The Counsel to the Navy Department, Ministry of Defence originally called Counsel to the Navy Board was an appointed legal adviser to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

from 1673 to 1995.

History

The office was originally established in 1673 when the post holder was assigned to the

Navy Board The Navy Board (formerly known as the Council of the Marine or Council of the Marine Causes) was the commission responsible for the day-to-day civil administration of the Royal Navy between 1546 and 1832. The board was headquartered within the ...

only. In 1696 the office holders duties were expanded and he was authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Admiralty as well. The office was abolished in 1679, as a result of cost saving measures being undertaken in regard to cutting excessive naval expenditures. In 1696 the office was reestablished and in 1824 it was merged with the office of the

Judge Advocate of the Fleet The Judge Advocate of the Fleet was an appointed civilian judge who was responsible for the supervision and superintendence of the court martial system in the Royal Navy from 1663 to 2008. History The position dates to the sixteenth century but ...

. In 1832 the Navy Board was abolished and its previous functions were absorbed into the Admiralty the office holders title then changed to Counsel to the Admiralty until 1964 when the

Department of Admiralty The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...

was absorbed into the Ministry of Defence where it became the Navy Department until 2008. From 1824 the individual appointed held both offices and titles of Judge Advocate of the Fleet and Counsel concurrently until 1995 when it was abolished. The office holder superintended the Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty.

Counsel to the Navy Board

Included: # 1673-1686, R Wright # 1685-1686, C. Porter # 1686-1696, W. Killingworth

Counsel for the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy

Included: # 1696-1702, T. Lechmere # 1703-1708, W. Ettrick # 1708-1709 C. Phipps # 1709-1711, G. Townsend # 1711-1715, W. G. Ettrick # 1715-1726, G. Townsend # 1726-1737, J, Baynes # 1737-1742, J. Hunter # 1742-1742, C. Clarke # 1743-1747, Hon. H. Legge # 1747-1757, S. Jervis # 1757-1770, R. Hussey # 1770-1791, F. Cust # 1791-1795 Hon. T. Brodrick # 1795-1801, H. S. Perceval # 1801-1824, Thomas Jervis # 1824-1828, H. Twiss # 1828-1832, H. J. Shepherd

Counsel to the Admiralty

Note: The office holder in some editions of the official British

navy list A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval autho ...

is styled as Counsel to the Naval Department. # 1832-1845, H. J. Shepherd # 1845-1849, R. Godson # 1849-1854,

Richard Budden Crowder Sir Richard Budden Crowder, QC (17 May 1796 – 5 December 1859) was a British Liberal Party politician and judge. He was elected at a by-election in 1849 as Member of Parliament (MP) for Liskeard in Cornwall, and held the seat until he resig ...

# 1854-1855,

Thomas Phinn Thomas Phinn, QC ( – 31 October 1866) was a British barrister and Liberal Party politician. He held various positions in the Admiralty of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. Life Born in Bath, Somerset, Phinn was educa ...

# 1855-1859,

William Atherton William Atherton Knight (born July 30, 1947) is an American actor, best known for portraying Richard Thornburg in '' Die Hard'' and its sequel and Walter Peck in ''Ghostbusters''. Early life Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son ...

# 1859-1863,

Robert Collier, 1st Baron Monkswell Robert Porrett Collier, 1st Baron Monkswell, (21 June 1817 – 27 October 1886) was an English lawyer, politician and judge. Background and education He was the eldest son of John Collier, a merchant of Plymouth, formerly a member of the Soc ...

# 1863-1866, Thomas Phinn # 1866-1875,

John Walter Huddleston Sir John Walter Huddleston (8 September 1815 – 5 December 1890) was an English judge, formerly a criminal lawyer who had established an eminent reputation in various '' causes célèbres''. As a Baron of the Exchequer of Pleas, he was styled ...

# 1875–1904,

Alexander Staveley Hill Alexander Staveley Hill (21 May 1825 – 25 June 1905) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1868 to 1900, representing Coventry, Staffordshire West and Kingswinford. Hill was born ...

# 1904–1924,

Reginald Brodie Dyke Acland Sir Reginald Brodie Dyke Acland (18 May 1856 – 18 February 1924) was a British barrister and judge. Background He was the sixth son of Sir Henry Wentworth Acland, 1st Baronet, and his wife Sarah Cotton, eldest daughter of William Cotton. Hi ...

# 1924-1933,

Charles Murray Pitman Charles Murray Pitman KC JP (8 January 1872 – 13 October 1948) was a British judge and rower described in his Times obituary as having been known "in the rowing world ... one of the most distinguished oarsmen of his time". The son of Fre ...

Mr. C. M. Pitman, K.C. The Times (London, England), Friday, Oct 15, 1948; pg. 7; Issue 51203. (471 words) # 1933-1943, J G Trapnell # 1943-1945, J Lhind Pratt # 1945-1964,

Ewen Montagu Ewen Edward Samuel Montagu (29 March 1901 – 19 July 1985) was a British judge, Naval intelligence officer and author. He is best known for his leading role in Operation Mincemeat, a critical military deception operation which misdirected G ...

Counsel to the Navy Department (Ministry of Defence)

# 1964-1972,

# 1973-1986, William Howard # 1986-1994, Felix Waley # 1995 J L Sessions

Offices under this office

# Solicitor to the Admiralty

References

Sources

# Counsel 1673-1870', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870, ed. J C Sainty (London, 1975), p. 78. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol4/p78 ccessed 8 January 2019 {{Admiralty Department Law Officers of the Royal Navy