Manor of Northstead
Encyclopedia
The Manor of Northstead was once a collection of fields and farms in the parish of Scalby in the North Riding of Yorkshire
in England
. By 1600, the manor house had fallen into disrepair and was occupied only by a shepherd
. At present the Manor is part of the Barrowcliff area of the town of Scarborough. The Manor still has a Crown Steward and Bailiff, appointment to which is commonly used as a procedural device to effect the resignation of a Member of Parliament
.
, since British MPs are not permitted simply to resign their seat. Under the Act of Settlement 1701
, any Member of Parliament accepting an office of profit
under the Crown
must give up his or her seat.
Most references say that it was first used in this way on 20 March 1844 to allow Sir George Henry Rose
, Member for Christchurch
, to resign his seat in Parliament, but the official book recording appointments to the various Stewardships (lodged in The National Archives under catalogue reference E 197/1) indicates that Patrick Chalmers
, MP for Montrose Burghs, was appointed to Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 6 April 1842. The writ
for the electing of a replacement was moved as if Chalmers had been appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds
. In more recent years, the post of Manor of Northstead and The Chiltern Hundreds have alternated between resigning MPs.
After announcing his intention to resign from the United Kingdom Parliament in order to stand in the 2011 Irish general election, Sinn Féin
MP Gerry Adams
was appointed to the office Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. Adams later stated the reports that he had "accepted" the appointment were untrue.
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. By 1600, the manor house had fallen into disrepair and was occupied only by a shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
. At present the Manor is part of the Barrowcliff area of the town of Scarborough. The Manor still has a Crown Steward and Bailiff, appointment to which is commonly used as a procedural device to effect the resignation of a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Crown Steward and Bailiff
The position of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead is now used as a procedural device to effect resignation from the House of CommonsResignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
, since British MPs are not permitted simply to resign their seat. Under the Act of Settlement 1701
Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
, any Member of Parliament accepting an office of profit
Office of profit
An office of profit is a term used in a number of national constitutions to refer to executive appointments. A number of countries forbid members of the legislature from accepting an office of profit under the executive as a means to secure the independence of the legislature and preserve the...
under the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
must give up his or her seat.
Most references say that it was first used in this way on 20 March 1844 to allow Sir George Henry Rose
George Henry Rose
Sir George Henry Rose GCH PC was the eldest son of George Rose. He was Member of Parliament for Southampton from 1794–1813 and for Christchurch from 1818–32 and 1837–44, Clerk of the Parliaments from 1818–55 and sometime Envoy Extraordinary to Munich and Berlin, and to the...
, Member for Christchurch
Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Christchurch is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Centred on the town of Christchurch in Dorset, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, to resign his seat in Parliament, but the official book recording appointments to the various Stewardships (lodged in The National Archives under catalogue reference E 197/1) indicates that Patrick Chalmers
Patrick Chalmers (MP)
Patrick Chalmers FSA was a British soldier, writer and politician.He was the son of another Patrick Chalmers, a merchant from Aldbar, from whom he inherited Aldbar Castle. After being educated in Germany he studied at Oxford University, which he left before obtaining a degree...
, MP for Montrose Burghs, was appointed to Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 6 April 1842. The writ
Writ of election
A writ of election is a writ issued by the government ordering the holding of a special election for a political office.In the United Kingdom and in Canada, this is the only way of holding an election for the House of Commons...
for the electing of a replacement was moved as if Chalmers had been appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
. In more recent years, the post of Manor of Northstead and The Chiltern Hundreds have alternated between resigning MPs.
Current Crown Steward and Bailiff
Sir Peter Alfred Soulsby was appointed to the office Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.Controversy
After announcing his intention to resign from the United Kingdom Parliament in order to stand in the 2011 Irish general election, Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
MP Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
was appointed to the office Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. Adams later stated the reports that he had "accepted" the appointment were untrue.
See also
- List of Stewards of the Manor of Northstead
- The stewardship of the Chiltern HundredsChiltern HundredsAppointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
in the Chiltern HillsChiltern HillsThe Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
is also used as a device for resignation.