List of lord chancellors and lord keepers
The following is a list of lord chancellors and lord keepers of the Great Seal of England and Great Britain. It also includes a list of commissioners of Parliament's Great Seal during the English Civil War and Interregnum.
Lord chancellors and lord keepers of England, 1050–1707
11th century
- Regenbald (1050 – after 1066)
- Herfast (1068–1070)
- Saint Osmund, count of Sées and bishop of Salisbury (c. 1070)
- Maurice, Archdeacon of Le Mans (c. 1078)
- Gerard, Preceptor of Rouen, later Archbishop of York (c. 1085 – before 1091)
- Robert Bloet (after January 1091)
- William Giffard (1094–1101)
12th century
- Roger of Salisbury (1101–1102)
- Waldric (1102–1107)
- Ranulf (1107–1123)
- Geoffrey Rufus (1123–1133)
- Robert de Sigello (1133–1135) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Roger le Poer (1135–1139)
- Philip de Harcourt, Dean of Lincoln (1139–1140)
- Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1140–1141)
- William FitzGilbert (1141–1142)
- Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1142–1154)
- Thomas Becket, Archdeacon of Canterbury, later Archbishop of Canterbury (1155–1162)
- Geoffrey Ridel, Archdeacon of Canterbury (1162–1173)
- Ralph de Warneville, Treasurer of York (1173–1181)
- Geoffrey, the Bastard, Plantagenet (1181–1189)
- William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely (1189–1197)
- Eustace, Dean of Salisbury (1197–1199) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Eustace, Dean of Salisbury (1198–1199)
13th century
- Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury (1199–1205)
- Walter de Gray, at various times Bishop of Lichfield, Bishop of Worcester, Archbishop of York (1205–1214)
- Richard Marsh, later Bishop of Durham (1214–1226)
- Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester (1226–1240)
- Richard le Gras, Abbot of Evesham (1240–1242)
- Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester (1242–1244)
- Silvester de Everdon, Archdeacon of Chester (1244–1246) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Maunsell, Provost of Beverley (1246–1247) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Lexington (1247–1248) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Maunsell (1248–1249) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Lexington (1249–1253) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Eleanor of Provence,[1][a] Queen Consort and Regent of England (1253–1254) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- William of Kilkenny (1254–1255) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Henry Wingham, from 1259/1260 Bishop of London (1255–1260)
- Nicholas of Ely, Archdeacon of Ely (1260–1261)
- Walter de Merton, Archdeacon of Bath (1261–1263)
- Nicholas of Ely, Archdeacon of Ely (1263)
- John Chishull, Archdeacon of London (1263–1264)
- Thomas Cantilupe, Archdeacon of Stafford (1264–1265)
- Ralph Sandwich (1265) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Walter Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells (1265–1266)
- Godfrey Giffard, Archdeacon of Wells (1266–1268)
- John Chishull, Dean of St Paul's (1268–1269)
- Richard Middleton, Archdeacon of Northumberland (1269–1272)
- Walter de Merton, Archdeacon of Bath (1272–1274)
- Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath (1274–1292)
- Thomas Bek, Archdeacon of Dorset (1279) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Langton, Canon of Lincoln (1292–1302)
14th century
- William Greenfield, Dean of Chichester (1302–1305)
- William Hamilton, Dean of York (1305–1307)
- Ralph Baldock, Bishop of London (1307)
- John Langton, Bishop of Chichester (1307–1310)
- Walter Reynolds, Bishop of Worcester (1310–1314)
- John Sandale, Canon of Lincoln (1314–1318)
- John Hotham, Bishop of Ely (1318–1320)
- John Salmon, Bishop of Norwich (1320–1323)
- Robert Baldock, Archdeacon of Middlesex (1323–1326)
- William Ayermin, Bishop of Norwich (1326–1327)
- John Hotham, Bishop of Ely (1327–1328)
- Henry Burghersh, Bishop of Lincoln (1328–1330)
- John de Stratford, Bishop of Winchester (1330–1334)
- Richard Bury, Bishop of Durham (1334–1335)
- John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (1335–1337)
- Robert de Stratford, Bishop of Chichester (1337–1338)
- Richard Bintworth, Bishop of London (1338–1339)
- John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (1340)
- Robert de Stratford, Bishop of Chichester (1340)
- Robert Bourchier, 1st Baron Bourchier (1340–1341)
- Robert Parning (1341–1343)
- Robert Sadington (1343–1345)
- John de Ufford, Dean of Lincoln (1345–1349)
- John Thoresby, Bishop of Worcester (1349–1356)
- William Edington, Bishop of Winchester (1356–1363)
- Simon Langham, Bishop of Ely (1363–1367)
- William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1367–1371)
- Robert Thorpe (1371–1372)
- John Knyvet (1372–1377)
- Adam Houghton, Bishop of St David's (1377–1378)
- Lord Scrope of Bolton (1378–1380)
- Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury (1380–1381)
- Hugh Segrave (1381) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- William Courtenay, Bishop of London (1381)
- Lord Scrope of Bolton (1381–1382)
- Robert Braybrooke, Bishop of London (1382–1383)
- Lord de la Pole (later Earl of Suffolk) (1383–1386)
- Thomas Arundel, Bishop of Ely (1386–1389)
- William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1389–1391)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of York (1391–1396)
- Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter (1396–1399)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1399)
15th century
- John Scarle, Archdeacon of Lincoln (1399–1401)
- Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter (1401–1403)
- Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Lincoln (1403–1405)
- Thomas Langley, Dean of York (1405–1407)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1407–1410)
- Thomas Beaufort (1410–1412)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1412–1413)
- Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (1413–1417)
- Thomas Langley, Bishop of Durham (1417–1424)
- Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (1424–1426)
- John Kemp, Archbishop of York (1426–1432)
- John Stafford, Bishop of Bath (later Archbishop of Canterbury) (1432–1450)
- John Kemp, Archbishop of York (1450–1454)
- Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (1454–1455)
- Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury (1455–1456)
- William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester (1456–1460)
- George Neville, Bishop of Exeter (1460–1467)
- Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath (1467–1470)
- George Neville, Archbishop of York (1470–1471)
- Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath (1471–1473)
- Laurence Booth, Bishop of Durham (1473–1474)
- John Alcock, Bishop of Rochester (1475) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Thomas Rotheram, Bishop of Lincoln (1475–1483)
- John Russell, Bishop of Lincoln (1483–1485)
- Thomas Rotheram, Archbishop of York (1485)
- John Alcock, Bishop of Worcester (1485–1486)
- John Morton, Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury (1486–1500)
1500–1654
Image | Name | Term of office | Monarch (reign) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Henry Deane, Archbishop of Canterbury, Keeper | 1500 | 1502 | Henry VII (1485–1509) | |
William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, Keeper to 1504 | 1502 | 1515 | ||
Henry VIII (1509–1547) | ||||
Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Archbishop of York | 1515 | 1529 | ||
Thomas More[b] | 1529 | 1532 | ||
Thomas Audley (Lord Audley of Walden from 1538)[b] | 1532 | 1544 | ||
Lord Wriothesley | 1544 | 1547 | ||
Edward VI (1547–1553) | ||||
Lord St John, Keeper | 1547 | 1547 | ||
Lord Rich[b] | 1547 | 1551 | ||
Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely | 1552 | 1553 | ||
Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester | 1553 | 1555 | Mary I (1553–1558) | |
Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York | 1555 | 1558 | ||
Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper | 1558 | 1579 | Elizabeth I (1558–1603) | |
Thomas Bromley | 1579 | 1587 | ||
Christopher Hatton | 1587 | 1591 | ||
In commission:
| 1591 | 1592 | ||
John Puckering, Lord Keeper[b] | 1592 | 1596 | ||
Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper to 19 July 1603 (Lord Ellesmere from 1603; Viscount Brackley from 1616) | 6 May 1596 | 5 March 1617 | ||
James I (1603–1625) | ||||
Francis Bacon, Lord Keeper to 1618 (Lord Verulam from 1618 Viscount St Alban from 1621) | 7 March 1617 | 1621 | ||
In commission:
| 1621 | 1621 | ||
John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, Lord Keeper | 1621 | 1625 | ||
Thomas Coventry, Lord Keeper (Lord Coventry from 1628) | 1625 | 1640 | Charles I (1625–1649) | |
Lord Finch, Lord Keeper[b] | 1640 | 1641 | ||
Lord Lyttleton of Mounslow, Lord Keeper (Took Great Seal to the King in 1642) | 1641 | 1645 | ||
Richard Lane, Lord Keeper | 1645 | 1650 | ||
Charles II Court in exile from 1649 | ||||
Vacant | 1650 | 1653 | ||
Edward Herbert, Lord Keeper | 1653 | 1654 |
The Great Seal was captured and destroyed by Parliament on 11 August 1646.
Commissioners of Parliament's Great Seal 1643–1660
Image | Name[2] | Term |
---|---|---|
In commission:
| Nov 1643 – Oct 1646 | |
In commission:
| 1646–1648 | |
In commission: | 1648–1649 | |
In commission: | 1649–1654 | |
In commission: | 1654–1656 | |
In commission:
| 1656–1659 | |
In commission:
| January–June 1659 | |
In commission:
| June 1659 – 1660 | |
In commission: | 1660–1660 |
From the Restoration (1660) to the Act of Union (1707)
Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper | Term of office | Other peerage(s) | Monarch (reign) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edward Hyde | 13 January 1658 | 30 August 1667 | Baron Hyde in 1660 Earl of Clarendon in 1661 | Charles II (1660–1685) | |
Orlando Bridgeman[c] | 31 August 1667 | 17 November 1672 | — | ||
Anthony Ashley Cooper 1st Earl of Shaftesbury | 17 November 1672 | 9 November 1673 | |||
Heneage Finch (Lord Keeper until 1675) (Lord Finch from 10 January 1673, Earl of Nottingham from 12 May 1681) | 9 November 1673 | 18 December 1682† | — | ||
Francis North[c] | 20 December 1682 | 5 September 1685† | Baron Guilford in 1683 | ||
James II (1685–1688) | |||||
Lord Jeffreys | 28 September 1685 | December 1688 | — | ||
In commission:
| 4 March 1689 | 14 May 1690 | — | Mary II (1689–1694) & William III (1689–1702) | |
In commission:
| 14 May 1690 | 22 March 1693 | — | ||
John Somers (Lord Keeper until 1697) (Lord Somers from 1697) | 23 March 1693 | 27 April 1700 | — | ||
In commission:
| 27 April 1700 | 31 May 1700 | — | ||
Nathan Wright[c] | 31 May 1700 | 11 October 1705 | — | ||
Anne (1702–1714) | |||||
William Cowper[c] | 11 October 1705 | 4 May 1707 | Baron Cowper in 1706 |
Lord high chancellors and lord keepers of Great Britain (1707–present)
Tory Whig Conservative Liberal Labour National Labour National Liberal | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High Chancellor and Lord Keeper | Term of office | Party | Ministry | Other peerage(s) | Monarch (Reign) | ||||
William Cowper 1st Baron Cowper | 4 May 1707 | 23 September 1710[3] | — | Godolphin–Marlborough | see below | Anne (1702–1714) | |||
Oxford–Bolingbroke | |||||||||
In commission:
| 26 September 1710 | 19 October 1710 | — | — | |||||
Simon Harcourt 1st Baron Harcourt[d] | 19 October 1710 | 21 September 1714 | Tory | Viscount Harcourt in 1721 | |||||
William Cowper 1st Baron Cowper | 21 September 1714 | 15 April 1718 | — | Townshend | Earl Cowper in 1718 | George I (1714–1727) | |||
Stanhope–Sunderland I | |||||||||
In commission:
| 18 April 1718 | 12 May 1718 | — | Stanhope–Sunderland II | — | ||||
Thomas Parker 1st Baron Parker | 12 May 1718 | 7 January 1725 | Whig | Earl of Macclesfield in 1721 | |||||
Walpole–Townshend | |||||||||
In commission: | 7 January 1725 | 1 June 1725 | — | — | |||||
Peter King 1st Baron King | 1 June 1725 | 29 November 1733 | — | — | |||||
George II (1727–1760) | |||||||||
Walpole | |||||||||
Charles Talbot 1st Baron Talbot | 29 November 1733 | 14 February 1737† | — | — | |||||
Philip Yorke 1st Baron Hardwicke | 21 February 1737 | 19 November 1756 | Whig | Earl of Hardwicke in 1754 | |||||
Carteret | |||||||||
Broad Bottom (I & II) | |||||||||
Newcastle I | |||||||||
In commission: | 19 November 1756 | 30 June 1757 | — | Pitt–Devonshire | — | ||||
1757 Caretaker | |||||||||
Robert Henley 1st Baron Henley[e] | 30 June 1757 | 30 July 1766 | Whig | Pitt–Newcastle | Earl of Northington in 1764 | ||||
George III (1760–1820) [f] | |||||||||
Bute | |||||||||
Grenville (Whig–Tory) | |||||||||
Rockingham I | |||||||||
Charles Pratt 1st Baron Camden | 30 July 1766 | 17 January 1770 | Whig | Chatham (Whig–Tory) | Earl Camden in 1786 | ||||
Grafton (Whig–Tory) | |||||||||
Charles Yorke MP for Cambridge University | 17 January 1770 | 20 January 1770† | Whig | [g] | |||||
In commission: | 21 January 1770 | 23 January 1771 | — | North | — | ||||
Henry Bathurst 1st Baron Apsley | 23 January 1771 | 3 June 1778 | Tory | Succeeded as Earl Bathurst in 1775 | |||||
Edward Thurlow 1st Baron Thurlow | 3 June 1778 | 7 April 1783 | Tory | ||||||
Rockingham II | see below | ||||||||
Shelburne (Whig–Tory) | |||||||||
In commission:
| 9 April 1783 | 23 December 1783 | — | Fox–North (Whig–Tory) | — | ||||
Edward Thurlow 1st Baron Thurlow | 23 December 1783 | 15 June 1792 | Tory | Pitt I | Baron Thurlow in 1792 | ||||
In commission:
| 15 June 1792 | 28 January 1793 | — | — | |||||
Alexander Wedderburn 1st Baron Loughborough | 28 January 1793 | 14 April 1801 | — | Earl of Rosslyn in 1801 | |||||
John Scott 1st Baron Eldon | 14 April 1801 | 7 February 1806 | Tory | Addington | see below | ||||
Pitt II | |||||||||
Thomas Erskine 1st Baron Erskine | 7 February 1806 | 1 April 1807 | Whig | All the Talents (Whig–Tory) | — | ||||
John Scott 1st Baron Eldon | 1 April 1807 | 12 April 1827 | Tory | Portland II | Earl of Eldon in 1821 | ||||
Perceval | |||||||||
Liverpool | |||||||||
George IV (1820–1830) | |||||||||
John Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst | 2 May 1827 | 24 November 1830 | Tory | Canning (Canningite–Whig) | — | ||||
Goderich (Canningite–Whig) | |||||||||
Wellington–Peel | |||||||||
William IV (1830–1837) | |||||||||
Henry Brougham 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux | 24 November 1830 | 21 November 1834 | Whig | Grey | Baron Brougham and Vaux in 1860 | ||||
Melbourne I | |||||||||
John Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst | 21 November 1834 | 8 April 1835 | Conservative | Wellington Caretaker | — | ||||
Peel I | |||||||||
In commission: | 23 April 1835 | 16 January 1836 | — | Melbourne II | — | ||||
Charles Pepys 1st Baron Cottenham | 16 January 1836 | 30 August 1841 | Whig | see below | |||||
Victoria (1837–1901) | |||||||||
John Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst | 3 September 1841 | 27 June 1846 | Conservative | Peel II | — | ||||
Charles Pepys 1st Baron Cottenham | 6 July 1846 | 19 June 1850 | Whig | Russell I | Earl of Cottenham in 1850 | ||||
In commission: | 19 June 1850 | 15 July 1850 | — | — | |||||
Thomas Wilde 1st Baron Truro | 15 July 1850 | 21 February 1852 | Whig | — | |||||
Edward Sugden 1st Baron St Leonards[h] | 27 February 1852 | 17 December 1852 | Conservative | Who? Who? | — | ||||
Robert Rolfe 1st Baron Cranworth | 28 December 1852 | 21 February 1858 | Whig | Aberdeen (Peelite–Whig) | — | ||||
Palmerston I | |||||||||
Frederic Thesiger 1st Baron Chelmsford | 26 February 1858 | 11 June 1859 | Conservative | Derby–Disraeli II | — | ||||
John Campbell 1st Baron Campbell[h] | 18 June 1859 | 24 June 1861 | Liberal | Palmerston II | — | ||||
Richard Bethell 1st Baron Westbury | 26 June 1861 | 7 July 1865 | Liberal | — | |||||
Robert Rolfe 1st Baron Cranworth | 7 July 1865 | 26 June 1866 | Liberal | — | |||||
Russell II | |||||||||
Frederic Thesiger 1st Baron Chelmsford | 6 July 1866 | 29 February 1868 | Conservative | Derby–Disraeli III | — | ||||
Hugh Cairns 1st Baron Cairns | 29 February 1868 | 1 December 1868 | Conservative | see below | |||||
William Wood 1st Baron Hatherley | 9 December 1868 | 15 October 1872 | Liberal | Gladstone I | — | ||||
Roundell Palmer 1st Baron Selborne | 15 October 1872 | 17 February 1874 | Liberal | see below | |||||
Hugh Cairns 1st Baron Cairns | 21 February 1874 | 21 April 1880 | Conservative | Disraeli II | Earl Cairns in 1878 | ||||
Roundell Palmer 1st Baron Selborne | 28 April 1880 | 9 June 1885 | Liberal | Gladstone II | Earl of Selborne in 1882 | ||||
Hardinge Giffard 1st Baron Halsbury | 24 June 1885 | 28 January 1886 | Conservative | Salisbury I | see below | ||||
Farrer Herschell 1st Baron Herschell | 6 February 1886 | 20 July 1886 | Liberal | Gladstone III | — | ||||
Hardinge Giffard 1st Baron Halsbury | 3 August 1886 | 11 August 1892 | Conservative | Salisbury II | — | ||||
Farrer Herschell 1st Baron Herschell | 18 August 1892 | 21 June 1895 | Liberal | Gladstone IV | — | ||||
Rosebery | |||||||||
Hardinge Giffard 1st Baron Halsbury | 29 June 1895 | 4 December 1905 | Conservative | Salisbury (III & IV) (Con.–Lib.U.) | Earl of Halsbury in 1898 | ||||
Edward VII (1901–1910) | |||||||||
Balfour (Con.–Lib.U.) | |||||||||
Robert Reid 1st Baron Loreburn | 10 December 1905 | 10 June 1912 | Liberal | Campbell-Bannerman | Earl Loreburn in 1911 | ||||
Asquith (I–III) | |||||||||
George V (1910–1936) | |||||||||
Richard Haldane 1st Viscount Haldane | 10 June 1912 | 25 May 1915 | Liberal | — | |||||
Stanley Buckmaster 1st Baron Buckmaster | 25 May 1915 | 5 December 1916 | Liberal | Asquith Coalition (Lib.–Con.–Lab.) | Viscount Buckmaster in 1933 | ||||
Robert Finlay 1st Baron Finlay | 10 December 1916 | 10 January 1919 | Conservative | Lloyd George (I & II) (Lib.–Con.–Lab.) | Viscount Finlay in 1919 | ||||
F. E. Smith 1st Baron Birkenhead | 10 January 1919 | 19 October 1922 | Conservative | Viscount Birkenhead in 1921 Earl of Birkenhead in 1922 | |||||
George Cave 1st Viscount Cave | 24 October 1922 | 22 January 1924 | Conservative | Law | — | ||||
Baldwin I | |||||||||
Richard Haldane 1st Viscount Haldane | 22 January 1924 | 6 November 1924 | Labour | MacDonald I | — | ||||
George Cave 1st Viscount Cave | 6 November 1924 | 28 March 1928 | Conservative | Baldwin II | — | ||||
Douglas Hogg 1st Baron Hailsham | 28 March 1928 | 4 June 1929 | Conservative | Viscount Hailsham in 1929 | |||||
John Sankey 1st Baron Sankey | 7 June 1929 | 7 June 1935 | Labour | MacDonald II | Viscount Sankey in 1932 | ||||
National Labour | National I (N.Lab.–Con.–N.Lib. –Lib. | ||||||||
National II (N.Lab.–Con.–N.Lib. –Lib. until 1932) | |||||||||
Douglas Hogg 1st Viscount Hailsham | 7 June 1935 | 9 March 1938 | Conservative | National III (Con.–N.Lab.–N.Lib.) | — | ||||
Edward VIII (1936) | |||||||||
National IV (Con.–N.Lab.–N.Lib.) | George VI (1936–1952) | ||||||||
Frederic Maugham Baron Maugham | 9 March 1938 | 3 September 1939 | Conservative | Viscount Maugham in 1939 | |||||
Thomas Inskip 1st Viscount Caldecote | 3 September 1939 | 12 May 1940 | Conservative | Chamberlain War (Con.–N.Lab.–N.Lib.) | — | ||||
John Simon 1st Viscount Simon | 10 May 1940 | 27 July 1945 | National Liberal | Churchill War (All parties) | — | ||||
Churchill Caretaker (Con.–N.Lib.) | |||||||||
William Jowitt 1st Baron Jowitt | 27 July 1945 | 26 October 1951 | Labour | Attlee (I & II) | Viscount Jowitt in 1947 Earl Jowitt in 1951 | ||||
Gavin Simonds Baron Simonds | 30 October 1951 | 18 October 1954 | Conservative | Churchill III | Baron Simonds in 1952 Viscount Simonds in 1954 | ||||
Elizabeth II (1952–2022) | |||||||||
David Maxwell Fyfe 1st Viscount Kilmuir | 18 October 1954 | 13 July 1962 | Conservative | Earl of Kilmuir in 1962 | |||||
Eden | |||||||||
Macmillan (I & II) | |||||||||
Reginald Manningham-Buller 1st Baron Dilhorne | 13 July 1962 | 16 October 1964 | Conservative | Viscount Dilhorne in 1962 | |||||
Douglas-Home | |||||||||
Gerald Gardiner Baron Gardiner | 16 October 1964 | 19 June 1970 | Labour | Wilson (I & II) | — | ||||
Quintin Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone | 20 June 1970 | 4 March 1974 | Conservative | Heath | — | ||||
Frederick Elwyn Jones Baron Elwyn-Jones | 5 March 1974 | 4 May 1979 | Labour | Wilson (III & IV) | — | ||||
Callaghan | |||||||||
Quintin Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone | 4 May 1979 | 13 June 1987 | Conservative | Thatcher I | — | ||||
Thatcher II | |||||||||
Michael Havers Baron Havers | 13 June 1987 | 26 October 1987 | Conservative | Thatcher III | — | ||||
James Mackay Baron Mackay of Clashfern | 28 October 1987 | 2 May 1997 | Conservative | — | |||||
Major I | |||||||||
Major II | |||||||||
Derry Irvine Baron Irvine of Lairg | 2 May 1997 | 12 June 2003 | Labour | Blair I | — | ||||
Blair II | |||||||||
Charlie Falconer Baron Falconer of Thoroton | 12 June 2003 | 27 June 2007 | Labour | — | |||||
Blair III | |||||||||
Jack Straw[i] MP for Blackburn | 28 June 2007 | 11 May 2010 | Labour | Brown | — | ||||
Kenneth Clarke MP for Rushcliffe | 12 May 2010 | 4 September 2012 | Conservative | Cameron–Clegg (Con.–L.D.) | Baron Clarke of Nottingham for Life in 2020 | ||||
Chris Grayling MP for Epsom and Ewell | 4 September 2012 | 9 May 2015 | Conservative | — | |||||
Michael Gove MP for Surrey Heath | 9 May 2015 | 14 July 2016 | Conservative | Cameron II | — | ||||
Liz Truss[j] MP for South West Norfolk | 14 July 2016 | 11 June 2017 | Conservative | May I | — | ||||
David Lidington MP for Aylesbury | 11 June 2017 | 8 January 2018 | Conservative | May II | — | ||||
David Gauke MP for South West Hertfordshire | 8 January 2018 | 24 July 2019 | Conservative | — | |||||
Robert Buckland MP for South Swindon | 24 July 2019 | 15 September 2021 | Conservative | Johnson I | — | ||||
Johnson II | |||||||||
Dominic Raab MP for Esher and Walton | 15 September 2021 | 6 September 2022 | Conservative | — | |||||
Brandon Lewis MP for Great Yarmouth | 6 September 2022 | 25 October 2022 | Conservative | Truss | — | ||||
Charles III (2022–present) | |||||||||
Dominic Raab MP for Esher and Walton | 27 October 2022 | 21 April 2023[4] | Conservative | Sunak | — | ||||
Alex Chalk MP for Cheltenham | 26 April 2023 | 5 July 2024 | Conservative | — | |||||
Shabana Mahmood MP for Birmingham Ladywood | 5 July 2024 | Incumbent | Labour | Starmer | — |
Timeline
Notes
- ^ Not Lord Chancellor as such, but exercised those functions as regent until she appointed William of Kilkenny; only woman to do so until Liz Truss was appointed in 2016.
- ^ a b c d e A former Speaker of the House of Commons.
- ^ a b c d Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
- ^ Lord Keeper of the Great Seal until 7 April 1713.
- ^ Lord Keeper of the Great Seal until 16 January 1761.
- ^ The Prince of Wales served as prince regent from 5 February 1811.
- ^ Charles Yorke, who had been associated with the opposition, was persuaded to accept appointment as Lord Chancellor and was to have been created Baron Morden. However on meeting with his erstwhile opposition colleagues he became ashamed of his action. He refused to sign the patent conferring the peerage on himself and then committed suicide.
- ^ a b A former Lord High Chancellor of Ireland.
- ^ First non-peer to serve as Lord Chancellor since Robert Henley as Lord Keeper of the Seal in 1760.
- ^ First woman to hold the office, and first to exercise its functions since Eleanor of Provence in 1254.
References
- ^ "Swearing In of the Lord Chancellor" (PDF). The Right Hon. The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Cook and Wroughton, English Historical Facts, 1603–1688, pp. 8–9
- ^ Geoffrey Treasure, ‘Cowper, William, first Earl Cowper (1665–1723)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, September 2004; online edn, January 2009 accessed 27 March 2009
- ^ "Dominic Raab resigns over bullying report". BBC News. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
Sources
- John Haydn and Horace Ockerby, The Book of Dignities, third edition, W.H. Allen and Co. Ltd, London 1894, reprinted Firecrest Publishing Limited, Bath 1969, p. 352–358
- John Lord Campbell (1845) Lives of the Lords Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England. 5th ed. (1868) London: Murray, vol. 10
- Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
External links
- Department for Constitutional Affairs' list