History of Sergeant-at-Arms

The title of Serjeant-at-Arms takes its name from the time of the Crusades, when Philip the August, King of France, employed special bodyguards to protect him in the Holy Land in 1192. These serjeants d’Armes were encased in head-to-toe body armour and carried a decorated battle mace (Marsden, pp. 76-77).

Later, in 1278, King Edward I of England recruited 20 serjeants-at-arms as his personal escorts. These serjeants wielded royal authority and could arrest anyone for treason. Not only was there a royal serjeant, cities and boroughs adopted the serjeant as well. These men took over the duties of the bailiffs and reeves. They were men to be feared.

In 1415, the House of Commons requested its own serjeant-at-arms to enforce parliamentary privilege. He was the “King’s officer of state, and by virtue of the King’s insignia on his mace he was empowered to exercise royal authority over ordinary citizens – but on the instructions of the Speaker” (Marsden, p. 79). His powers were suspended when parliament was not sitting, but when it was in session, he had complete powers of arrest, trial, and imprisonment.

When the Nova Scotia House of Assembly was established in 1758, there was no official Sergeant-at-Arms. There was, however, a messenger who seems to have taken on the role. John Callbeck, the first messenger, was called upon by the Speaker to confine Archibald Hinshelwood, Deputy Secretary of the Province, who had insulted a member and the House. Similarly, in a letter dated November 29, 1784, Peter Etter was asked by the Speaker to present William Shaw, Esq. at the bar of the House.

Messengers and Door Keepers

(1758-1790) 1758 – 1764 John Callbeck

1765 – 1766 Alexander Cunningham

1767 – 1774 John Kent

1775 – 1779 Unknown (No name appears in the Journals)

1780 – 1789 Peter Etter

March 9, 1790, the House “Resolved, that a proper Person be appointed to Act in the Capacity of Sergeant at Arms to this House”. There is no indication as to why a sergeant-at-arms was sought at that time.

Sergeants-at-Arms (1790-Present)

Source: Elliott, The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia 1758-1983.