Lord High Chancellors of England (Great Britain since 1708)
According to the Dictionary of Dates (1881),
(the Lord High Chancellor of England is) "the first lay subject after
the princes of the blood royal. Anciently the office was conferred upon some
dignified ecclesiastic termed Cancellarius, or door-keeper, who admitted
suitors to the sovereign´s presence. Arfastus or Herefast, chaplain
to the king (William the Conqueror) and bishop of Elmham, was lord chancellor
in 1067. Thomas à Becket was made chancellor in 1154. The first person
qualified by education, to decide causes upon his own judgment, was Sir Thomas
More, appointed in 1529, before which time the officer was rather a state
functionary than a judge. Sir Christopher Hatton, appointed lord chancellor
in 1587, was very ignorant, on which account the first reference was made
to a master in 1588. The great seal has been frequently put in commission;
in 1813 the office of Vice-Chancellor was astablished.
The salary of a Lord Chancellor was £ 6,000 in 1875, around 2000 it
was £ 207,736 a year. The Lord Chancellor's salary was higher than that
of any other public official, including even the Prime Minister.
In 2003, Prime Minister Tony Blair chose Lord Falconer
of Thoroton to be Lord Chancellor and "Secretary of State for Constitutional
Affairs". At the same time, he announced his intention to abolish the office
of Lord Chancellor and to make many other constitutional reforms. After much
surprise and confusion, it became clear that the ancient office of Lord
Chancellor could not be abolished without an Act of Parliament. Lord Falconer
of Thoroton duly appeared in the House of Lords to preside
fro
m the Woolsack on the next day. The Lord Chancellor's
Department, however, was renamed the "Department for Constitutional Affairs".
Lord Falconer of Thoroton, who holds the additional office of "Secretary
of State for Constitutional Affairs", has agreed that he will not sit as
a judge in any case. In addition to this, Lord Falconer has chosen to claim
only £ 98,899 of his salary - the same amount received by other Cabinet
ministers in the House of Lords.
In May 2007, the office of the "Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs"
became the "Secretary of State for Justice", which included the former
responsibilities and added a few from the home-office, while it still included
the title of "Lord Chancellor". The current bearer of this title, however,
is for the first time a member of the House of Commons.
Above left, you can see the Woolsack on which the Lord Chancellor sits as
Speaker of the House of Lords, with the Mace behind him. For the medieval
Parliament, the Woolsack was a symbol of the prosperity of the realm. And
yes, it looks like a significant piece of furniture from the "Austin
Powers"-movies. On the right, the Mace, which represents the authority during
sittings in the Houses of Parliament.
My thanks go to Martin George again, who was so kind to let me visit a sitting
in the House of Lords in April 2001, when the (then) Lord Chancellor still
wore the traditional robe and wig of office and led the Lords into their
House. It was an amazing experience I shall never forget.
In this chapter, I have listed the Lord High Chancellors of England (Great
Britain since 1708) since the restoration (of King Charles II), 1660. A complete
list can be found at the site of the
Department for Constitutional
Affairs.
Until 1708, Scotland had its own Lord High Chancellor, but the office was
abolished soon after the "Union Act" in 1707.
Sir Edward Hyde (1609-74, Lord Hyde since 1660, First Earl of Clarendon
since 1661), Lord Chancellor 1658-67. One of the most important advisors
of King Charles I (in the 1640s) and II (during the exile years and after
1660), he was also Chancellor of the Exchequer since 1643.
Sir Orlando Bridgeman (1606-74), lord keeper of the great seal 1667-72.
Lord Anthony Ashley (1621-83,
later the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury), Lord Chancellor 1672-73, chancellor of
the exchequer 1661-72. He was one of the most important politicians in the
mid-17th century, but was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1681
and died in exile in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Sir Heneage Finch (1621-82, Lord Finch since 1674, First Earl of
Nottingham since 1681), "lord
keeper of the seal" since 1673, created Chancellor
in 1675, until 1682. On the left, signed "Finch C" as Chancellor.
Sir Francis North (1637-85, created Lord Guildford in 1683), lord
keeper 1682-85. He was the great-grandfather of the later Prime Minister
Frederick North.
George Jeffreys, (1644-89, First Lord Jeffreys of Wem since 1685),
Lord Chancellor 1685-89; he died in the Tower.
1689-93 The seal in commission
Sir John Somers (1651-1716, Lord Somers of Evesham 1697), lord keeper
since 1693, created Chancellor 1697, until 1700.
Sir Nathan Wright (1654-1721), lord keeper 1700-05, dismissed by the
Marlborough-Godolphin coalition.
William Cowper (died 1723, First Earl Cowper since 1718), lord keeper
since 1705, created Chancellor1707, (1st Lord Chancellor of Great Britain,
the Act of Union), until 1708, again 1714-18.
1708-10 The seal in commission
Sir Simon Harcourt (1661-1727, Lord Harcourt since 1711, First Viscount
Harcourt since 1721), lord keeper since 1710, created chancellor 1713, until
1718.
Thomas Parker (1666-1732, Lord Macclesfield since 1716, created First
Earl of Macclesfield in 1721), Lord Chancellor 1718-25.
1725 The seal in commission
Peter King (1669-1734, Lord King of Ockham since 1725, left), Lord
Chancellor 1725-1733. He became barrister in
1698 and a member of parliament in 1701. By that
time, he had already published anonymously An Enquiry into the Constitution,
Discipline, Unity and Worship of the Primitive Church (1691). His
History of the Apostles´ Creed (1702) was the first attempt to
trace the evolution of the creed. In 1715, he became a member of the privy
council, and in 1725 he was created 1st Baron King of Ockham. Signed
"King C" as Chancellor.
Charles Talbot (1685-1737, Lord Talbot of Hensol), Lord Chancellor
1733-37.
Philip Yorke (1690-1764, Lord Hardwicke since 1733, First Earl
of Hardwicke and Viscount Royston since 1754), Lord Chancellor 1737-1756.
1756 The seal in commission
Sir Robert Henley (1708-72, Lord Henley since 1760, created First
Earl of Northington in 1764), lord keeper since 1756 (the last using this
title), created chancellor 1761, until 1766.
Charles Pratt (1714-94, First Lord Camden since 1765, created First
Earl Camden 1786), Lord Chancellor 1766-70.
Charles Yorke (1722-70), Lord Chancellor 1770.
1770-71 The seal in commission
Henry Bathurst (1714-94, created Lord Apsley in 1771, 2nd Earl Bathurst
since 1775), Lord Chancellor 1771-78.
Edward Thurlow (1731-1806, First Lord Thurlow since 1778, right),
Lord Chancellor 1778-83 and 1783-92. In 1783, he was obliged to resign by
Charles J. Fox,
bu
t resumed office the same year under William Pitt
(the Younger). When he later intrigued against Pitt (with George, Prince
of Wales, later King George IV), he again was obliged to resign. His political
principles were merely a high view of royal prerogative and an aversion to
change.
1783 The seal in commission
1792-93 The seal in commission
Alexander Wedderburn (1733-1805,
First Lord Loughborough since 1780, created Earl of Rosslyn in 1801, left),
Lord Chancellor 1793-1801.
John Scott (1751-1838, created Lord Eldon of Eldon in 1799, Viscount
Encombe
and Earl of Eldon in 1821, right), Lord Chancellor
1801-06 and 1807-27. He surrendered seals after Pitt´s death in January
1806, but resumed the seal in Portland´s government in 1807. At first
adviser of Caroline, Princess of Wales, he transferred his counsels from
Caroline to her husband, Prince of Wales, afterwards King George IV, when
he filed for divorce. After he left office in 1827, he opposed parliamentary
Reform Bill.
Thomas Erskine (1750-1823, created Lord Erskine
of Restormel in 1806, left), Lord Chancellor 1806-07. He was a midshipman
in the West Indies 1764-68 and later published a pamphlet on Abuses in
the Army, after which he was advised to become a lawyer. After his time
in office, he became an advocate of "negro emancipation" and during his final
years worked for the cause of Greek independence.
John Singleton Copley (1772-1863, created
Lord Lyndhurst in 1827, right), Lord Chancellor 1827-30, 1834-35 and 1841-46.
He was the son of a famous American painter and himself was born in Boston,
Massachusetts. In 1817, he was engaged by the crown as prosecuting counsel
and in 1820 conducted the prosecution of Queen Caroline (wife of King George
IV) before the Lords. Signed "Lyndhurst C" as Chancellor in 1829.
Henry Brougham (1778-1868, created Lord Brougham and Vaux in 1830,
left), Lord Chancellor 1830-34. When he studied law, he supported himself
in London by
w
riting for Edinburgh Review while he was
also secretary to former Lord Chancellor Earl of Rosslyn. He later drew attention
to the importance of popular education and instituted an inquiry into charity
abuses, which he extended to Eton and the universities. Caroline, Princess
of Wales, consulted him constantly and, on becoming Queen (1820), appointed
him her attorney-general. Later advocated the immediate abolition of
slavery.
1835-36 The seal in
commission
Sir Charles Pepys (1781-1851, Lord of Cottenham since 1836, created
First Earl of Cottenham in 1850, right), Lord Chancellor 1836-41 and 46-50.
Sir Thomas Wilde (1782-1855, created Lord Truro
of Bowes in 1850, left), Lord Chancellor 1850-52. He distinguished himself
in defence of Queen Caroline (1820).
Sir Edward Burtenshaw Sugden (1781-1875,
created Lord St. Leonards in 1852, right), Lord Chancellor 1852 for less
than a year, due to the fall of the Earl of Derby´s government.
Robert Rolfe (1790-1868, created Lord Cranworth
of Cranworth in 1850, left), Lord Chancellor 1852-58 and 1865-66.
Sir Frederic Thesiger (1794-1878, First
Lord Chelmsford since 1858, right), Lord Chancellor 1858-59 and 1866-68.
He entered the navy in 1807, but returned to England and was called to the
bar in 1818. He became a Conservative member of parliament in 1840 and later
acted as Lord Chancellor in the Lord Derby´s governments.
John Campbell (1779-1861, First Lord Campbell
since 1841, left), Lord Chancellor 1859-61. began working as a barrister
in 1806 and soon acquired a profitable practice. In 1830, ge became a member
in parliament and took a leading part in the Commons in matters of law reform.
He was created Baron Campbell in June 1841 and until September was Lord
Chancellor of Ireland.
Sir Richard Bethell (1800-73, First Lord
Westbury since 1861, right), Lord Chancellor 1861-65. He resigned office
on the passing of a vote of censure on him in the House of Commons as being
"inattentive to public interests".
Hugh Cairns (1819-85, created Lord Cairns in
1867 and Earl Cairns in 1878, left), Lord Chancellor 1868 for less than a
year during Benjamin Disraeli´s first short term as Prime Minister,
and again 1874-80 during
Disraeli
´s more successful second term.
Sir William Page Wood (1801-81, created Lord Hatherley of Hatherley
in 1868, right), Lord Chancellor 1868-72. He began his legal career by collecting
evidence for Queen Caroline´s case in 1820.
Roundell Palmer (1812-95, created Lord Selborne in 1872, First Earl
of Selborne 1882, right), Lord Chancellor 1872-74
and 1880-85. He entered parliament as a Tory in
1847, but was very independent in his views from the beginning, so he gradually
passed over to the Liberal party. He was a member in Palmerston´s and
Russell´s governments, became Lord Chancellor under W.E. Gladstone later.
He opposed Gladstone´s views on the Irish "home rule", so he declined
to enter his third government in 1886.
Sir Hardinge Giffard (1823-1921, created
Lord of Halsbury in 1885, First Earl of Halsbury since 1898, left), Lord
Chancellor 1885-86, 1886-92 and 1895-1905. He presided over production of
complete digest of Laws of England (1905-16). In 1911, he led the
"diehards" among the peers against the Parliament Bill (which reduced the
influence of
the Lords).
Sir Farrer Herschell (1837-99, First Lord Herschell since 1886, right),
Lord Chancellor 1886 and 1892-95. This signature, a few months before he
died in Washington, while he was at work on Anglo-American Commission.
Sir Robert Reid (1846-1923, created Lord Lorburn in 1905, Earl Lorburn
in 1911), Lord Chancellor 1905-12.
Richard Haldane (1856-1928, Viscount Haldane
since 1911, right), Lord Chancellor 1912-15 and 1924. He was Liberal secretary
of state for war 1905-12, during which he, after extensive study of difficult
conditions of army organizations, remodelled the army and made the plans
by which British mobilization took place in 1914. He left office of Lord
Chancellor in 1915 after being groundlessly accused of pro-German sympathies
but returned in 1924 for the Labour party.
Signature from 1913 (as Chancellor, "Haldane C").
Sir Stanley Buckmaster (1861-1934, Lord Buckmaster since 1915, created
First Viscount Buckmaster in 1933, left), Lord Chancellor
1915-16.
Sir Robert Finlay (1842-1929, created Lord Finlay in 1916, First Viscount
Finlay in 1919, right), Lord Chancellor 1916-19.
Sir Frederick Edwin Smith, (FE Smith, 1872-1930,
created Lord Birkenhead in 1919, Viscount in 1921, First Earl Birkenhead
in 1922, left), Lord Chancellor 1919-22. He adhered to the extreme right
wing of the Conservative party which advocated resistance by the Lords to
the Parliament Bill (1911). Later acquired great authority among his legal
colleagues. 1924-28, he returned as secretary of state for
India.
George Cave (1856-1928, First Viscount Cave since 1918, right), Lord
Chancellor 1922-24 and 1924-28. Signed as Lord Chancellor in 1923.
Sir Douglas McGarel Hogg (1872-1950,
created Lord Hailsham in 1928, First Viscount Hailsham 1929), Lord Chancellor
1928-29 and 1935-38, in between Secretary of State for War, among others.
He was the father of the later Lord Chancellor Quintin Hogg.
Sir John Sankey (1866-1948, created Lord
Sankey in 1929, First Viscount Sankey since 1932, right), Lord Chancellor
1929-35. This signature as Chancellor ("Sankey C.") is from the end
of a letter dated 24th June 1929, a few weeks after he was appointed.
Frederick Maugham (1866-1958, Lord Maugham since
1935, created First Viscount Maugham 1939, brother of writer William Somerset
Maugham), Lord Chancellor 1938-39.
Thomas Inskip (1876-1947, created First Viscount Caldecote in 1939),
Lord Chancellor 1939-40.
John Simon (1873-1954, First Viscount Simon
since 1940), Lord Chancellor 1940-45. He held many other important Offices
during his career, among them Home Secretary (1915-16 and 1935-37), Foreign
Secretary (1931-35) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1937-40). The signature
on the left, by the way, is on an official document which is also signed
by King George V.
William Jowitt (1885-1957, created Lord Jowitt in 1945, Viscount 1947,
Earl 1951), Lord Chancellor 1945-51.
Gavin Simonds (1881-1971, Lord Simonds since 1944, created Viscount
Simonds in 1954), Lord Chancellor 1952-54.
David Fyfe (1900-67, created Viscount Kilmuir in 1954), Lord Chancellor
1954-62.
Reginald Manningham-Buller (1905-80, Lord Dilhorne since 1954, created
First Viscount Dilhorne in 1964), Lord Chancellor 1962-64.
Gerald Gardiner (1900-90, Lord Gardiner since 1964), Lord Chancellor
1964-70.
Quintin Hogg (1907-2001,
son of the first Viscount Hailsham, see above; created Lord Hailsham of St
Marylebone in 1970), Lord Chancellor 1970-74 and 1979-87. After a long career
in the Commons, he inherited the title after his father´s death in 1950
and moved to the Lords. In 1963, when he saw a chance to become Prime Minister
(after Harold Macmillan´s sudden announcement that he intended to resign),
he renounced his title and returned to the Commons. He failed to win the
leadership, however, against Alec Douglas-Home (another hereditary peer who
renounced his title), who became Prime Minister afterwards. He received a
life-peerage in 1970 and became the first person to return to the House of
Lords as a life peer after having disclaimed an hereditary
peerage. 
Frederick Elwyn-Jones (1909-89, Lord Elwyn-Jones since 1974, right
below), Lord Chancellor
1974-79.
Sir Michael Havers (1923-92, Lord Havers of St. Edmundsbury since
1987, left), Lord Chancellor 1987. He was a successful advocate and judge
before entering the House of Commons in 1970. He was Solicitor-General under
Edward Heath (1972-74) and Attorney-General under Margaret Thatcher (1979-87),
before he was made a life-peer in 1987 and had a short career as Lord Chancellor
before retiring the same year.
James Mackay (*1927, Lord
Mackay of Clashfern since 1979, right), Lord Chancellor 1987-97. After teaching
mathematics, he switched to law, and was called to the bar in 1955. He took
the title of his peerage from the name of a shepherd´s cottage he knew
as a boy. As Lord Chancellor, he created consternation proposing radical
reform.
Derry Irvine (*1940, Lord
Irvine of Lairg since 1987, left), Lord Chancellor 1997-2003. In the 1960s,
he taught law at the London School of Economics; among his pupils was Tony
Blair. He was legal adviser to the Labour Party through the 80s and had been
Shadow Lord Chancellor since 1992. In addition to his traditional role of
supervising the legal system, in 2001 he gained responsibility for a wide
range of constitutional issues including human rights and freedom of information.
His resignation was announced in June 2003, with his successor Lord Falconer
of Thoroton. At the same time it was announced that the post of Lord Chancellor
would be abolished, made certain by the "Constitutional Reform Act 2005".
Irvine was known to be against such a policy and it was widely speculated
that his departure had not been voluntary.
Charles Falconer (*1951,
Lord Falconer of Thoroton since 1997, right), Lord Chancellor 2003-7. He
was a flatmate of Tony Blair when they were both young barristers in London
in the early 1970s. While Blair went into politics, Falconer concentrated
on his legal career. In 2003 he joined the Cabinet as the first "Constitutional
Affairs Secretary". The post of "Secretary of State for Constituional Affairs"
took over many of the responsibilites of the Lord Chancellor, the Welsh Secretary
and the Scottish Secretary. Falconer remained Lord Chancellor while the process
to abolish the office was started, but announced his intention not to use
the Lord Chancellor's power to sit as a judge. He has also stopped wearing
the traditional robe and wig of office.
Jack Straw (*1946), Lord
Chancellor (and Secretary of State for Justice) since 2007. Straw held the
posts of home- (1997-2001) and foreign-secretary (2001-6) under Tony Blair,
after that he acted as Leader of the House of Commons. On 28th June 2007,
he was appointed Lord Chancellor by new Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Not
the most obvious choice, considering his "radical" background in the 1960s.
Straw is the first ever Lord Chancellor to be a member of the House of
Commons. Straw also succeeded former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott
as "First Secretary of State".