The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-21 00:00:00

SHERIFF'S ENTERTAINMENT.

Last evening the newly appointed Sheriffs of the City of
London, Mr. Alderman Dakin and Mr. Alderman Besley,
entertained about 300 of the principal citizens and members
of the corporation at dinner at the London Tavern. The
company included Mr Crawford, Mr Goachen, two of the
representatives of the city of London in Parliament, Sir
John Grant, Mr Tite, M.P., Mr Gilpin, M.P., Colonel
Evelyn, Mr R. W. Kennard, M.P., Mr Norris, M.P.,
Alderman Sir Francis Moon, Alderman Sir Robert Carden,
Alderman Rose, M.P., Alderman Sidney, M.P., and many
other members of the Court of Aldermen; Mr Henry Pow-
nall, chairman of the Middlesex magistrates; Mr Thwaites,
President of the Metropolitan Board of Works ; Lieutenant-
Colonel Warde, Dlr Marmaduke Sampson ; Mr J. Sp.cer,
Master of the Fishmongers' Company; and Mr. White,
Master of the Spectaclemakers' Company. There were also
present Mr Chambers, the Common-Sergeant ; Mr Corry,
the Remembrances; Mr Woodthorpe, the Tcwn Clerk;
Mr S:condary Potter; Mr Chaplin, chairman of the City
Lands Committee ; Mr John Sewell, clerk of the chamber ;
Mr Deputy Fry, Mr Deputy Charles Reed, Mr Deputy
Lott, and Mr Henry Lowman Taylor, among other members
and cffieere of the corporation. The Sheriffs, of course,
preeided at the entertainment, which was a very sumptuous
one, and the Under-Sheriffs (Mr Septimus Davidson and
Mr Deputy De Jersey) acted as vice-chairmen. It is some
years since two aldermen filled the office of sheriff of
London and Middlesex at the same time, and additional
dignity is supposed to be imparted to it by that cir-
cumstance. The office is one of great antiquity, dating as
it does from the time of William the Conqueror, and it
has been an object of ambition among the principal citizens
of all times. No man is presumed to hold it, by an ordi-
nance of the Corporation, who has not property or money
to the amount of £15,000 or £20,000, and he is obliged to
enter into recognisances to the amount of £l,OOO for the due
execution of the duties. A man who is elected to the office
and declines to undertake it renders himself liable to a large
pecuniary fine, and there have been some who in the pleni-
tude of their wealth have paid the penalty rather than
assume the attendant responsibility and cost. The office
imposes on the holders a very considerable amount of ex-
penditure in the way of hospitality and charity. For
example, the Sheriffs for the time being have to bear a
moiety of the cost of the groat entertainment in the Guild-
hall on Lord Mayor's day, which usually amounts to £2,000
or £3,000. They take a conspicuous part in all civic
pageants and processions, and, with the Lord Mayor, in
escorting the judges to the Central Criminal Court from
time to time. Until recent years they were formally pre-
sented, with much ceremony, un their appointment to (Alen
to the Cursitor-Baron of the Court of Exchequer in West-
minster-hall, but of late the custom has fallen into desue-
tude, and their election is now officially recognised in the
private office of the Queen's Remembrancer. On the removal
of the cloth last evening a few toasts were given, but they
were chiefly of a civic and complimentary characterr, and
the speeches by which they were prefaced had little or no
interest. In the course of the evening Madame Weiss,
Mr Whytock, Mr Carter, and Mr Chaplin Henry sang at
intervals, under the direction of Mr Hatton, and the com-
pany separated about 11 o'clock.