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.

Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers of England, 1068–1707

• Herfast (1068–1070)
• Osmund (1070–1078)
• Maurice, Archdeacon of Le Mans (1078–1085)
• Gerard, Preceptor of Rouen (1085–1092), later Archbishop of York
• Robert Bloet (1092–1093)
• William Giffard (1093–1101)
• 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)
• William de Vere (1142)
• Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1142–1154)
• Thomas Becket, Archdeacon 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)
• Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury (1199–1205)
• Walter de Gray (1205–1214)
• Richard Marsh (1214–1226)
• Ralph Neville (1226–1240)
• Richard le Gras, Abbot of Evesham (1240–1242)
• Ralph Neville (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)
• Sir John Lexington (1247–1248) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
• John Maunsell (1248–1249) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
• Sir John Lexington (1249–1250) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
• William of Kilkenny (1250–1255) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
• Henry Wingham (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)
• John Langton, Canon of Lincoln (1292–1302)
• 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 (1323–1327)
• 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)
• Sir Robert Bourchier (1340–1341)
• Sir Robert Parning (1341–1343)
• Sir 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)
• Sir Robert Thorpe (1371–1372)
• Sir John Knyvet (1372–1377)
• Adam Houghton, Bishop of St David's (1377–1378)
• Richard Scrope, 1st Baron 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)
• Richard Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton (1381–1382)
• Robert Braybrooke, Bishop of London (1382–1383)
• Michael de la Pole, 1st 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)
• 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)
• Sir 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 (1473–1475)
• John Alcock, Bishop of Rochester (1475)
• 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 (1485–1487)
• John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury (1487–1500)
• Henry Deane, Archbishop of Canterbury (1500–1502) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
• William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury (1502–1515) (Keeper of the Great Seal to 1504)
• Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Archbishop of York (1515–1529)
• Sir Thomas More (1529–1532)
• Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden (1532–1544)
• Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Baron Wriothesley (1544–1547)
• William Paulet, 1st Baron St John (1547) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
• Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich (1547–1551)
• Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely (1552–1553)
• Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester (1553–1555)
• Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York (1555–1558)
• Sir Nicholas Bacon (1558–1579) (Lord Keeper)
• Sir Thomas Bromley (1579–1587) (Lord Keeper)
• Sir Christopher Hatton (1587–1591) (Lord Keeper)
• In Commission (1591–1592)
  • Commissioners of the Great Seal
    • William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
    • Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon
    • William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham
    • Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron Buckhurst
  • Commissioners to hear causes
    • Sir Gilbert Gerard and others
• Sir John Puckering (1592–1596) (Lord Keeper)
• Sir Thomas Egerton, later 1st Baron Ellesmere and then 1st Viscount Brackley (May 6, 1596–March 5, 1617) (Lord Keeper to July 19, 1603)
• Francis Bacon, 1st Baron Verulam (1617–1621) (Lord Keeper to 1618)
• In Commission (1621)
  • Commissioners to hear causes in the Court of Chancery
    • Sir Julius Caesar and others
  • Commissioners to hear causes in the House of Lords
    • Sir James Ley and others
  • Commissioners to use the Great Seal
    • Henry Montagu, 1st Viscount Mandeville
    • Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox
    • Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel
• John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln (1621–1625) (Lord Keeper)
• Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry (1625–1640) (Lord Keeper)
• John Finch, 1st Baron Finch (1640–1641) (Lord Keeper)
• Edward Littleton, 1st Baron Lyttleton of Mounslow (1641–1645) (Lord Keeper)
• Sir Richard Lane (1645–1650) (Lord Keeper)
• Sir Edward Herbert (1653–1654) (Lord Keeper)
• Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1658–1667)
• Sir Orlando Bridgeman (1667–1672) (Lord Keeper)
• Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (1672–1673)
• Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham (1673–1682) (Lord Keeper to 1675)
• Francis North, 1st Baron Guilford (1682–1685) (Lord Keeper)
• George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys (1685–1688)
• In Commission (1689–1690)
  • Sir John Maynard
  • Sir Anthony Keck
  • Sir William Rawlinson
• In Commission (1690–1693)
  • Sir John Trevor
  • Sir William Rawlinson
  • Sir George Hutchins
• John Somers, 1st Baron Somers (1693–1700) (Lord Keeper to 1697)
• In Commission (1700)
  • Sir John Holt
  • Sir Robert Tracy
  • Sir Edward Ward
  • Sir John Trevor
• Sir Nathan Wright (1700–1705) (Lord Keeper)
• William Cowper, 1st Baron Cowper (1705–1707) (Lord Keeper)

Lord High Chancellors and Lord Keepers of Great Britain, 1707–present

Name	Term (From - To)
The Lord Cowper	1707–1710[1]
In Commission: Sir Thomas Trevor Robert Tracy John Scrope	1710
The Lord Harcourt (Lord Keeper to 1713)	1710–1714
The Lord Cowper	1714–1718
In Commission: Sir Robert Tracy Sir John Pratt Sir James Montague	1718
The Earl of Macclesfield	1718–1725
In Commission: Sir Joseph Jekyll Sir Jeffrey Gilbert Sir Robert Raymond	1725
The Lord King	1725–1733
The Lord Talbot	1733–1737
The Earl of Hardwicke	1737–1756
In Commission: Sir John Willes Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe Sir John Eardley Wilmot	1756–1757
The Earl of Northington (Lord Keeper to 1761)	1757–1766
The Lord Camden	1766–1770
Charles Yorke1	1770
In Commission: Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe Henry Bathurst (later Lord Apsley) Sir Richard Aston	1770–1771
The Lord Apsley	1771–1778
The Lord Thurlow	1778–1783
In Commission: The Lord Loughborough Sir William Henry Ashurst Sir Beaumont Hotham	1783
The Lord Thurlow	1783–1792
In Commission: Sir James Eyre Sir William Henry Ashurst Sir John Wilson	1792–1793
The Lord Loughborough	1793–1801
The Lord Eldon (later Earl of Eldon)	1801–1806
The Lord Erskine	1806–1807
The Earl of Eldon	1807–1827
The Lord Lyndhurst	1827–1830
The Lord Brougham and Vaux	1830–1834
The Lord Lyndhurst	1834–1835
In Commission: Sir Charles Christopher Pepys (later Lord Cottenham) Sir Lancelot Shadwell Sir John Bernard Bosanquet	1835–1836
The Lord Cottenham	1836–1841
The Lord Lyndhurst	1841–1846
The Lord Cottenham	1846–1850
In Commission: The Lord Langdale Sir Lancelot Shadwell Sir Robert Monsey Rolfe (later Lord Cranworth)	1850
The Lord Truro	1850–1852
The Lord St Leonards	1852
The Lord Cranworth	1852–1858
The Lord Chelmsford	1858–1859
The Lord Campbell	1859–1861
The Lord Westbury	1861–1865
The Lord Cranworth	1865–1866
The Lord Chelmsford	1866–1868
The Lord Cairns (later Earl Cairns)	1868
The Lord Hatherley	1868–1872
The Lord Selborne (later Earl of Selborne)	1872–1874
The Earl Cairns	1874–1880
The Earl of Selborne	1880–1885
The Lord Halsbury (later Earl of Halsbury)	1885–1886
The Lord Herschell	1886
The Lord Halsbury	1886–1892
The Lord Herschell	1892–1895
The Earl of Halsbury	1895–1905
The Earl of Loreburn	1905–1912
The Viscount Haldane	1912–1915
The Lord Buckmaster	1915–1916
The Lord Finlay	1916–1919
The Earl of Birkenhead	1919–1922
The Viscount Cave	1922–1924
The Viscount Haldane	1924
The Viscount Cave	1924–1928
The Lord Hailsham (later Viscount Hailsham)	1928–1929
The Viscount Sankey	1929–1935
The Viscount Hailsham	1935–1938
The Lord Maugham	1938–1939
The Viscount Caldecote	1939–1940
The Viscount Simon	1940–1945
The Viscount Jowitt	1945–1951
The Lord Simonds	1951–1954
The Viscount Kilmuir	1954–1962
The Lord Dilhorne	1962–1964
The Lord Gardiner	1964–1970
The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone	1970–1974
The Lord Elwyn-Jones	1974–1979
The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone	1979–1987
The Lord Havers	1987
The Lord Mackay of Clashfern	1987–1997
The Lord Irvine of Lairg	1997–2003
The Lord Falconer of Thoroton	2003–2007
The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP2	2007–2010
The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP	2010–-

Notes:

¹: 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.

²: Jack Straw was the first person to have been a Member of Parliament for the whole of his tenure of the post of Lord Chancellor, although a few previous Lord Chancellors had been MPs when appointed.

See also

• Lord Chancellor

References

1. ^ Geoffrey Treasure, ‘Cowper, William, first Earl Cowper (1665–1723)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2009 accessed 27 March 2009

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

External links

• Department for Constitutional Affairs' list