Ancient title of High Sheriff of Northamptonshire sworn in over video call

James Saunders Watson, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, receiving the high sheriffs and under sheriffs declarations by Zoom.

An age-old ceremony to swear in the new high sheriff of Northamptonshire for 2020 was held over a video conference call.

The coronavirus is affecting all ways of life - but even the most ancient of ceremonies has had adapt to current times

And, on Monday (April 7), the office of high sheriff eschewed tradition by appointing the title's new holder, Paul Parsons, over a video call.

The ancient ceremony was held over video conference call app Zoom.

The ceremony was arranged after the under-sheriff for Northamptonshire Dominic Hopkins - a partner of Northampton law firm Hewitsons - secured permission for the declaration to be made remotely.

By law, the declarations to take the title have to be made in the presence of a high court judge or a magistrate.

But in the face of social distancing brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak, Mr Hopkins asked the office of the queen's remembrancer if the vows could be made electronically.

Mr Hopkins said: "The queen’s remembrancer, who is responsible for administering the legal requirements of the shrieval offices, was quick to oblige and has sanctioned a contemporary interpretation of the legislation to permit the declarations to be made by telephone conference or video conference.

"I think we can safely say, this is a first and not something the drafters of the 1887 Sheriffs Act could ever have contemplated.”

The office of high sheriff is an independent, non-political royal appointment dating back to Saxon times. 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.

Now a ceremonial role, today high sheriffs continue to discharge constitutional functions and are active in the communities they serve and lend support to those working in the administration of justice and law and order.

The ruling permitting declarations to be made electronically will apply to high sheriffs and under-sheriffs up and down the country, ensuring their appointments can be taken up safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.