Master of the Rolls - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice

Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...

. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal

Court of Appeal of England and Wales

The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...

. The first record of a Master of the Rolls is from 1286, although it is believed that the office probably existed earlier than that.

The Master of the Rolls was initially a clerk responsible for keeping the "Rolls", or records, of the Chancery

Court of Chancery

The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...

court, and was known as the Keeper of the Rolls of Chancery. The Keeper was the most senior of the dozen Chancery clerks, and as such occasionally acted as keeper of the Great Seal of the Realm

Great Seal of the Realm

The Great Seal of the Realm or Great Seal of the United Kingdom is a seal that is used to symbolise the Sovereign's approval of important state documents...

. The post evolved into a judicial one as the Court of Chancery

Court of Chancery

did; the first reference to judicial duties dates from 1520. With the Judicature Act 1873, the Master transferred from the now-defunct Court of Chancery to the Court of Appeal. The Master still retained his clerical functions by serving as the nominal head of the Public Record Office

Public Record Office

The Public Record Office of the United Kingdom is one of the three organisations that make up the National Archives...

(PRO) until 1958. However, the Public Records Act of that year transferred responsibility for the PRO from the Master of the Rolls to the Lord Chancellor. The Master of the Rolls is also responsible for registering solicitors, the officers of the Senior Courts.

The present Master of the Rolls is Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, who succeeded Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony on 1 October 2009, when Lord Clarke became the first directly appointed member of the newly created Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the supreme court in all matters under English law, Northern Ireland law and Scottish civil law. It is the court of last resort and highest appellate court in the United Kingdom; however the High Court of Justiciary remains the supreme court for criminal...

List of Masters of the Rolls

No.	Name	Period		Other positions	Notes
1

}||2 September 1286 || 1 October 1295||Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...

1292–1302, 1307–1310||
|-
|2||||1 October 1295 || 19 August 1316||||
|-
|3||||19 August 1316 || 26 May 1324||||
|-
|4||||26 May 1324 || 4 July 1325||||
|-
|5||||4 July 1325 || 20 January 1334||||
|-
|6||||20 January 1334 || 28 April 1337||||
|-
|7||||28 April 1337 || 10 January 1341||||
|-
|8||||10 January 1341 || 21 February 1341||||
|-
|9||||21 February 1341 || 2 July 1346||||
|-
|10||||2 July 1346 || 28 March 1371||||
|-
|11||||28 March 1371 || 8 September 1381||||
|-
|12||||8 September 1381 || 24 October 1386||Lord Privy Seal

Lord Privy Seal

The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...

1386–1389, Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1349–1356||
|-
|13||||24 October 1386 || 22 July 1394||||
|-
|14||||22 July 1394 || 11 September 1397||Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1399–1401||
|-
|15||||11 September 1397 || 24 September 1402||||
|-
|16|||| || 2 March 1405||Lord Privy Seal

Lord Privy Seal

1405–1406, Lord High Treasurer

Lord High Treasurer

The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...

1407–1408||
|-
|17||||2 March 1405 || 3 June 1415||Lord Privy Seal

Lord Privy Seal

1415–1416||
|-
|18||||3 June 1415 || 28 October 1423||||
|-
|19||||28 October 1423 || 13 November 1438||||
|-
|20||||13 November 1438 || 29 March 1447||||
|-
|21||||29 March 1447 || 23 December 1461||||
|-
|22||||23 December 1461 || 12 February 1471||||
|-
|23||||12 February 1471 || 29 April 1471||||
|-
|24||||29 April 1471 || 16 March 1472||Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1475, 1485–1487||
|-
|25||||16 March 1472 || 9 January 1479||Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1487–1500, Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...

1486–1500||
|-
|26||||9 January 1479 || ||||
|-
|27||||22 September 1483 || 22 August 1485||||
|-
|28||||22 August 1485 || 26 February 1487||||
|-
|29||||26 February 1487 || 5 May 1492||||
|-
|30||||5 May 1492 || 13 February 1494||||
|-
|31||||13 February 1494 || 1 February 1502||Keeper of the Great Seal

Lord Keeper of the Great Seal

The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and later of Great Britain, was formerly an officer of the English Crown charged with physical custody of the Great Seal of England. This evolved into one of the Great Officers of State....

1502–1504, Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1504–1515, Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury

1503–1532||
|-
|32||||1 February 1502 || 13 November 1504||||
|-
|33||||13 November 1504 || 22 January 1508||Archbishop of York

Archbishop of York

The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...

1508–1514||
|-
|34||||22 January 1508 || 12 May 1516||||
|-
|35||||12 May 1516 || 20 October 1522||Lord Privy Seal

Lord Privy Seal

1523–1530||
|-
|36||||20 October 1522 || 9 October 1523||||
|-
|37||||9 October 1523 || 26 June 1527||||
|-
|38||||26 June 1527 || 8 October 1534||||
|-
|39||||8 October 1534 || 10 July 1536||Secretary of State

Secretary of State (England)

In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....

1533–1536, Lord Privy Seal

Lord Privy Seal

1536–1540||
|-
|40||||10 July 1536 || 1 July 1541||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...

1525–1529, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...

1529–1536||
|-
|41||||1 July 1541 || 13 December 1550||||
|-
|42||||13 December 1550 || 18 June 1552||||
|-
|43||||18 June 1552 || 18 September 1553||||
|-
|44||||18 September 1553 || 5 November 1557||Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...

1539–1540||
|-
|45||||5 November 1557 || 30 May 1581||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1553–1557, Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

1558||
|-
|46||||30 May 1581 || 10 April 1594||Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1559–1581||
|-
|47||||10 April 1594 || 18 May 1603||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1581–1592, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1592–1594, Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1596–1617, First Lord of the Treasury

First Lord of the Treasury

The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is now always also the Prime Minister...

1613–1614||
|-
|48||||18 May 1603 || 14 January 1611||||
|-
|49||||14 January 1611 || 1 September 1614||Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

1603–1611||
|-
|50||||1 September 1614 || 18 April 1636|| Chancellor of the Exchequer

Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...

1606–1614||
|-
|51||||18 April 1636 || 30 March 1639||||
|-
|52||||30 March 1639 || 28 January 1643||||
|-
|53|| (royalist

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

)||28 January 1643 || 3 November 1660||Chancellor of the Exchequer

Chancellor of the Exchequer

1642–1643||
|-
|54|| (parliamentary

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

)||10 November 1643 || 14 May 1659||Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

1640–1647, 1647–1653, 1654–1655, 1659–1660||
|-
|55||||3 November 1660 || 12 January 1685||Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

1660||
|-
|56||||12 January 1685 || 20 October 1685||||
|-
|57||||20 October 1685 || 13 March 1689||||
|-
|58||||13 March 1689 || 13 January 1693||Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

1689||
|-
|59||||13 January 1693 || 13 July 1717||Speaker of the House of Commons

Speaker of the British House of Commons

1685–1689, 1693–1717||
|-
|60||||13 July 1717 || 9 October 1738||||
|-
|61||||9 October 1738 || 5 November 1741||||
|-
|62||||5 November 1741 || 15 January 1750||||
|-
|63||||16 January 1750 || 18 May 1754||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1737–1742||
|-
|64||||25 May 1754 || 13 November 1764||||
|-
|65||||4 December 1764 || 30 March 1784||||
|-
|66||||30 March 1784 || 4 June 1788||Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1782–1783, 1783–1784, Lord Chief Justice 1788–1802||
|-
|67||||4 June 1788 || 27 May 1801||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1782–1783, 1783–1784, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1784–1788, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas 1801–1804||
|-
|68||||1801 || 1817||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1799–1801||
|-
|69||||6 January 1818 || 5 April 1824||Solicitor General 1807–1812, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1812–1813||
|-
|70||||5 April 1824 || 14 September 1826||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1817–1819, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1819–1824, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas

Chief Justice of the Common Pleas

The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...

1824||
|-
|71||||14 September 1826 || 3 May 1827||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1819–1824, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1824–1826, Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1827–1830, 1834–1835, 1841–1846||
|-
|72||||3 May 1827 || 29 September 1834||Vice Chancellor of England 1818–1827||
|-
|73||||29 September 1834 || 16 January 1836||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1834, Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor

1836–1841, 1846–1850||
|-
|74||||16 January 1836 || 28 March 1851||||
|-
|75||||28 March 1851 || 30 August 1873||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1848, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1850||
|-
|76||||30 August 1873 || 21 March 1883||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1871–1873||
|-
|77||||3 April 1883 || 19 October 1897||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1868||
|-
|78||||19 October 1897 || 9 May 1900||||
|-
|79||||9 May 1900 || 24 October 1900||Lord Chief Justice 1900–1913||
|-
|80||||24 October 1900 || 24 October 1901||||
|-
|81||||24 October 1901 || 6 March 1907||||
|-
|82||||6 March 1907 || 3 May 1918||Created Baron Cozens-Hardy in 1914.||
|-
|83||||3 May 1918 || 3 November 1919||||
|-
|84||||3 November 1919 || 16 August 1923||President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division 1918–1919||
|-
|85||||11 October 1923 || 7 October 1935||Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

1919–1922, Attorney General

Attorney General for England and Wales

1922, created Baron Hanworth in 1926.||
|-
|86||||7 October 1935 || 26 April 1937||||
|-
|87||||26 April 1937 || 1 June 1949||||
|-
|88||||1 June 1949 || 19 April 1962||Created Baron Evershed in 1956.||
|-
|89||||19 April 1962 || 30 July 1982||||
|-
|90||||30 July 1982 || 1 October 1992||Created Baron Donaldson of Lymington in 1988.||
|-
|91||||1 October 1992 || 4 June 1996||Lord Chief Justice 1996–2000; Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary

Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary

The President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the head of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The office is equivalent to the now-defunct position of Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, also known as the Senior Law Lord, who was the highest ranking Lord of Appeal in Ordinary...

2000-2008||
|-
|92||||4 June 1996 || 6 June 2000||Lord Chief Justice 2000–2005||
|-
|93||||6 June 2000 || 3 October 2005||Lord Chief Justice 2005–2008, President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 2009–present||
|-
|94||||3 October 2005 || 30 September 2009||Created Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony in 2009; Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

, 2009–present||
|-
|95||||1 October 2009 ||Incumbent||||
|}

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