Recorder of Carrickfergus
The recorder of Carrickfergus was a judicial office-holder in pre-independence Ireland. The office dates from 1593, shortly after the incorporation of Carrickfergus.[1] It was abolished by the new Government of Northern Ireland after the Partition of Ireland in 1921.
The office-holder had the usual duties of a
Like most recorderships it was not a
The office was badly paid: originally fixed at £20 a year in 1593, the salary was later reduced to £10,[1] and despite frequent requests, the corporation did not agree to
increase it until 1820. Even then no precise sum was fixed: the corporation merely agreed to pay the expenses of Mr. Dobbs, the recorder, for attending the Quarter Sessions, until such time as they were able to agree a fixed sum.
After the partition of Ireland in 1921, the new Government of Northern Ireland decided that all recorderships except the recorder of Belfast and the recorder of Derry could be dispensed with.
List of recorders of Carrickfergus (incomplete)[2]
- 1593 William Lymsey
- 1596 Mr. Tookfield
- 1602 Sir Thomas Hibbotts, MP for Carrickfergus and later Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland
- 1630 Sir William Sambach, MP for Carrickfergus 1640- 42, and later Solicitor-General for Ireland
- 1641 Roger Lyndon
- 1657 Sir John Lyndon, son of Roger, later justice of the Court of King's Bench (Ireland)
- 1697 Edward Lyndon, son of Sir John; also MP for Carrickfergus 1703-1727
- 1727 George Macartney
- 1740 Edward Smith
- 1759 John Ludford
- 1765 George Hamilton
- 1778 Barry Yelverton, 1st Viscount Avonmore , MP for Carrickfergus 1776-1784
- 1806 Conway Dobbs
Sources
- Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 London John Murray 1926
- Hart, A.R History of the King's Serjeant at law in Ireland Dublin Four Courts Press 2000
- MacSkimin, Samuel History and Antiquities of the County of the town of Carrickfergus Published by the author Belfast 1829
- Smyth, Constantine Joseph Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland London Butterworths 1839
- County Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1959