last
working day of September each year and the winners are announced on
21st April the following year.
For more information including the links to
the online application and nomination forms visit http://www.queensawards.org.uk/.
For further enquiries call The Queen’s Awards Office helpline on
020 7215 6880 or email info@queensawards.org.uk.
Lord-Lieutenant's Fund for
Youth
In 2005 the Lord-Lieutenant's Fund for Youth was launched by
Lady Mary Holborow and the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Michael
Galsworthy. The Fund aims to support achievement and inspire
exceptional ability wherever it's found amongst youth in
Cornwall. The intention is to help youngsters who have
demonstrated an outstanding talent and aptitude in one way or
another - whether in the field of sport, the arts, voluntary
service, science or enterprise, amongst many other possibilities -
but who cannot progress their chosen career or ambition
because of personal or family hardship, or disability.
The Lord-Lieutenant's Trust Fund is supported by donations from
individuals, the business community in Cornwall and further
afield. The Fund is administered by the Cornwall Community
Foundation and
further information and
application form are available on line. Any
applications for funding should be made direct to the Cornwall
Community Foundation.
If you feel able to support this important project by making a
donation, then please contact the Lord-Lieutenant via the Cornwall
Community Foundation, Suite 1, Sheers Barton, Lawhitton,
Launceston, PL15 9NJ or telephone: 01566 779333.
The Trelawny
Plate Award
This award is a living memorial to the Rt Revd
Sir Jonathan Trelawny and his place in the affections of the
Cornish.
Bishop Trelawny, 3rd Baronet of
Trelawne, was incarcerated in the Tower of London with six fellow
Bishops in 1688 accused of seditious libel. They had
petitioned against the order of King James II that they should
support his Declaration of Indulgence, which seemed to promise
toleration for Protestant dissenters but which was actually
intended to win them to Roman Catholicism. The
Declaration was strongly opposed, particularly in Cornwall.
They were found not guilty and released on 30 June 1688, a date
that he always celebrated. On his return to Cornwall bonfires
were lit from hilltop to hilltop and people lined the turnpikes to
welcome him back.
His incarceration in the Tower was
immortalised in the Cornish Anthem, 'The Song of the
Western Men', better known simply as 'Trelawny', written
over a century later by Parson Robert Stephen Hawker, vicar of
Morwenstow.
And shall Trelawny live?
Or shall Trelawny die!
Here's twenty thousand Cornish
men
Will know the reason why!
The Trelawny Plate Award is presented every
two years to an individual who is considered to have made an
outstanding contribution to providing inspiration for the Cornish
and evoking pride in Cornwall. The plate itself, which was
the personal property of the Bishop, is presented by the Trelawny
family in Pelynt, the Bishop’s home parish, on the 30th
June, the anniversary of the Bishop’s release from the Tower.
This date is still celebrated as Trelawny Day in Pelynt.
The first person to receive this Award was
Bishop Bill Ind, Bishop of Truro, in 2007, followed by Tom
Henderson, OBE (Founder of Shelterbox) in 2009.
The previous Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, Lady
Mary Holborow, DCVO, received it in 2011. The Citation
and Address
are linked here for information.