The Office of the

Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...

was created during the reign of Henry VIII (1509-1547), taking over the military duties of the

Sheriff of Dorset The High Sheriff of Dorset is an ancient high sheriff title which has been in existence for over one thousand years. Until 1567 the Sheriff of Somerset was also the Sheriff of Dorset. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government ...

and control of the military forces of the Crown. From 1569, there was provision for the appointment of Deputy Lieutenants, and in 1662 the Lord-Lieutenant was given entire control of the

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

. The Forces Act of 1871 transferred this function back to the Crown, and in 1921, the office lost its power to call upon men of the county to fight in case of need.

Appointment and Current Duties

Lord Lieutenants are appointed by The Queen for each county in the United Kingdom, to represent the Crown. They are non-political and retire at the age of 75. The post is unpaid. The five main duties of the Lord Lieutenant are: * Arranging visits to the county by members of the Royal family and escorting Royal visitors; * Presenting medals and awards on behalf of Her Majesty, and advising on honours nominations; * As

Custos Rotulorum of Dorset This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of Dorset. * Sir Thomas Arundell bef. 1547–1552 * Thomas Howard, 1st Viscount Howard of Bindon bef. 1558–1582 * Sir Matthew Arundell bef. 1584–1598 * Sir Walter Ralei ...

, leading local judicial bodies as Chairman of the Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace and General Commissioners of Income Tax; * Liaising with local units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army (and Territorial Army), Royal Air Force and associated cadet forces; and * Participating in civic and voluntary activities.

Historical list of Lord Lieutenants of Dorset

The Dorset Lieutenancy covers the County of Dorset and the Boroughs of Poole and Bournemouth. The following is a list of people who have served as

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

. Since 1680, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been

. *

John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford (c. 1485 – 14 March 1555) was an English royal minister in the Tudor dynasty, Tudor era. He served variously as Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, Lord High Admiral and Lord Privy Seal. Among the land ...

1552–1555 *

John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath, (1499 in Devon – 10 February 1560/61) was an Earl in the peerage of England. He also succeeded to the titles of 12th Baron FitzWarin, Baron Daubeney and 4th Count of Eu. Origins He was the son of John Bourc ...

1556–1558 *

James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy (c. 1533 – 1582) was an English peer. Life Blount was born circa 1533 in Barnstaple, Devon, the eldest son of Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy (1516–1544) and Ann Willoughby. He inherited his title on the de ...

1559–? *

William Paulet, 3rd Marquess of Winchester William Paulet, 3rd Marquess of Winchester ( – 24 November 1598) was an English nobleman, the son of John Paulet, 2nd Marquess of Winchester and his first wife, Elizabeth Willoughby. His maternal grandfather was Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron ...

1580– *

Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG ( – 28 July 1585) of Chenies in Buckinghamshire and of Bedford House in Exeter, Devon, was an English nobleman, soldier, and politician. He was a godfather to the Devon-born sailor Sir Francis Drake ...

1584 – 28 July 1585 *

1 March 1586 – 24 November 1598 * ''vacant'' *

Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon (died 1611) was an English peer and politician. He was a Knight of the Garter, Lord Lieutenant of Dorset 25 April 1601 – 1 March 1611, Custos Rotulorum of Dorset before 1605–1611, and Vice-Admiral ...

25 April 1601 – 1 March 1611 *

Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, (1 June 156324 May 1612), was an English statesman noted for his direction of the government during the Union of the Crowns, as Tudor England gave way to Stuart period, Stuart rule (1603). Lord Salisbury s ...

5 July 1611 – 24 May 1612 ''jointly with'' *

Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, (24 August 156128 May 1626) of Audley End House in the parish of Saffron Walden in Essex, and of Suffolk House near Westminster, a member of the House of Howard, was the second son of Thomas Howard, 4th ...

5 July 1611 – 28 May 1626 *

Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, (13 August 15843 June 1640) was an English nobleman and politician. Born at the family estate of Saffron Walden, he was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, by his second wife, Catherine Knyvet ...

15 June 1626 – 3 June 1640 *

Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington (c. 15791652) was the English lord treasurer and ambassador and leader of the pro-Spanish, pro-Roman Catholic faction in the court of Charles I. Early life He was the fourth son of Philip Cottington of Go ...

13 June 1640 – 15 May 1641 *

William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, (28 March 1591 – 3 December 1668), known as Viscount Cranborne from 1605 to 1612, was an English peer, nobleman, and politician. Early years, 1591–1612 Cecil was the son of Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of ...

15 May 1641 – 1642 * ''Interregnum'' *

Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox KG (7 March 1639December 1672) of Cobham Hall in Kent and of Richmond House in Whitehall, London, 11th Seigneur d'Aubigny in France, was an English nobleman of Franco-Scottish ancestry an ...

25 July 1660 – December 1672 *

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury PC FRS (22 July 1621 – 21 January 1683; known as Anthony Ashley Cooper from 1621 to 1630, as Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, 2nd Baronet from 1630 to 1661, and as The Lord Ashley from 1661 to 1 ...

20 January 1672 – 1674 * John Poulett, 3rd Baron Poulett 6 July 1674 – June 1679 *

John Digby, 3rd Earl of Bristol John Digby, 3rd Earl of Bristol (1634 – 18 September 1698) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1675 to 1677 when he inherited the peerage as Earl of Bristol. He was styled Lord Digby from 1653 to 16 ...

19 November 1679 – 18 September 1698 *

Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton (1661 – 21 January 1722) was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Member of Parliament for Hampshire and a supporter of William III of Orange. Life He was the son of Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton, and Mary S ...

9 June 1699 – 21 January 1722 *

Charles Powlett, 3rd Duke of Bolton Charles Powlett (sometimes spelled Paulet), 3rd Duke of Bolton (3 September 168526 August 1754), styled Earl of Wiltshire from 1685 until 1699, and Marquess of Winchester from 1699 until 1722, was a British landowner and Whig politician who sat ...

8 February 1722 – 1733 *

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury Anthony Ashley Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury Bt PC FRS (9 February 1711 – 27 May 1771) was a British peer and philanthropist, who served as one of the leading figures in the foundation of the colony of Georgia and as Lord Lieutenant of Dors ...

2 March 1734 – 29 May 1771 *

Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby (21 July 1731 – 25 September 1793) was a British peer and Member of Parliament. Early life Digby was the younger son of Charlotte Fox and Hon. Edward Digby, a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire from 1726 to 1746 ...

21 June 1771 – 25 September 1793 *

George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers (1 May 1721 – 7 May 1803) was an English diplomat and politician. Background and education He was born in Geneva, the eldest son of George Pitt of Stratfieldsaye (today rendered Stratfield Saye), Hampshire, an ...

6 November 1793 – 7 May 1803 *

George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester, PC, PC (Ire) (28 March 1746 – 7 March 1808), styled Viscount Milton between 1792 and 1798, was a British politician. He served as Chief Secretary for Ireland between 1794 and 1795. Background Dorchest ...

15 June 1803 – 7 March 1808 *

Edward Digby, 2nd Earl Digby Edward Digby, 2nd Earl Digby (6 January 1773 – 12 May 1856), known as Viscount Coleshill from 1790 to 1793, was a British peer. Digby was the eldest son of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby, and Mary Knowler. He succeeded his father in the earldom in ...

17 April 1808 – 12 May 1856 *

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury (28 April 1801 – 1 October 1885), styled Lord Ashley from 1811 to 1851, was a British Tory politician, philanthropist, and social reformer. He was the eldest son of The 6th Earl of Shaftesbury ...

4 June 1856 – 1 October 1885 *

Henry Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester Henry Edward Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester PC (13 February 1847 – 6 December 1905), known as Henry Fox-Strangways until 1865, was a British peer and Liberal politician. He served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms ...

5 November 1885 – 6 December 1905 *

John Mount Batten Colonel John Mount Batten, CB, JP (7 April 1843 – 5 March 1916) was a British soldier and landowner. He was the eldest son of John Batten JP FSA, of Somerset, by his wife Grace Eleanor, daughter of John White of Upcerne, and was educat ...

10 August 1906 – 5 March 1916 * Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of Shaftesbury 3 March 1916 – 1952 * Edward Digby, 11th Baron Digby 1 September 1952 – 29 January 1964 * Sir Joseph William Weld 30 June 1964 – 1984 *

Edward Digby, 12th Baron Digby Edward Henry Kenelm Digby, 12th Baron Digby, (24 July 1924 – 1 April 2018), also 6th Baron Digby in the Peerage of Great Britain, was a British peer and British Army (Coldstream Guards) officer. Early life He was the son of the Edward Digby, ...

1984–1999 * Capt. Michael Fulford-Dobson CVO JP RN 1999–2006 * Mrs

Valerie Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers Valerie Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers ( Scott; born 23 January 1939) served as Lord Lieutenant of Dorset from 2006 until 2014. Upon her appointment as Lord Lieutenant in 2006, Pitt-Rivers became the first female Lord Lieutenant of Dorset and served as t ...

CVO 2006–2014 * Ian Angus Campbell 2014–

References

* * {{Dorset

Dorset Culture in Dorset