Lord Lieutenant of Dorset
Encyclopedia
The Office of the Lord Lieutenant was created during the reign of Henry VIII, taking over the military duties of the Sheriff and control of the military forces of the Crown. From 1569, there was provision for the appointment of Deputies, and in 1662 the Lord-Lieutenant was given entire control of the militia. 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.
The five main duties of the Lord Lieutenant are:
of Dorset
. Since 1680, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Dorset.
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 DorsetCustos Rotulorum of DorsetThis 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...
, 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 Lord LieutenantLord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. Since 1680, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Dorset.
- John Russell, 1st Earl of BedfordJohn Russell, 1st Earl of BedfordJohn Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, KG, PC, JP was an English royal minister in the Tudor era. He served variously as Lord High Admiral and Lord Privy Seal....
1552–1555 - John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of BathJohn Bourchier, 2nd Earl of BathSir John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath, PC was an Earl in the peerage of England. He also succeeded to the titles of 4th Baron FitzWarin, Baron of Daubeney and 4th Count of Eu....
1556–1558 - James Blount, 6th Baron MountjoyJames Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy-Life:James Blount was born circa 1533 in Newport, Devon, the eldest son of Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy and Ann Willoughby. He inherited his title on the death of his father...
1559–? - William Paulet, 3rd Marquess of WinchesterWilliam Paulet, 3rd Marquess of WinchesterWilliam Paulet, 3rd Marquess of Winchester was the son of John Paulet, 2nd Marquess of Winchester and Elizabeth Willoughby. He married Agnes Howard, daughter of William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham and his first wife, Katherine Broughton.- Children :# Lord William Paulet, 4th Marquess of...
1580– - Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of BedfordFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of BedfordFrancis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG was an English nobleman, soldier and politician and godfather to Sir. Francis Drake.-Early life:...
1584 – 28 July 1585 - William Paulet, 3rd Marquess of WinchesterWilliam Paulet, 3rd Marquess of WinchesterWilliam Paulet, 3rd Marquess of Winchester was the son of John Paulet, 2nd Marquess of Winchester and Elizabeth Willoughby. He married Agnes Howard, daughter of William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham and his first wife, Katherine Broughton.- Children :# Lord William Paulet, 4th Marquess of...
1 March 1586 – 24 November 1598 - vacant
- Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of BindonThomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of BindonThomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon 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 bef. 1605–1611, and Vice-Admiral of Dorset 1603–1611. He was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Viscount...
25 April 1601 – 1 March 1611 - Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of SalisburyRobert Cecil, 1st Earl of SalisburyRobert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
5 July 1611 – 24 May 1612 jointly with - Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of SuffolkThomas Howard, 1st Earl of SuffolkAdmiral Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, KG, PC was a son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk by his second wife Margaret Audley, Duchess of Norfolk, the daughter and heiress of the 1st Baron Audley of Walden....
5 July 1611 – 28 May 1626 - Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of SuffolkTheophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of SuffolkTheophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, KG 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 of Charlton, and succeeded his father in 1626.Sir Theophilus Howard was named in...
15 June 1626 – 3 June 1640 - Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington 13 June 1640 – 15 May 1641
- William Cecil, 2nd Earl of SalisburyWilliam Cecil, 2nd Earl of SalisburyWilliam Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, KG , known as Viscount Cranborne from 1605 to 1612, was an English peer and politician.-Early years, 1591-1612:...
15 May 1641 – 1642 - Interregnum
- Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of RichmondCharles Stewart, 3rd Duke of RichmondCharles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox KG was the only son of George Stewart, 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny and Katherine Howard, daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk...
25 July 1660 – December 1672 - Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury 20 January 1672 – 1674
- John Poulett, 3rd Baron Poulett 6 July 1674 – June 1679
- John Digby, 3rd Earl of BristolJohn Digby, 3rd Earl of BristolJohn Digby, 3rd Earl of Bristol was a British peer and Member of Parliament, styled Lord Digby from 1653 to 1677....
19 November 1679 – 18 September 1698 - Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of BoltonCharles Paulet, 2nd Duke of BoltonCharles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton KG PC was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Member of Parliament for Hampshire and a supporter of William III of Orange....
9 June 1699 – 21 January 1722 - Charles Powlett, 3rd Duke of BoltonCharles Powlett, 3rd Duke of BoltonLieutenant-General Charles Powlett , 3rd Duke of Bolton KG PC was a British nobleman and politician....
8 February 1722 – 1733 - Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury 2 March 1734 – 29 May 1771
- Henry Digby, 1st Earl DigbyHenry Digby, 1st Earl DigbyHenry Digby, 1st Earl Digby was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Digby was the younger son of Hon. Edward Digby, son of William Digby, 5th Baron Digby. His mother was Charlotte Fox, daughter of Sir Stephen Fox. Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, was his uncle and Charles James Fox his cousin...
21 June 1771 – 25 September 1793 - George Pitt, 1st Baron RiversGeorge Pitt, 1st Baron RiversGeorge Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers was a British diplomat and politician.-Background and education:He born in Geneva, the eldest son of George Pitt of Stratfieldsaye, Hampshire and his wife Mary Louise Bernier from Strasbourg. General Sir William Augustus Pitt was his younger brother...
6 November 1793 – 7 May 1803 - George Damer, 2nd Earl of DorchesterGeorge Damer, 2nd Earl of DorchesterGeorge Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester PC, PC , styled Viscount Milton between 1792 and 1798, was a British politician. He served as Chief Secretary for Ireland between 1794 and 1795.-Background:...
15 June 1803 – 7 March 1808 - Edward Digby, 2nd Earl DigbyEdward Digby, 2nd Earl DigbyEdward Digby, 2nd Earl Digby , 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 1793 and was able to take his seat in the House of Lords on his twenty-first birthday...
17 April 1808 – 12 May 1856 - Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of ShaftesburyAnthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of ShaftesburyAnthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury KG , styled Lord Ashley from 1811 to 1851, was an English politician and philanthropist, one of the best-known of the Victorian era and one of the main proponents of Christian Zionism.-Youth:He was born in London and known informally as Lord Ashley...
4 June 1856 – 1 October 1885 - Henry Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of IlchesterHenry Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of IlchesterHenry Edward Fox-Strangways, 5th Earl of Ilchester PC , 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 under William Ewart Gladstone between January and February 1874.-Background and...
5 November 1885 – 6 December 1905 - John Mount BattenJohn Mount BattenColonel John Mount Batten CB JP was a British soldier and landowner.He was the eldest son of John Batten JP FSA, of Aldon in Somerset, by his wife Grace Eleanor, daughter of John White of Upcerne, and was educated at Winchester. He married firstly, in 1873, Margaret Annie, eldest daughter of the...
10 August 1906 – 5 March 1916 - Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of ShaftesburyAnthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of ShaftesburyAnthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of Shaftesbury, KP, PC, GCVO, CBE, was the son of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 8th Earl of Shaftesbury and Lady Harriet Augusta Anna Seymourina Chichester , the daughter of George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall and Lady Harriet Anne Butler.-Family life:On 15 July...
3 March 1916 – 1952 - Edward Kenelm Digby, 11th Baron Digby 1 September 1952 – 29 January 1964
- Sir Joseph William Weld 30 June 1964 – 1984
- Edward Henry Kenelm Digby, 12th Baron Digby 1984–1999
- Capt. Michael Fulford-Dobson CVO JP RN 1999–2006
- Mrs Valerie Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers 2006–present