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Reading Civic Society AGM 2022 Guest Speaker – Willie Hartley Russell, High Sheriff of the Royal County of Berkshire

Willie Hartley Russell was sworn in as the High Sheriff of Berkshire on Friday 26th March 2021, relinquishing his role on 8th April 2022. He began his talk to the AGM by noting how delighted he was to be asked to speak by our Chair.

“It is a joy to be here -- when Richard Bennett asked me to speak to the Civic Society about the role of the High Sheriff and my year in office, I jumped at it! I am a local man, born in the Battle Hospital, and I spent quite a lot of my childhood traipsing around after my father in the old Shire Hall when he was the Chair of Berkshire County Council in the late-1960s and 1970s.”

Willie then outlined the themes of his talk – a brief history of the office of High Sherriff, how individuals are selected for the position, the ceremonial role of present-day incumbents, and, very importantly, how they can use their year in office to support and benefit their local communities.

“The Office of High Sheriff is the oldest secular office in the country apart from the monarchy and dates back to Saxon times. It is an independent, non-political, Royal appointment for the period of one year – although in my case I started a week early to help out my predecessor and I am finishing a week late because my successor was not happy to start her term on All Fool’s Day! “Today, the role is largely ceremonial and involves a mix of ceremonial, charitable and community functions, but it still carries the status of being the Queen’s highest judicial officer in the county. The role is second in importance after the Lord Lieutenant, who is the Queen’s personal representative in the County.

History The word ‘Sheriff’ derives from ‘Shire Reeve’ or the Anglo-Saxon ‘Scir Gerefa’. The King’s Reeve was also known as the ‘High Reeve’. Anglo-Saxon Sheriffs fought at the Battle of Hastings and Godric, the first recorded Sheriff from Berkshire, was reportedly killed during this famous battle.

The Normans continued the Office and added to its powers. During the 11th and 12th centuries a High Sheriff’s powers were very extensive. For example, they judged cases in the monthly court of the hundred (a sub-unit of the Shire); they had law enforcement powers and could raise the ‘hue and cry’ in pursuit of felons within their Shire; they could summon and command the ‘posse comitatus’ – the full power of the Shire in the service of the Sovereign; they collected taxes and levies and all dues on Crown lands on behalf of the Crown and were in charge of Crown property in the Shire. In short, High Sheriffs were the principal representatives and agents for the Crown and were thus very powerful within the Shire.

In the Magna Carta of 1215, twenty seven of the sixty-three clauses relate to the role of the Sheriff, showing the importance of the role at that time. The Sheriffs’ powers were gradually restricted over succeeding centuries. Under Henry I their tax collection powers went to the Exchequer, which also took on the function of auditing the Sheriffs’ accounts.

Henry II introduced the system of Itinerant Justices from which evolved the Assizes and the present-day system of High Court Judges going out on Circuit. The Sheriff remained responsible for issuing Writs, for having ready the Court, prisoners and juries, and then executing the sentences once they were pronounced. It was also the Sheriff’s responsibility to ensure the safety and comfort of the Judges. This is the origin of the High Sheriff’s modern-day duty of care for the well-being of High Court judges.

In the middle of the 13th century, more powers went to the newly created offices of Coroners and Justices of the Peace. Under the Tudors, Lord- Lieutenants were created as personal representatives of the Sovereign. Queen Elizabeth I is generally believed to have originated the practice that continues to this day of the Sovereign choosing the High Sheriff by pricking a name on the Sheriffs’ Roll with a bodkin The reason for pricking through vellum was that the choice was not always a welcome honour due to the costs the incumbent was likely to have to shoulder and also the challenges faced in assessing and collecting taxes, particularly unpopular taxes such as Charles I’s demands for ship money in 1635. A mark with a pen on vellum could easily be erased with a knife, but a hole in the vellum (which is made from calf skin) could not be removed or repaired invisibly. The potential expense to the incumbent of becoming High Sheriff was one of the reasons the role was for a single year only.

By Acts of 1856 and 1865 all of the Sheriffs’ powers concerning police and prisons passed to the Prison Commissioners and local Constabulary and under an Act of 1883 the care of Crown Property was transferred to the Crown Commissioners.

“The Sheriffs Act of 1887 consolidated the law relating to the Office of High Sheriff and the Act remains in force today though there have been several amendments.

The Act stipulates that the Office should be held for one year only and confirmed the historic process of nomination and selection by the Sovereign.

Selection The road to becoming High Sheriff is quite complicated. To fulfil the requirements of the Sheriffs Act 1887, it is the customary duty of an incumbent High Sheriff to nominate, in consultation with the County Nomination Panel, a successor to serve in their county in three years’ time.

The County Nomination Panels are independent, with membership including the Chief Constable, Chief Justice, Bishop and Charity representatives, and assist High Sheriffs in identifying suitably experienced and public-spirited individuals prepared to take on what can often be a highly time-demanding role.

The Office of High Sheriff is carried out on a wholly voluntary basis with no part of the expense incurred by the High Sheriff falling on the public purse.

“So, I was approached about 5 years ago by the High Sheriff and invited out to lunch. He asked if I was interested in being nominated for the role of High Sheriff in Berkshire for 2021-22. I was honoured to be considered and that began the path to becoming the 806th High Sheriff of Berkshire –and, very proudly, the 8th member of my family to undertake the Office.

“My predecessor as High Sheriff was Mary Riall, the founder and CEO of the Ufton Court Educational Trust in Berkshire and sister of Richard Benyon MP, and she had experienced a year in office dominated by Covid 19, lockdowns and social distancing – very difficult for a role that is largely people-focussed. Mary had been forced to go ‘online’ and I am grateful that she had already established a virtual presence for the High Sheriff, including an Instagram account. I am happy to report that the number of ‘followers’ increased from 450 to over 600 during my term!

“A downside of this virtual start to my year was that it was not possible for me to be inducted into my role at a face-to-face meeting” “Although the ceremonial parts of the role are very important, each High Sheriff is expected to take an active part in supporting and promoting the voluntary sector and giving all possible encouragement to the voluntary organisations within a County, particularly those involved with crime reduction and social cohesion.

The Role “As the Queen’s Representative for Law and Order in the County I have had the dual role of supporting the criminal justice system and promoting social justice, particularly in respect of understanding the problems that confront our communities and supporting the voluntary sector in their valiant work for those in need.

“There are 55 High Sheriffs in England, and we work with and support the judiciary one of the tasks is to look after visiting High Court Judges, ensuring their ‘safety and comfort’ whenever they are sitting in the County - the police authority, local prisons, the probation service, the fire and ambulance service, local authorities and voluntary organisations.

“In addition to these, the High Sheriff is the Returning Officer for Berkshire, and in the event of the Monarch’s death the High Sheriff has to read the official proclamation in public, something that I am glad did not occur during my term!

“Over the course of the year I have sat with a number of Crown Court Judges and two High Court Judges in a variety of trials, including several murder cases. I visited five prisons, plus one high-security hospital, talking with staff and prisoners to get a better understanding of the issues facing both during their prison term. In the UK we have around 83,000 prisoners, and all apart from about 50 will at some stage be released back into the community. I visited many of the 48 police stations in Berkshire and met a large number of our 4700 officers, 313 special constables and 3150 civilian staff.

The High Sheriff of Berkshire Willie Hartley Russell presented a Major Crime Unit award at the Thames Valley Police Shrievalty Awards. They were first presented in 1981 after the High Sheriffs from each county decided they wanted to recognise those who had made an outstanding contribution to the community.

“Policing has changed completely in our lifetimes, but the dedication of the members of the force has remained constant. I was particularly struck by the challenges the police and judiciary face in combatting Modern Slavery – not limited to prostitution, but prevalent in areas such as car washes, nail bars and agriculture.

“One highlight of the year in office is the Church Service to mark the start of the legal year in October. This is usually held in the Minster Church, St Mary’s, but in 2020 was held outdoors within the Reading Abbey ruins because of Covid restrictions. In 2021 I was keen to hold the service at St James’s Church, Forbury to reflect my own Catholic faith, but also because Reading was celebrating the 900th Anniversary of the founding of Reading Abbey. This was agreed, and I am grateful again to Richard Bennett for the work he put in to the arrangements.”

Above: Before the service outside the Crown Court Reading Crown Court Judges (Blue and Purple) with L-R in red Mrs Justice Stacey (Queens Bench Division), George Anson (HS of Buckinghamshire), Willie Hartley Russell (HS of Berkshire) Abbot Geoffrey Scott (Chaplain HS Berks) & Lady Justice Andrews (Appeal Court Judge)

Above the service in St James Church Supporting the community “The role of High Sheriff is a very busy one and I am very grateful to my employers, CCLA, for supporting me throughout my Shrieval year. The workload involves about 30 engagements each month, sometimes dressed in full ceremonial uniform, whatever the weather – or the task!

“The ceremonial uniform that is worn by male High Sheriffs – and what you see me wearing today -- is called Court Dress. It has remained essentially unchanged since the mid-eighteenth century and consists of a black or dark blue velvet coat with cutsteel buttons, breeches, shoes with cut-steel buckles, a sword and a cocked hat. A lace jabot or white bow tie is worn around the neck. Some High Sheriffs wear their military uniform instead of Court Dress. Lady High Sheriffs generally adapt the style of traditional men’s Court Dress to suit their needs.

“Events where the regalia has been worn include Mayoral Inaugurations across Berkshire, Graduations at the Sandhurst Military Academy, the service at St James’s and, of course “The Court dress is not always worn, however, and then the main evidence of the office is the High Sheriff’s Badge of Office, which I will ask Richard to pass around you now. High Sheriffs hold the rare privilege to use the Royal Crown to symbolise

their ancient office. This permission has been in place since 1991 when the Queen issued her Royal Licence and Authority for the Shrievalty Association of England and Wales to incorporate the Royal Crown in its arms and badge. There are only a few institutions which have been licensed to use the Royal Crown in this way.

“The Crown has an ermine border around its base to symbolise the judiciary. The swords are in saltire (crossed in an x-shape), with the blunt sword representing Mercy and the sharp sword Justice. The Tudor roses symbolise England and the crossed leeks Wales. The wreath of gold oak leaves is representative of the national tree of England.

“Information on how to request a visit of the High Sheriff is available on the High Sheriff of Berkshire website and we try to make it to any occasion or event where we think we can help further the aims of a group or organisation that offers help to people in need in Berkshire. I have presented awards to police teams and to local ‘Lockdown Heroes’, I have planted trees as part of the Queen’s Jubilee Green Canopy initiative, visited volunteer teams at a Newbury soup kitchen and the Watlington House Vaccine Centre in Reading, visited the Sikh Temple in Slough and have opened and supported many local charity events.

Almshouse Charities “An important theme in my life, and one that I wanted to promote during my Shrieval year was the work of Almshouse charities. There are over 186,000 charities in the UK, but of the twenty oldest charities, ten are almshouse organisations. I am a Trustee and vice-chair of the Almshouses Association and Chair of the Donnington Hospital Trust, a family foundation which runs almost 70 almshouses in Berkshire.

The Trust is the 23rd oldest recorded charity and the 10th oldest almshouse foundation in the country. It remains, however, very much a family charity. The work of the Trust is self-financing and we receive no public funding. The Trust provides almshouses to married couples, single men and women who are of retirement age, of good character and of minimal means.

Residents are encouraged to lead independent lives but are supported by wardens to ensure their general wellbeing, although no nursing care is provided. The term "Hospital" refers to the medieval context of hospitality and caring.

“Healthy and caring communities are important to us all and the work that I have witnessed across Berkshire during this past year has been astounding, particularly given the difficult circumstances affecting us all. The entire year has been a great privilege and very rewarding, but I am now looking forward to a few weeks off after my successor, Alka Kharbanda, takes office before then starting to pay back my employers for their indulgence.

“Thank you for inviting me to come and speak at your AGM.” Sources of the additional information incorporated in this article The role and history of the High Sheriff https://berkshirehighsheriff.com/ https://highsheriffs.com/ Donnington Hospital Trust http://www.donningtonhospital.com https://housingcare.org/housing-care/provider-1500-donnington-hospital-trust Almshouses https://www.almshouses.org/ Biography Outside his High Sheriff role, Willie Hartley Russell’s day job is Director, Client Investments at CCLA, responsible for managing relationships with clients. The company manage investments for charities, religious organisations and the public sector. He joined CCLA in 2019 from Smith & Williamson where he was a partner. He began his investment management career at Mercury Asset Management (now BlackRock) in 1996 where he was a senior director on the charities team. He was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 2011 and is a Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire (DL). He is a trustee of two charities including the Donnington Hospital Trust.

The Bucklebury Estate has descended through the same family since 1540 to the current owner, Willie Hartley Russell. The Estate is situated in the heart of the picturesque Pang Valley in Berkshire. Currently it extends to approximately 1600 acres in the parishes of Bucklebury and Stanford Dingley and comprises of farms, forestry, residential and commercial property. It also owns Bucklebury Common.