THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE STORY OF THE SILVER BODKIN

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

The above illustrates a silver bodkin decorated with the Tudor dynasty roses.   But what was its connection with Findon? 

What was its uses?  The blunt thick needle has a large eye for drawing tape through material and as such was used in sewing years ago.  Queen Elizabeth I had such a silver bodkin that she used with her needlework and it has a Findon association today.  

One day she was peacefully sitting in the garden with her needlework when a courtier arrived for her to choose and appoint a Lord Lieutenant, the oldest secular office in England other than the Crown.   

On this particular occasion, she did not want to stir from her comfortable chair and write anything when the courtier appeared.  Instead she pricked the selected name with her bodkin and continued working on her embroidery.   A little bit of history was put into motion down the centuries.

From then on the choice was made this way by the reigning monarch each March when a list of three names are submitted.    The name is pricked with a silver bodkin.

Our modern Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex is Her Majesty's representative in the county.  The current holder of Her Majesty's commission is Hugh Wyatt of the Cissbury Estate in Nepcote, Findon (OS 127 080).  He was originally appointed by the Queen (on the advice of the Prime Minister's Office) back in 1999 and he may serve as such until he reaches the age of seventy-five.

His first duty is to uphold the dignity of the Crown.   It is his responsibility to arrange visits by the Royal Family to our county and to make all the arrangements for the reception of visiting dignitaries arriving at Gatwick Airport.   He must encourage a varied range of voluntary activity, liase with local units of the Royal Navy, Army and Air Force and hand out medals and awards on the behalf of the Queen.

Hugh Wyatt is also responsible (as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace) for advising on the appointment of Justices of the Peace and for their recruitment and discipline.  

He is supported in his duties by a Vice Lord Lieutenant and a compliment of forty-three deputy Lieutenants.  

How did the office of Lord Lieutenant begin?  

Lord Lieutenants took over from High Sheriffs when King Henry VIII became somewhat suspicious of the loyalties of his Sheriffs.   Lord Lieutenants subsequently took over as military leaders in the shires in 1559.

Continue if you would like to read about Metal Detecting on Nepcote Green — 2004

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.