Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood

The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain's department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of orders of chivalry and some aspects of honours in general. It does not deal with nominations or decisions on appointments, but rather administers the appointment procedures and investitures, and provides the insignia. It is a small office, with eight staff in 2019.^[1]

History and duties

The office was established by King Edward VII in April 1904^[2] in response to the recommendations of a committee set up in 1902 to consider changes to the administration of the honours system. The new office replaced the ad hoc arrangements which had evolved over time.^[1] The Central Chancery is headed by a Secretary, who is assisted by an Assistant Secretary.^[3]

Since 1991, the Secretary of the Central Chancery has been the same individual who serves as Assistant Comptroller to the Lord Chamberlain's Office, and currently serves ex-officio as the registrar of the Royal Victorian Order^[4]^[5] and of the Order of the British Empire.^[6]

Since 1931, the office has been held by retired and active duty officers of the Armed Forces.

The current secretary, Lt.Col. Stephen Segrave, took part in the Royal Procession at the 2023 Coronation, leading the contingent representing orders of chivalry and gallantry award holders.^[7]

List of secretaries

Sir Francis Morgan Bryant (1916–1931)
Rear Admiral Philip John Hawkins Lander Row (1931–1932)
Commander Dudley Colles (1932–1936)
Major Sir Henry Hudson Fraser Stockley (1936–1946)
Brigadier Sir Ivan de la Bere (1946–1960)
Major General Sir Cyril Harry Colquhoun (1960–1968)
Major General Sir Peter Bernard Gillett (1968–1979)
Major General Sir Desmond Hind Garrett Rice (1980–1989)
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Walter Ross (1989–1991)
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Charles McClure Mather (1991–1999)[8]
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Guy Cartwright (1999–2005)^[9]
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Fergus Matheson of Matheson, 8th Baronet (2005–2014)[10]
Lieutenant Colonel James Vernon (2014–2019)^[11]
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave (2019–present)^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b Jonathan P. K. Smith. The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, volume 58, number 3, page 172. September 2019.
^ "No. 27663". The London Gazette. 1 April 1904. p. 2113.
^ "No. 62008". The London Gazette. 27 July 2017. p. 14398.
^ "No. 32781". The London Gazette. 29 December 1922. p. 9160.
^ "Royal Victorian Order", The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: Newsletter" (PDF). Centralchancerry.org.uk. January 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
^ "Mather, Lt-Col Anthony Charles Mcclure", Who's Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2017). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "Cartwright, Lt-Col. Robert Guy", Who's Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2017). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "Matheson of Matheson, Lt Colonel Sir Alexander Fergus", Who's Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2017). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "The Royal Mint Advisory Committee" (Cabinet Office). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ The Court Circular, 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.