High Bailiff
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of the Isle of Man |
The High Bailiff (Manx: Ard-Vaylee) is a legal position held within the Isle of Man. The High Bailiff is the head stipendiary magistrate.
Isle of Man
The current High Bailiff is His Worship John Needham, who took office on 30 January 2010 on the retirement of Mr Michael Moyle. Mr Needham was previously Clerk to the Justices. The current Deputy High Bailiff is Her Worship Jayne Hughes.
The High Bailiff and his deputy are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. The High Bailiff and Deputy High Bailiff are ex officio Judicial Officers of the High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man[1] and Coroners of Inquests.[2]
Originally there was a High Bailiff of each of the four towns of the Island, Castletown, Ramsey, Peel and Douglas. In 1911 the offices of High Bailiff of Castletown and Douglas, and the offices of High Bailiff of Peel and Ramsey, were merged. Those offices were merged in turn in 1933 to form a single office of High Bailiff of the Isle of Man.
High Bailiffs of Castletown
- William Callow, 1777-?
- Robert Kelly, 1811-?
- John Kelly, 1832–1854
- James Gell, 1854–1866
- John Moore Jeffcott, 1866–1892
- Sir James Gell, 1892–1911
High Bailiffs of Douglas
- John Cosnahan, 1777–1808
- Norris Moore, 1808–1816
- John McHutchin, 1816–1819
- James Quirk, 1820–1841
- John Courtney Bluett, ?-1855
- Senhouse Wilson, 1855–1864
- Samuel Harris, 1864–1905
- Sir James Gell, 1905–1911
High Bailiffs of Peel
- Robert Farrant, 1777–1794
- Captain George Savage, 1794–1802
- Thomas Clark, 1802–1807
- Hugh Clucas, 1808–1817
- James Quirk, 1817–1820
- John Llewellyn, 1820–1840
- Richard Harrison, 1840–1853
- Robert John Moore, 1853–1884
- A.N. Laughton, 1884–1911
High Bailiffs of Ramsey
- John Frissell Crellin, 1777–1794
- James Wilks, 1794–1805
- Thomas Gawne, 1805–1812
- Ewan Gill, 1812–1821
- Thomas Arthur Corlett, 1821–1828
- John Caesar Gelling, 1828–1832
- Frederick Tellett, 1832–1873
- Sir Alured Dumbell, 1873–1880
- John Corlet LaMothe, 1880–1898
- James Murray Cruikshank, 1898–1911
High Bailiffs of Douglas and Castletown
- James Stowell Gell, 1911–1918
- Reginald Douglas Farrant, 1919–1925
- William Lay, 1925–1933
High Bailiffs of Ramsey and Peel
- James Murray Cruikshank, 1911–1916
- F. M. LaMothe, 1916–1921
- William Lay, 1921–1925
- William Percy Cowley, 1925–1933
High Bailiffs of the Isle of Man
- William Lay, 1933-1937
- Henry Percy Kelly, 1937-1938[3]
- Ramsey Gelling Johnson, 1938-1947[4]
- Howard Deighton Lay, 1947-1961
- Robert Kinley Eason, 1961-1969
- Henry Callow, 1969–1988
- Weldon Williams, 1988–1995
- Andrew Williamson, 1995–2002 [5]
- Michael Moyle, 2002–2010
- John Needham, 2010–Present
Deputy High Bailiff
- unknown, 1933–1977
- Weldon Williams, 1977–1988
- Andrew Williamson, 1988–1995
- Michael Moyle, 1995–2002
- Alastair Montgomerie, 2002-2011
- Jayne Hughes, 2011–Present