In article , John Rowland
writes
"Ian Jelf" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Colin Rosenstiel writes

The 1990s unitaries were made to fit in with post-1972 local
government legislation which didn't include County Boroughs.
They are essentially the same though modern unitaries are
not the same as the old County Boroughs in a number of respects.

Is a modern Unitary Authority the same as an old Soke?
Latterly, I think that the only surviving Soke *was* Peterborough,
although they had been commonplace in mediaeval times. Effectively
County Borough = Unitary Authority + Soke (at least as far as
Peterborough was concerned). As an aside, though, the Soke of
Peterborough was in the geographical (or "Ceremonial" county of
Northamptonshire. I suspect that the present Peterborough Unitary
Authority is in the Geographical (or administrative) County of
Cambridgeshire but I could be wrong. Someone here (Clive?) will know.

I think that Brighton and the two Sussexes shared a common
police force, too (but I might be wrong on that one).

When did East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton exist as three separate
counties?
At least since 1889, I think, when the pre 1974 system was effectively
set up. Certainly Sussex was divided administratively at that time
(although I don't think along the exact border of the present day split.
Brighton, being a County Borough, was separate from both and could
therefore have had its own Police Authority (in those days called a
"Watch Committee", but didn't.

They *all* shared Lords Lieutenant, since that was (and is)
an office pertaining to the geographical (now "ceremonial"
county, rather than the administrative one.

What does a Lord Lieutenant do, apart from, presumably, wear a hat and cost
us money?
I suspect that they don't cost us that much. They are the Sovereign's
representative within a County.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk