List of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers
Lord High Chancellors and Lord Keepers of Great Britain (1707–present)
Notes Lord Keeper of the Great Seal until 1713. Baron Parker from 1714; created Earl of Macclesfield and Viscount Parker in 1721.

List of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers

Section Title: Lord High Chancellors and Lord Keepers of Great Britain (1707–present)
Table Section Text: Notes Lord Keeper of the Great Seal until 1713. Baron Parker from 1714; created Earl of Macclesfield and Viscount Parker in 1721.

Tory Whig Conservative Liberal Labour National Liberal

Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office	Party	Ministry	Monarch (Reign)

-	The Right Honourable William Cowper 1st Baron Cowper PC KC FRS (c. 1665–1723)	4 May 1707	23 September 1710	—	Godolphin–Marlborough	-

Oxford–Bolingbroke

In Commission: Sir Thomas Trevor, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Robert Tracy, Justice of the Common Pleas John Scrope, Baron of the Exchequer	26 September 1710	19 October 1710	—

The Right Honourable Simon Harcourt 1st Baron Harcourt PC (1661–1727)	19 October 1710	21 September 1714	Tory

-	The Right Honourable William Cowper 1st Baron Cowper PC KC FRS (c. 1665–1723)	21 September 1714	15 April 1718	—	Townshend I	-

Stanhope–Sunderland I

In Commission: Sir Robert Tracy, Justice of the Common Pleas Sir John Pratt, Justice of the King's Bench Sir James Montagu, Baron of the Exchequer	18 April 1718	12 May 1718	—	Stanhope–Sunderland II

The Right Honourable Thomas Parker 1st Earl of Macclesfield PC FRS (1666–1732)	12 May 1718	7 January 1725	Whig

Walpole–Townshend

In Commission: Sir Joseph Jekyll, Master of the Rolls Sir Jeffrey Gilbert, Baron of the Exchequer Sir Robert Raymond, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales	7 January 1725	1 June 1725	—

The Right Honourable Peter King 1st Baron King PC FRS (c. 1669–1734)	1 June 1725	29 November 1733	—

-	-

Walpole

The Right Honourable Charles Talbot 1st Baron Talbot PC (1685–1737)	29 November 1733	14 February 1737†	—

The Right Honourable Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke PC (1690–1764)	21 February 1737	19 November 1756	Whig

Carteret

Broad Bottom (I & II)

Newcastle I

In Commission: Sir John Willes, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe, Baron of the Exchequer Sir John Eardley Wilmot, Justice of the King's Bench	19 November 1756	30 June 1757	—	Pitt–Devonshire

1757 Caretaker

The Right Honourable Robert Henley 1st Earl of Northinton PC (1708–1772)	30 June 1757	30 July 1766	Whig	Pitt–Newcastle

-	-

Bute

Grenville (Whig–Tory)

Rockingham I

The Right Honourable Charles Pratt 1st Baron Camden PC (1714–1794)	30 July 1766	17 January 1770	Whig	Chatham (Whig–Tory)

Grafton (Whig–Tory)

The Right Honourable Charles Yorke MP for Cambridge University (1722–1770)	17 January 1770	20 January 1770†	Whig

In Commission: Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe, Baron of the Exchequer Henry Bathurst, Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Richard Aston, Justice of the King's Bench	21 January 1770	23 January 1771	—	North

The Right Honourable Henry Bathurst 2nd Earl Bathurst PC (1714–1794)	23 January 1771	3 June 1778	Tory

The Right Honourable Edward Thurlow 1st Baron Thurlow PC (1731–1806)	3 June 1778	7 April 1783	Tory

Rockingham II

Shelburne (Whig–Tory)

In Commission: Lord Loughborough, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir William Henry Ashurst, Justice of the King's Bench Sir Beaumont Hotham, Baron of the Exchequer	9 April 1783	23 December 1783	—	Fox–North (Whig–Tory)

The Right Honourable Edward Thurlow 1st Baron Thurlow PC (1731–1806)	23 December 1783	June 1792	Tory	Pitt I

In Commission: Sir James Eyre, Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir William Henry Ashurst, Justice of the King's Bench Sir John Wilson, Justice of the Common Pleas	15 June 1792	28 January 1793	—

The Right Honourable Alexander Wedderburn 1st Baron Loughborough PC (1733–1805)	28 January 1793	14 April 1801	—

The Right Honourable John Scott 1st Baron Eldon PC FRS FSA (1751–1838)	14 April 1801	7 February 1806	Tory	Addington

Pitt II

The Right Honourable Thomas Erskine 1st Baron Erskine PC KC (1750–1823)	7 February 1806	1 April 1807	Whig	All the Talents (Whig–Tory)

The Right Honourable John Scott 1st Earl of Eldon PC FRS FSA (1751–1838)	1 April 1807	12 April 1827	Tory	Portland II

Perceval

Liverpool

-	-

The Right Honourable John Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst PC KS FRS (1772–1863)	2 May 1827	24 November 1830	Tory	Canning (Canningite–Whig)

Goderich (Canningite–Whig)

Wellington–Peel

-	-

The Right Honourable Henry Brougham 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux PC FRS (1778–1868)	24 November 1830	9 July 1834	Whig	Grey

Melbourne I

The Right Honourable John Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst PC KS FRS (1772–1863)	21 November 1834	8 April 1835	Conservative	Wellington Caretaker

Peel I

In Commission: Sir Charles Pepys, Master of the Rolls Sir Lancelot Shadwell, Vice-Chancellor of England Sir John Bosanquet, Justice of the Common Pleas	23 April 1835	16 January 1836	—	Melbourne II

The Right Honourable Charles Pepys 1st Baron Cottenham PC (1781–1851)	16 January 1836	30 August 1841	Whig

-	-

The Right Honourable John Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst PC KS FRS (1772–1863)	3 September 1841	27 June 1846	Conservative	Peel II

The Right Honourable Charles Pepys 1st Baron Cottenham PC (1781–1851)	6 July 1846	19 June 1850	Whig	Russell I

In Commission: Lord Langdale, Master of the Rolls Sir Lancelot Shadwell, Vice Chancellor of England Sir Robert Rolfe, Baron of the Exchequer	19 June 1850	15 July 1850	—

The Right Honourable Thomas Wilde 1st Baron Truro PC QS (1782–1855)	15 July 1850	21 February 1852	Whig

The Right Honourable Edward Sugden 1st Baron St Leonards PC (1781–1875)	27 February 1852	17 December 1852	Conservative	Who? Who?

The Right Honourable Robert Rolfe 1st Baron Cranworth PC (1790–1868)	28 December 1852	21 February 1858	Whig	Aberdeen (Peelite–Whig)

Palmerston I

The Right Honourable Frederic Thesiger 1st Baron Chelmsford PC FRS (1794–1878)	26 February 1858	11 June 1859	Conservative	Derby–Disraeli II

The Right Honourable John Campbell 1st Baron Campbell PC FRSE (1779–1861)	18 June 1859	24 June 1861	Liberal	Palmerston II

The Right Honourable Richard Bethell 1st Baron Westbury PC (1800–1873)	26 June 1861	7 July 1865	Liberal

The Right Honourable Robert Rolfe 1st Baron Cranworth PC (1790–1868)	7 July 1865	26 June 1866	Liberal

Russell II

The Right Honourable Frederic Thesiger 1st Baron Chelmsford PC FRS (1794–1878)	6 July 1866	29 February 1868	Conservative	Derby–Disraeli III

The Right Honourable Hugh Cairns 1st Baron Cairns PC (1819–1885)	29 February 1868	1 December 1868	Conservative

The Right Honourable William Wood 1st Baron Hatherley PC (1801–1881)	9 December 1868	15 October 1872	Liberal	Gladstone I

The Right Honourable Roundell Palmer 1st Baron Selborne PC FRS (1812–1895)	15 October 1872	17 February 1874	Liberal

The Right Honourable Hugh Cairns 1st Earl of Cairns PC (1819–1885)	21 February 1874	21 April 1880	Conservative	Disraeli II

The Right Honourable Roundell Palmer 1st Earl of Selborne PC FRS (1812–1895)	28 April 1880	9 June 1885	Liberal	Gladstone II

The Right Honourable Hardinge Giffard 1st Baron Halsbury PC (1823–1921)	24 June 1885	28 January 1886	Conservative	Salisbury I

The Right Honourable Farrer Herschell 1st Baron Herschell PC DL (1837–1899)	6 February 1886	20 July 1886	Liberal	Gladstone III

The Right Honourable Hardinge Giffard 1st Baron Halsbury PC (1823–1921)	3 August 1886	11 August 1892	Conservative	Salisbury II

The Right Honourable Farrer Herschell 1st Baron Herschell GCB PC DL FRS (1837–1899)	18 August 1892	21 June 1895	Liberal	Gladstone IV

Rosebery

The Right Honourable Hardinge Giffard 1st Earl of Halsbury PC (1823–1921)	29 June 1895	4 December 1905	Conservative	Salisbury (III & IV) (Con.–Lib.U.)

-	-

Balfour (Con.–Lib.U.)

The Right Honourable Robert Reid 1st Earl Loreburn GCMG PC (1846–1923)	10 December 1905	10 June 1912	Liberal	Campbell-Bannerman

Asquith (I–III)

-	-

The Right Honourable Richard Haldane 1st Viscount Haldane KT PC KC FRS (1856–1928)	10 June 1912	25 May 1915	Liberal

The Right Honourable Stanley Buckmaster 1st Baron Buckmaster PC KC (1861–1934)	25 May 1915	5 December 1916	Liberal	Asquith Coalition (Lib.–Con.–Lab.)

The Right Honourable Robert Finlay 1st Baron Finlay GCMG PC (1842–1929)	10 December 1916	10 January 1919	Conservative	Lloyd George (I & II) (Lib.–Con.–Lab.)

The Right Honourable F. E. Smith 1st Earl of Birkenhead PC KC (1872–1930)	10 January 1919	19 October 1922	Conservative

The Right Honourable George Cave 1st Viscount Cave GCMG PC (1856–1928)	24 October 1922	22 January 1924	Conservative	Law

Baldwin I

The Right Honourable Richard Haldane 1st Viscount Haldane KT OM PC KC FRS (1856–1928)	22 January 1924	6 November 1924	Labour	MacDonald I

The Right Honourable George Cave 1st Viscount Cave GCMG PC (1856–1928)	6 November 1924	28 March 1928	Conservative	Baldwin II

Hailsham1.JPG	The Right Honourable Douglas Hogg 1st Baron Hailsham PC KC (1872–1950)	28 March 1928	4 June 1929	Conservative

The Right Honourable John Sankey 1st Viscount Sankey GBE PC KC (1866–1948)	7 June 1929	7 June 1935	Labour	MacDonald II

National I (N.Lab.–Con.–N.Lib. –Lib.

National II (N.Lab.–Con.–N.Lib. –Lib. until 1932)

Hailsham1.JPG	The Right Honourable Douglas Hogg 1st Viscount Hailsham PC KC (1872–1950)	7 June 1935	9 March 1938	Conservative	National III (Con.–N.Lab.–N.Lib.)

-

National IV (Con.–N.Lab.–N.Lib.)	-

The Right Honourable Frederic Maugham Baron Maugham PC KC (1866–1958)	9 March 1938	3 September 1939	Conservative

The Right Honourable Thomas Inskip 1st Viscount Caldecote OBE PC KC (1876–1947)	3 September 1939	12 May 1940	Conservative	Chamberlain War (Con.–N.Lab.–N.Lib.)

The Right Honourable John Simon 1st Viscount Simon GCSI GCVO OBE PC KC (1873–1954)	10 May 1940	27 July 1945	National Liberal	Churchill War (All parties)

Churchill Caretaker (Con.–N.Lib.)

The Right Honourable William Jowitt 1st Viscount Jowitt PC (1885–1957)	27 July 1945	26 October 1951	Labour	Attlee (I & II)

The Right Honourable Gavin Simonds 1st Baron Simonds PC (1881–1971)	30 October 1951	18 October 1954	Conservative	Churchill III

-	-

The Right Honourable David Maxwell Fyfe 1st Viscount Kilmuir GCVO PC (1900–1967)	18 October 1954	13 July 1962	Conservative

Eden

Macmillan (I & II)

The Right Honourable Reginald Manningham-Buller 1st Baron Dilhorne PC (1905–1980)	13 July 1962	16 October 1964	Conservative

Douglas-Home

The Right Honourable Gerald Gardiner Baron Gardiner PC (1900–1990)	16 October 1964	19 June 1970	Labour	Wilson (I & II)

The Right Honourable Quintin Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone PC (1907–2001)	20 June 1970	4 March 1974	Conservative	Heath

The Right Honourable Frederick Elwyn Jones Baron Elwyn-Jones CH PC (1909–1989)	5 March 1974	4 May 1979	Labour	Wilson (III & IV)

Callaghan

The Right Honourable Quintin Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone CH PC (1907–2001)	4 May 1979	13 June 1987	Conservative	Thatcher I

Thatcher II

The Right Honourable Michael Havers Baron Havers PC (1923–1992)	13 June 1987	26 October 1987	Conservative	Thatcher III

The Right Honourable James Mackay Baron Mackay of Clashfern PC (born 1927)	28 October 1987	2 May 1997	Conservative

Major I

Major II

The Right Honourable Alexander Irvine Baron Irvine of Lairg PC (born 1940)	2 May 1997	12 June 2003	Labour	Blair (I–III)

The Right Honourable Charles Falconer Baron Falconer of Thoroton PC (born 1946)	12 June 2003	27 June 2007	Labour

The Right Honourable Jack Straw MP for Blackburn (born 1946)	28 June 2007	11 May 2010	Labour	Brown

The Right Honourable Kenneth Clarke QC MP for Rushcliffe (born 1940)	12 May 2010	4 September 2012	Conservative	Cameron–Clegg (Con.–L.D.)

The Right Honourable Chris Grayling MP for Epsom and Ewell (born 1962)	4 September 2012	9 May 2015	Conservative

The Right Honourable Michael Gove MP for Surrey Heath (born 1967)	9 May 2015	14 July 2016	Conservative	Cameron II

The Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss MP for South West Norfolk (born 1975)	14 July 2016	11 June 2017	Conservative	May I

The Right Honourable David Lidington CBE MP for Aylesbury (born 1956)	11 June 2017	8 January 2018	Conservative	May II

The Right Honourable David Gauke MP for South West Hertfordshire (born 1971)	8 January 2018	Incumbent	Conservative

Sentence(s)

From June 1792 to January 1793, James Eyre was Chief Commissioner of the Great Seal.

final_sentence: From June 1792 to January 1793, James Eyre was Chief Commissioner of the Great Seal.