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

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

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External links

Duchy of Lancaster official website
Judiciary of England and Wales Duchy of Lancaster Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom Lancaster University