Lord High Admirals Council


The Lord High Admirals Council was a series of councils appointed to advise and assist the Lord High Admiral of England and then later of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the direction of Naval Affairs also known as Council of the Lord High Admiral when the Board of Admiralty was not in commission the first series took place between 1702-1708 and second and final series of councils took place from 1827-1828.

History

For the periods the Board of Admiralty was not in commission, a special council of advisers known as the Lord High Admirals Council was established on the advice of the government of the day to which the Lord High Admiral had to accept the advisers recommended by the government.
In 1702, Prince George was authorised to appoint a Lord Admirals Council – there were originally three naval members and one civil member who were usually a member of parliament. Between 1703 and the spring of 1704, the permitted number of members of the council was raised to six. After spring 1704 until 1708, the upper limit of members of the council was increased to seven. In May 1827, the Duke of Clarence was authorised to appoint a council that consisted of no more than four members to hold office during his tenure; by July 1827, the right of the Lord High Admiral to appoint council members was passed over to the Monarch. The Duke of Clarence's councils usually consisted of two naval members and two civil members, in all twelve councils would convene during the two periods.

Councils of the lord high admiral

Councils of Prince George

Senior Members of Lords Admiral Council, Naval Member and Civil Member
Council of 22 May 1702
Council of 29 March 1703
Council of 30 April 1704
Council of 26 December 1704
Council of 11 June 1705
Council of 8 February 1706
  • Admiral, Sir Sir David Mitchell,.
  • Admiral of the Blue, George Churchill.
  • Sir, Richard Hill,.
  • Hon: Henry Paget,
  • Admiral, Cloudesley Shovell,.
  • Robert Walpole,.
  • Vice-Admiral, Sir Stafford Fairborne,
  • Josiah Burchett
Notes: 28 June 1707: Prince George, Lord High Admiral
Council of 28 June 1707
  • Admiral, Sir Sir David Mitchell,.
  • Admiral of the Blue, George Churchill,
  • Sir, Richard Hill,.
  • The Hon. Henry Paget,.
  • Admiral, Sir Cloudesley Shovell,
  • Robert Walpole,
  • Vice-Admiral, Sir Stafford Fairborne,
  • Josiah Burchett
Council of 19 April 1708
  • Earl of Wemyss,
  • Admiral of the Blue, George Churchill
  • Sir, Richard Hill,
  • The Hon. Henry Paget,
  • Admiral, Sir Stafford Fairborne,
  • Admiral, Sir John Leake,
  • Josiah Burchett
Council of 20 June 1708''
Senior Members of Lords Admiral Council
NoteNameMember
Council of 2 May 1827Vice-Admiral Sir William Johnstone Hope, MPNaval Member
Council of 2 May 1827Vice-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, MPNaval Member
Council of 2 May 1827William Douglas, MPCivil Member
Council of 2 May 1827John Denison, MPCivil Member
Council of 4 February 1828Vice-Admiral Sir William Johnstone Hope, MPNaval Member
Council of 4 February 1828Vice-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, MPNaval Member
Council of 4 February 1828Rear-Admiral the Earl of Brecknock, MPNaval Member
Council of 4 February 1828Sir George Clerk, MPCivil Member
Council of 12 March 1828Vice-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, MPNaval Member
Council of 12 March 1828Rear-Admiral the Earl of Brecknock, MPNaval Member
Council of 12 March 1828Sir George Clerk, MPCivil Member
Council of 12 March 1828Sir Edward Owen, MPCivil Member

Footnotes