Gentleman Usher and Lady Usher are titles for some officers of the
Royal Household of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. For a list of office-holders from the
Restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
of the monarchy in 1660 up to the present day see
List of Ushers.
Gentleman Ushers as servants
History
![Funeral procession of Elizabeth I William Camden Clarenceux 1603](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Funeral_procession_of_Elizabeth_I_William_Camden_Clarenceux_1603.jpg)
Gentleman Ushers were originally a class of servants found not only in the Royal Household, but in lesser establishments as well. They were regularly found in the households of
Tudor noblemen, and were prescribed by Richard Brathwait, in his ''Household of an Earle'', as one of the "officers and Servants the state of an Earle requireth to have". The Gentleman Ushers occupied an intermediate level between the
steward, the usual head, and the ordinary servants; they were responsible for overseeing the work of the servants "above stairs", particularly those who cooked and waited upon the nobleman at meals, and saw to it the great chamber was kept clean by the lesser servants. He was also responsible for overseeing other miscellaneous service, such as the care of the nobleman's chapel and bed-chambers. It was traditionally the Gentleman Usher who swore in new members of the nobleman's service.
The duties of a Gentleman Usher, not unlike those of a contemporary
butler, made him quite important in Tudor and 17th-century households.
George Chapman
George Chapman (Hitchin, Hertfordshire, – London, 12 May 1634) was an English dramatist, translator and poet. He was a classical scholar whose work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been speculated to be the Rival Poet of Shakesp ...
's play ''
The Gentleman Usher
''The Gentleman Usher'' is an early 17th-century stage play, a comedy written by George Chapman that was first published in 1606.
Date and publication
''The Gentleman Usher'' was entered into the Stationers' Register on 26 November 1605, unde ...
'' has as its title character the pompous but easily fooled Bassiolo, Gentleman Usher to Lord Lasso.
Royal Gentleman Ushers
The Gentleman Ushers of the Royal Household, in order of precedence, were originally the four Gentleman Ushers of the Privy Chamber (who attended the Sovereign in the Privy Chamber), the four Gentleman Ushers Daily Waiters, and the eight Gentleman Ushers Quarter(ly) Waiters. The latter two originally served different terms of service, but the distinction later became only nominal, as the role of the Gentleman Ushers became increasingly ceremonial and they exercised less supervision over the staff. In 1901,
King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
abolished the three classes and began to appoint simply Gentleman Ushers in Ordinary. The first Lady Usher of the Black Rod was appointed in 2017. The first Lady Usher in Ordinary was appointed in 2021.
Present day
Today an establishment of 10 Lady and Gentleman Ushers is maintained for attendance at royal events. Lady and Gentleman Ushers to The King are generally appointed from retired military officers with three representing 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 ...
, four representing the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and three representing the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
.
When on duty Ushers generally wear either
service uniform with a
brassard
A brassard or armlet is an armband or piece of cloth or other material worn around the upper arm; the term typically refers to an item of uniform worn as part of military uniform or by police or other uniformed persons. Unit, role, rank b ...
displaying the
royal cypher or morning or evening dress, depending on the occasion. They receive a modest honorarium for the upkeep of their orders of dress.
Among their duties, they act as ushers at
Royal Garden Parties and
Investiture
Investiture (from the Latin preposition ''in'' and verb ''vestire'', "dress" from ''vestis'' "robe") is a formal installation or ceremony that a person undergoes, often related to membership in Christian religious institutes as well as Christian k ...
s as well as on State occasions. At royal weddings, funerals, coronations and other large church services they may be called upon to lead royal and other important guests in procession before conducting them to their seats. Occasionally they may be called upon to attend an event (e.g. a
memorial service
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
) as the monarch's representative.
Ushers retire at 70, when they may become Extra Gentleman Ushers.
Particular Gentleman Ushers
Certain Gentleman Ushers have duties outside of the Royal Household, usually attached either as officers of an
order of knighthood
An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and paired with medieval concept ...
or to a House of Parliament. These are, in order of antiquity:
*The
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
Black Rod (officially known as the Lady Usher of the Black Rod or, if male, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is an official in the parliaments of several Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the Parlia ...
, established c.1361 as an officer of the
Order of the Garter, who also serves as secretary to the
Lord Great Chamberlain and
Doorkeeper of the House of Lords A doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone who is posted at, and often guards, a door, or by extension another entrance (specific similar terms exist, e.g. gatekeeper, hall porter). Specific uses include:
Professions
* Doorman (profession), ...
and (since 1971)
Serjeant-at-Arms of the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
. During the Tudor period, he was usually one of the senior members of the Royal Household, such as the
Groom of the Stool; from the Restoration until 1765, Black Rod was the senior of the existing Gentleman Usher Daily Waiter, after which a new Daily Waiter was appointed to succeed the previous Black Rod. The first Lady Usher of the Black Rod,
Sarah Clarke
Sarah Clarke (born February 16, 1972) is an American actress, best known for her role as Nina Myers on '' 24'', and also for her roles as Renée Dwyer, Bella Swan's mother, in the 2008 film ''Twilight'', Erin McGuire on the short-lived TV sho ...
, was appointed as the new Black Rod on 17 November 2017. She formally took on the duties as Lady Usher of the Black Rod in February 2018.
*The
Gentleman Usher of the White Rod, established as a hereditary dignity c.1373, who attended the
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...
before its abolition in 1707. The heritable office was pronounced to be adjudgeable in 1758, and has been bought and sold several times since then. The position was revived to some degree in connection with the
Parliament of Great Britain, and is now held by the Walker Trustees.
* The
Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, established in 1687.
Office holders from 1714
*1714–1761: Sir Thomas Brand
*1762–1787: Robert Quarme
*1787–1800: Matthew ...
, established 1714, is the usher for the Scottish
Order of the Thistle, currently Rear Admiral Christopher Hope Layman.
* The
Irish Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, established 1783, is the usher for the Irish
Order of St Patrick; there have been no appointees to the office since 1933.
* The
Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, established 14 January 1726.
The Brunswick Herald, an officer of arms of the Order of the Bath, was annexed with the position at the time it ...
, established in 1725, is the usher for the British
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...
. The present Scarlet Rod is Major General
James Gordon.
* The
Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State The Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State is an officer of the British Royal Household. He is responsible for bearing the Sword of State before the monarch on ceremonial occasions. However, the Gentleman Usher was removed from the procession at th ...
, established c.1842, is the usher who bears the
Sword of State in ceremonial processions, currently General
Sir Kevin O'Donoghue.
* The
Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, established in 1818. If the office holder is female, she is referred to as the Lady Usher of the Blue Rod.
The office was ...
, established as 1882 as an "Officer of Arms" and made an usher in 1911, is the usher for the British
Order of St Michael and St George, currently
Dame DeAnne Julius.
* The
Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod, or Lady Usher of the Purple Rod when appropriate, is the Usher to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, established in 1917 and effective since .
The Gentleman Usher is appointed by the Sovereign an ...
, established in 1918, is the usher for the
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
, currently
Dame Amelia Fawcett.
Gentleman Ushers of the Black Rod also exist for New Zealand, Australia and its states, and Canada. In some respects, the
Military Social Aides to the US President, who attend on some 2 to 4 afternoons a month to assist visitors to the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
, are an American and more recent equivalent to the Gentleman Ushers in Ordinary.
References
{{Reflist
Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom
Positions within the British Royal Household
Ushers