The Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster is an office of the
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is the private estate of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British sovereign as Duke of Lancaster. The principal purpose of the estate is to provide a source of independent income to the sovereign. The estate consists of ...
. The vice-chancellor is appointed by the
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster after consultation with the
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
. Since 1987, the vice-chancellor has been a
High Court judge of the
Chancery Division with a term of approximately three years.
![EnglandLancashireTrad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/EnglandLancashireTrad.png)
The Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster exercises general supervision over the conduct of
Chancery division business in the North of England and is an ''ex-officio'' member of the court of
Lancaster University
Lancaster University (legally The University of Lancaster) is a public university, public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several pla ...
.
Before the implementation of the
Courts Act 1971
The Courts Act 1971 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the purpose of which was to reform and modernise the courts system of England and Wales.
It established the Crown Court, introduced the posts of circuit judge and recorde ...
, the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine was controlled by section 14 of the Administration of Justice Act 1881. From 1973 to 1987,
Andrew James Blackett-Ord, a
circuit judge held the post. Since then, the office has been held by a Justice of the High Court sitting in the Chancery Division.
List of vice-chancellors
Source: Somerville, Duchy of Lancaster Office Holders, (1871 onwards)
Northern Circuit*1649 and 1651 : Thomas Fell
*?–?1790 : William Swinnerton (served 33 years, died 1790)
*1791-1799 : James Allan Park
*1800-1815: Edward King
*1815-1820: William David Evans
*1820-1822: Samuel Yate Benton
*1826-1844 :Francis Ludlow Holt
*1849–1851 : William Page Wood
*1851–1852:
Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury
Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury, (30 June 1800 – 20 July 1873) was a British lawyer, judge and Liberal politician. He served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain between 1861 and 1865. He was knighted in 1852 and raised to the peerag ...
*1853–1868 :
William Milbourne James
Admiral Sir William Milbourne James, (22 December 1881 – 17 August 1973) was a British naval commander, politician and author. He served in the Royal Navy from the early 20th century to the Second World War. During the First World War, he wa ...
*1868–1871 :
John Wickens
Sir John Wickens (13 June 1815 – 25 October 1873) was an English barrister and judge.
Life
The second son of James Stephen Wickens of Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, London by his wife, Anne Goodenough, daughter of John Hayter of Winterbourne ...
*1871–1881 : George Little
*1881–1893: Henry Fox Bristowe
*1893–1895 : William Fothergill Robinson
*1895–1905 : Sir Samuel Hall
*1905–1912 :
Octavius Leigh-Clare
*1912–1919 : Sir
Dudley Stewart-Smith
Sir Dudley Stewart-Smith (3 February 1857 – 9 May 1919) was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician and barrister.
Background
He was born in Paddington, London, the son of Alexander Stewart-Smith and Susannah Laming. After his ...
*1919–1925 : Roger Bernard Lawrence
*1925–1936 : Sir (William) Courthope Townshend Wilson
*1936–1948 : Sir John Bennett
*1948–1963 : Sir
(John) Leonard Stone
*1963–1973 : Sir Thomas Burgess
*1973–1987:
Andrew James Blackett-Ord
;Since 1987
*1987–1991: Sir
Richard Scott
*1991–1994: Sir
Andrew Morritt
Sir Robert Andrew Morritt, CVO (born 5 February 1938), is a former British judge who served as Chancellor of the High Court of England and Wales.
Life and career
Morritt was educated at Eton College and Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was ...
*1994–1999: Sir
Jonathan Parker
Sir Jonathan Frederic Parker (born 8 December 1937) is a retired British Lord Justice of Appeal.
Education
Sir Jonathan was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, the son of Sir Edmund Parker (1908–1981) and Elizabeth Mary Butterfield ...
*1999–2002: Sir
William Blackburne
Sir William Anthony Blackburne (born 24 February 1944) is a retired High Court Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice in London who is presently the Chairman of the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Blackburne was Called to the Bar in 1966 from Inner ...
*2002–2005: Sir
Timothy Lloyd
Sir Timothy Andrew Wigram Lloyd, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, PC (born 30 November 1946) is an English former judge who was a member of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, Court of Appeal.
Lloyd was educated at Winchester College an ...
*2005–2008: Sir
Nicholas Patten
Sir Nicholas John Patten (born 7 August 1950) is a former member of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales.
Education
Tulse Hill School, Tulse Hill Comprehensive School for boys; Christ Church, Oxford.
Career
Patten was called to the bar (Lin ...
*2008–2012: Sir
David Richards
*2012–2013: Sir
Michael Briggs
*2013-2017: Sir
Alastair Norris
Sir Alastair Hubert Norris (born 17 December 1950), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Norris, is a judge of the High Court of England and Wales.
He was educated at Pate's Grammar School and St John's College, Cambridge.
He was called to the bar at Lin ...
*2017-2019: Sir
Gerald Barling
Sir Gerald Edward Barling (born 18 September 1949), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Barling, is a retired judge of the High Court of England and Wales.
He was educated at St. Mary's College, Blackburn and New College, Oxford.
He was called to the ...
*2019-2021: Sir
Richard Snowden
*2021: Sir
Timothy Fancourt
Sir Timothy Miles Fancourt, styled Mr Justice Fancourt, is a judge of the High Court of Justice, English High Court.
Personal life and education
Fancourt was born on the 30th of August 1964 and attended Whitgift School in Croydon. He studied ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Duchy of Lancaster official website
Judiciary of England and Wales
Duchy of Lancaster
Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom
Lancaster University