Shaz - ah yes, it was indeed Roger - very nice and helpful and we shared some good info.
I mined the British Library 19th Century newspaper archives and got quite a few extracts relating to Sherriff names from the Derby Mercury (for Staffordshire). You can't always be sure someone with the same name is the exact person you're after, but sometimes it's obvious.
http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/My ggg-grandfather and his son (Joseph and Alfred Sherriff) were done for highway robbery - stealing some shillings from a servant girl as she went to work through a park in 1880. That's the trouble with them appearing in newspapers - it's usually for bad stuff! But then again, it does give you more info. (I looked up census info for the girl, Lucy Rock - she was only 18 - if I ever come across her descendants I'll feel as though I'll have to apologise for my ancestors' terrible behaviour!)
Here's a few from my files:
The Derby Mercury 17 April 1895:
A Derby Convict and his License - Levi Sherriff was charged with failing to report himself from July last, he being a convict on license. Detective-sergeant Payne said that on April 10th 1889 he was sentenced to five years’ penal servitude and five years police supervision on two charges of horse stealing. He was, however, liberated in May 1892, but a year afterwards he was convicted at this court for drunkenness and police assault. The Home Secretary revoked his license, but he was again liberated the following May from Portland prison. He came to live with his parents at 35 Gisbourne Street, and twice reported himself, but then left the town. On March 10th he was arrested at Chesterfield for horse stealing, but he was discharged at the County Sessions on Wednesday, when witness took him into custody. Had he kept out of trouble his term of imprisonment would have expired next May. Sherriff begged to be let off, saying that his father was on his death bed and he wanted to see him before he died. He failed to get work in Derby and went to the colliery districts. He got nine months taken off his sentence for saving an officer’s life in Portland prison. A prisoner struck one of the warders with a clay pick, and he (Sherriff) interfered. The Bench sentenced him to three months with hard labour, but did not revoke his license.Levi Sherriff, who appears a few times (and is in Portland prison on the 1891 census), was the son of Perrin and Maria (it would be great to confirm when Perrin died, and if that was indeed their address in 1895). And speaking of Perrin, and probably his brother, Thomas...
The Derby Mercury 17 May 1865:
Pern [sic] Sherriff and Thomas Sherriff, two travelling gipsies, were brought up in custody of police-constable Shaw, of Longford, charged under the Vagrant Act with being found camping by the wayside at Longford, not havng any visible means of subsistence. Defendants, on promising to remove their tents, were discharged.Another Thomas, son of Hope...
The Derby Mercury 14 Mar 1900:
Thomas Sheriff of Wirksworth, a private in the 3rd Batt. Sherwood Foresters, who appeared on remand, pleaded guilty to assaulting Henry Clayton on the 19th ult. Complainant stated that on the day named he was passing through the Market Place when Sheriff, without any provocation, struck him a number of blows in the face with his fist, knocking him down, when he became unconscious. Committed to prison for seven days with hard labour. Thomas Sheriff, the same defendant, also pleaded guilty to using violent language at Wirksworth on the 18th ult. He was quarrelling with next-door neighbours. Defendant’s father, a private in the 3rd Batt. Sherwood Foresters, stated that his son would probably be required to proceed to the front about the 15th of the present month. Fined 2s. 6d. and 17s costs or seven days.I'm very intrigued by the name Clayton appearing here, as a few of the Sherriffs seemed to use that name sometimes. Hope has a few entries himself. Here's one for Isaiah Holland:
The Derby Mercury 20 Jul 1881:
Isaiah Holland of Church Gresley, was charged with assaulting Arthur Clamp, licensed victualler, at Gresley, on 18th June last. It appeared the defendant came into the prosecutor’s house drunk, and on being refused drink assaulted him. The Justices said it was a most unprovoked assault, and sent him to gaol for 21 days. A charge of refusing to quit was withdrawn.Best - Garen