High Sheriff of County Waterford

The High Sheriff of County Waterford was the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Waterford. Initially, an office for a lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became an annual appointment following the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judicial importance, the sheriff had ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. The first High Sheriff of County Waterford whose name is known for certain seems to be Maurice de Porta in 1235; Sir William de la Rochelle was High Sheriff in 1262-3, and William of London in 1270-3. Probably the most powerful of the early Sheriffs was Sir Walter de la Haye, a highly regarded Crown administrator and later a judge, who held office from 1272 to 1284. Unusually, instead of stepping down after a year, De la Haye's term in office continued year after year for more than a decade. He was then appointed Chief Escheator in 1285, and was briefly Justiciar of Ireland in 1294-6. The first (High) Shrievalties were established before the Norman Conquest in 1066 and date back to Saxon times. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. Despite that, however, the office retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in a county. High Sheriffs of County Waterford 1235-1236: Maurice de Porta 1262-1263: Sir William de la Rochelle 1270-1271: William of London 1272-1284: Sir Walter de la Haye 1390: Peter Poer 1408: John Lyverpole 1414: Nicholas Walshe 1424: Nicholas Poer 1535: Sir Richard Poer 1607: Laurence Esmonde, 1st Baron Esmonde of Lymbricke 1613: Sir Richard Smyth of Ballynatray 1639: Edward Fitzgerald 1644: Andrew Lynn 1663: Valentine Greatrakes 1666: Richard Moore of Clonwel 1670: John Nettles of Toureen 1671: Sir Richard Osborne, 2nd Baronet 1672: Sir Thomas Osborne, 5th Baronet 1673: 1678: Thomas Christmas 1676: Richard Christmas 1687: Richard Fitzgerald 1689: John Hore 1690: Benjamin Bolton 1691: