Father of the House (United Kingdom)

Last updated
Father of the House
Official portrait of Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP crop 2.jpg
Incumbent
Sir Edward Leigh
since 5 July 2024
House of Commons of the United Kingdom
Member of House of Commons
Seat Westminster
First holder William Wither Bramston Beach
c. 1899

The father of the House is a title that is bestowed on the male member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom who has the longest continuous service. [1] If two or more members have the same length of current uninterrupted service, then whoever was sworn in earliest, as listed in Hansard , is named as Father of the House. [2]

Contents

The only formal duty of the father of the House is to preside over the election of the speaker of the House of Commons. However, the relevant Standing Order does not refer to this member by the title of "Father of the House", but instead to the longest-serving member of the House present who is not a minister of the Crown. Until 1971, the clerk of the House of Commons presided over the election of the Speaker. As the clerk is never a member, and therefore is not permitted to speak, he would silently stand and point at the Member who was to speak. However, this procedure broke down at the election of a new Speaker in 1971 and was changed upon the recommendation of a select committee. [3] [ failed verification ]

Since the 2024 general election, Sir Edward Leigh has been Father of the House, having been an MP continuously for Gainsborough (previously Gainsborough and Horncastle) since 1983. [4] While other MPs such as Roger Gale and Jeremy Corbyn have also served continuously since 1983, Leigh was sworn in first. [5]

The previous Father was Sir Peter Bottomley, [6] who was an MP continuously from 1975 until he lost his seat to Labour's Beccy Cooper in the 2024 general election. Bottomley was the first Father to be unseated rather than retire or die in office.

History

Sir Peter Bottomley presiding over the chamber in 2019 First Sitting of the House of Commons (17th December 2019) 9.jpg
Sir Peter Bottomley presiding over the chamber in 2019

Historically, the father of the House was not a clearly defined term, and it is not clear by what process it was used for individual Members. The first recorded usage of the term dates to 1788, in an obituary of Thomas Noel; it is also attested in an engraved portrait of Whitshed Keene by Charles Picart, from 1816. It may have been interpreted at various times as the oldest member, the member with the longest total service, the member with the longest unbroken service (the modern definition), or the member who entered the House longest ago. There is also some evidence that in the late 19th century, the position may have been elected. The modern definition was not settled upon until the late 1890s. [7]

After the Second World War, a convention arose that the father would normally be a member of the Select Committee on Privileges, but this lapsed following the establishment of the modern Standards and Privileges Committee in the 1990s. [7]

Among the twentieth-century fathers, there were several very prominent figures; four former Prime Ministers became Father of the House, and a fifth, Henry Campbell-Bannerman was simultaneously Father of the House and Prime Minister from May 1907 until soon before his death during April 1908. Almost all have been Privy Councillors. [7]

There has been criticism of the term Father of the House being used instead of Elder of the House as a relic of the "legacy of women’s historic under-representation in the House" and the way in which gendered language affected representation. [8] [9]

To date, all holders of the position have been men. [7] In 2015 Harriet Harman described herself as the 'Mother of the House' as she was the longest continuously serving woman MP. [10] David Cameron referred to her as the Mother the week after, [11] and Theresa May referred to Harriet Harman as the Mother of the House in 2017. [12] Harman had in fact been the longest serving female MP since at least 2010. Following the 2024 general election and Harman's retirement, Diane Abbott became Mother of the House. [13] During speeches at the re-opening of Parliament after the 2024 general election, Diane Abbott was described as the "Mother of the House" by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and then Leader of the Opposition Rishi Sunak.[ citation needed ]

List of fathers of the House since 1899

This list covers all fathers of the House since W.W. Beach, the first to become Father after the modern approach (longest period of continuous service) was agreed in 1898. [7] Those who died as fathers are indicated by a . Unseated is indicated by a U

NameEntered ParliamentFather (Standing Order No 1)Left HousePartyConstituency
William Wither Bramston Beach 185718991901 Conservative North Hampshire (1857–85)
Andover (1885–1901)
Michael Hicks Beach 186419011906 Conservative Gloucestershire East (1864–85)
Bristol West (1885–1906)
George Finch 186719061907 Conservative Rutland
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman 186819071908 Liberal Stirling Burghs
Sir John Kennaway, 3rd Baronet 187019081910 Conservative East Devon (1870–85)
Honiton (1885–1910)
Thomas Burt 187419101918 Lib-Lab Morpeth
T. P. O'Connor 188019181929 Irish Nationalist Galway Borough (1880–85)
Liverpool Scotland (1885–1929)
David Lloyd George 189019291945 Liberal Caernarvon Boroughs
The Earl Winterton 190419451951 Conservative Horsham (1904–18, 1945–51)
Horsham and Worthing (1918–45)
Sir Hugh O'Neill 191519511952 UUP Mid Antrim (1915–22)
Antrim (1922–50)
North Antrim (1950–52)
David Grenfell 192219521959 Labour Gower
Sir Winston Churchill 1900
continuous from 1924
19591964 Conservative Oldham (1900–04)
Liberal Oldham (1904–06)
Manchester North West (1906–08)
Dundee (1908–22)
Conservative Epping (1924–45)
Woodford (1945–64)
R. A. Butler 192919641965 Conservative Saffron Walden
Sir Robin Turton 192919651974 Conservative Thirsk and Malton
George Strauss 1929
continuous from 1934
19741979 Labour Lambeth North (1929–31, 1934–50)
Vauxhall (1950–79)
John Parker 193519791983 Labour Romford (1935–45)
Dagenham (1945–83)
James Callaghan 194519831987 Labour Cardiff South (1945–50)
Cardiff South East (1950–83)
Cardiff South and Penarth (1983–87)
Sir Bernard Braine 195019871992 Conservative Billericay (1950–55)
South East Essex (1955–83)
Castle Point (1983–92)
Sir Edward Heath 195019922001 Conservative Bexley (1950–74)
Sidcup (1974–83)
Old Bexley and Sidcup (1983–2001)
Tam Dalyell 196220012005 Labour West Lothian (1962–83)
Linlithgow (1983–2005)
Alan Williams 196420052010 Labour Swansea West
Sir Peter Tapsell 1959
continuous from 1966
20102015 Conservative Nottingham West (1959–64)
Horncastle (1966–83)
East Lindsey (1983–97)
Louth and Horncastle (1997–2015)
Sir Gerald Kaufman 197020152017 Labour Manchester Ardwick (1970–83)
Manchester Gorton (1983–2017)
Kenneth Clarke 197020172019 Conservative (1970–2019) Rushcliffe
Independent (2019)
Sir Peter Bottomley 197520192024U Conservative Woolwich West (1975–83)
Eltham (1983–97)
Worthing West (1997–2024)
Sir Edward Leigh 19832024present Conservative Gainsborough and Horncastle (1983–97)
Gainsborough (1997–present)

Earlier "fathers"

This list covers all those who would have been considered Father of the House, by the modern definition, since an arbitrary date of 1701. Many of these will not have been considered "Father of the House" by contemporaries, and some men who were described as such are not listed here. These men served in the Parliament of England until the 1707 Acts of Union and from thereafter until the end of 1800 in the Parliament of Great Britain.

NameEntered ParliamentFather (Standing Order No 1)Left HousePartyConstituency
Sir John Fagg 1645
continuous from 1653
17011701 Steyning
Thomas Turgis 165917011704 Gatton
Sir Christopher Musgrave, 4th Baronet 166117041704 Westmorland
Thomas Strangways 167317041713 Dorset
Sir Richard Onslow 167917131715 Whig Guildford (1713–14)
Surrey (1714–15)
Thomas Erle 167917151718 Whig Wareham
Edward Vaughan 167917181718 Whig Cardiganshire
Richard Vaughan 1685
continuous from 1689
17181724 Whig Carmarthen
Lord William Powlett 168917241729 Tory Winchester (1689–1710, 1715–29)
Lymington (1710–15)
Sir Justinian Isham, 4th Baronet 1685
continuous from 1694
17291730 Tory Northampton (1685–90, 1694–98)
Northamptonshire (1698–30)
Sir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet 169517301738 Tory King's Lynn
Sir Roger Bradshaigh 169517381747 Tory Wigan
Sir Edward Ashe 169517471747 Tory Heytesbury
Sir Thomas Cartwright 1695
continuous from 1701
17471748 Tory Northamptonshire
Sir Richard Shuttleworth 170517481749 Tory Lancashire
Phillips Gybbon 170717491762 Whig Rye
Sir John Rushout, 4th Baronet 171317621768 Tory Malmesbury (1713–22)
Evesham (1722–68)
William Aislabie 172117681781 Whig Ripon
Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore 173317811782 Whig Thetford (1733–54, 1774–82)
Hereford (1754–68)
Heytesbury (1768–74)
The Earl Nugent 174117821784 Tory St Mawes (1741–54, 1774–84)
Bristol (1754–74)
Sir Charles Frederick 174117841784 Tory New Shoreham (1741–54)
Queenborough (1754–84)
The Lord Mendip 174117841790 Tory Cricklade (1741–47)
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1747–61, 1774–90)
Aylesbury (1761–68)
Petersfield (1768–74, 1791–95)
William Drake 174617901796 Amersham
Sir Philip Stephens, 1st Baronet 175917961806 Tory Liskeard (1759–68)
Sandwich (1768–1801)
Clement Tudway 176118061815 Tory Wells
Sir John Aubrey, 6th Baronet 176818151826 Tory Wallingford (1768–74, 1780–84)
Aylesbury (1774–1780)
Buckinghamshire (1780–90)
Clitheroe (1790–96)
Aldeburgh (1796–1812)
Steyning (1812–20)
Horsham (1820–26)
Sir Samuel Smith 178818261832 Tory St Germans (1788–90)
Leicester (1790–1818)
Midhurst (1818–20)
Wendover (1820–32)
George Byng 179018321847 Whig Middlesex
Charles Williams-Wynn 179718471850 Tory (1797–1834) Old Sarum (1797–99)
Montgomeryshire (1797–1850)
Conservative (1834–50)
George Harcourt 180618501861 Whig (1806–35) Lichfield (1806–31)
Oxfordshire (1831–61)
Conservative (1835–57)
Peelite (1857–59)
Liberal (1859–61)
Sir Charles Burrell, 3rd Baronet 180618611862 Tory (1806–34) New Shoreham
Conservative (1834–62)
Henry Cecil Lowther 181218621867 Tory (1812–34) Westmorland
Conservative (1834–67)
Thomas Peers Williams 182018671868 Tory (1820–34) Marlow
Conservative (1834–68)
Henry Lowry-Corry 182518681873 Tory (1825–34) Tyrone
Irish Conservative
(1834–73)
George Weld-Forester 182818731874 Tory (1828–34) Wenlock
Conservative (1834–74)
Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot 183018741890 Whig (1830–59) Glamorganshire (1830–85)
Mid Glamorganshire (1885–90)
Liberal (1859–90)
Charles Pelham Villiers 183518901898 Liberal (1835–86) Wolverhampton (1835–85)
Wolverhampton South (1885–98)
Liberal Unionist (1886–98)
Sir John Mowbray, 1st Baronet 185318981899 Conservative Durham City (1853–85)
Oxford University (1885–99)

Longest-serving member of the House of Lords

The title 'Father of the House' is not used in the House of Lords. [7] The longest-serving member is recorded on the House website, though no duties or special distinctions are associated with the position. [14] As of 2024, the longest-serving member is The Lord Trefgarne (Conservative), who first took his seat on 3 July 1962 [15] (having succeeded his father in the peerage in 1960 while still a minor). The House of Lords Act 1999 repealed the automatic right of hereditary peers to be members of the House of Lords; Trefgarne was one of those elected to continue as a member under section 2 of the Act.

As of 2024, the longest-serving life peer is The Baroness Cox (Crossbencher), who is also the longest-serving female member of the House. She first took her seat on 2 March 1983. [16]

The below table lists the longest continuously serving members of the House of Lords since the Acts of Union 1707, in the order they achieved that status. Prior to 1707, all members of the Lords were members of the Parliament of England. Until 1898, the longest continuously-serving member of the Lords, as with his counterpart in the Commons, was not necessarily considered the senior-most member of that chamber.

PeerMost senior title
in the peerage of
Entitled to seat in Lords as
(if with a different peerage or as an elected peer)
Party affiliationTime served
(from when first taking seat)
TenureBecame
longest-serving
member
Tenure as
longest-serving
member
Thomas Leigh, 2nd Baron Leigh England --26 January 1673–12 November 1710 [17] 37 years, 290 days23 October 1707 (1st Parliament of Great Britain)3 years, 20 days
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds England 1st Viscount Latimer (England, from 1673)

1st Earl of Danby (England, from 1674)

1st Marquess of Carmarthen (England, from 1689)

1st Duke of Leeds (England, from 1694)

Tory 20 October 1673–26 July 1712 [17] 38 years, 280 days12 November 17101 year, 257 days
Thomas Grey, 2nd Earl of Stamford England Whig 13 April 1675–31 January 1720 [17] 44 years, 293 days26 July 17127 years, 189 days
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough and 1st Earl of Monmouth England 2nd Viscount Mordaunt (England, from 1675)

1st Earl of Monmouth (England, from 1689)

3rd Earl of Peterborough (England, from 1697)

Whig 21 December 1680–25 October 1735 [18] [17] 54 years, 308 days31 January 172015 years, 267 days
Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury and 3rd Earl of Elgin England --9 November 1685–16 December 1741 [19] [17] 56 years, 37 days25 October 17356 years, 52 days
Charles Butler, 1st Earl of Arran Ireland 1st Baron Butler of Weston (England, from 1694)-16 February 1694–17 December 1758 [20] [17] 64 years, 304 days16 December 174117 years, 1 day
Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset Great Britain 7th Earl of Dorset and 2nd Earl of Middlesex (England, from 1706)

1st Duke of Dorset (Great Britain, from 1720)

-19 January 1708–10 October 1765 [21] [17] 57 years, 264 days17 December 17586 years, 297 days
Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst Great Britain 1st Baron Bathurst (Great Britain, from 1712)

1st Earl Bathurst (Great Britain, from 1772)

Tory 2 January 1712–16 September 1775 [22] [17] 63 years, 257 days10 October 17659 years, 341 days
John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland England - Whig 22 March 1721–29 May 1779 [23] [17] 58 years, 68 days16 September 17753 years, 255 days
Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford Great Britain 3rd Baron Guilford (England, from 1729)

1st Earl of Guilford (Great Britain, from 1752)

Whig 13 January 1730–4 August 1790 [24] [17] 60 years, 203 days29 May 177911 years, 67 days
Robert Marsham, 2nd Baron Romney Great Britain --17 January 1733–16 November 1793 [25] [17] 60 years, 303 days4 August 17903 years, 104 days
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford Great Britain 2nd Baron Conway of Ragley (England, from 1732)

1st Earl of Hertford (Great Britain, from 1750)

1st Marquess of Hertford (Great Britain, from 1793)

-15 November 1739–14 June 1794 [26] [17] 54 years, 211 days16 November 1793210 days
William Byron, 5th Baron Byron England -1 December 1743–19 May 1798 [27] [17] 54 years, 169 days14 June 17943 years, 339 days
John Ashburnham, 2nd Earl of Ashburnham Great Britain -18 November 1746–8 April 1812 [28] [17] 65 years, 142 days19 May 179813 years, 325 days
Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury Great Britain 2nd Baron Bruce
(Great Britain, from 1747)

1st Earl of Ailesbury (Great Britain, from 1776)

-28 November 1754–19 April 1814 [29] [17] 59 years, 142 days8 April 18122 years, 11 days
John Peyto-Verney, 14th Baron Willoughby de Broke England --3 December 1759–15 February 1816 [30] [17] 56 years, 74 days19 April 18141 year, 302 days
George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough England --8 February 1760–29 January 1817 [31] [17] 56 years, 356 days15 February 1816349 days
Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville Great Britain --24 November 1767–10 December 1822 [32] [17] 55 years, 16 days29 January 18175 years, 315 days
Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon Scotland Scottish Representative Peer (1768–1784) [a]

1st Earl of Norwich
(Great Britain, from 1784)

Tory 20 January 1768–17 June 1827 [33] [17] 59 years, 148 days10 December 18224 years, 189 days
William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam Great Britain - Whig 9 January 1770–8 February 1833 [34] [17] 63 years, 30 days17 June 18275 years, 236 days
George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont Great Britain - Whig 15 February 1773–11 November 1837 [35] [17] 64 years, 269 days8 February 18334 years, 276 days
John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland England - Tory 8 February 1780–15 December 1841 [36] [17] 61 years, 310 days11 November 18374 years, 34 days
Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny Great Britain - Whig 23 January 1787–27 March 1843 [37] [17] 56 years, 63 days15 December 18411 year, 102 days
William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart Scotland Scottish Representative Peer (1788–1812) [a]

1st Viscount Cathcart
(United Kingdom, from 1807)

1st Earl Cathcart
(United Kingdom, from 1814)

-1 February 1788–16 June 1843 [38] [17] 55 years, 135 days27 March 184381 days
George Boyle, 4th Earl of Glasgow Scotland Scottish Representative Peer (1790–1818) [a]

1st Baron Ross
(United Kingdom, from 1815)

Tory 25 November 1790–6 July 1843 [39] [17] 52 years, 223 days16 June 184320 days
George Rice, 3rd Baron Dynevor Great Britain - Tory 17 April 1793–9 April 1852 [40] [17] 58 years, 358 days6 July 18438 years, 278 days
Edward Digby, 2nd Earl Digby Great Britain --14 May 1794–12 May 1856 [41]

[17]

61 years, 364 days9 April 18524 years, 33 days
William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst United Kingdom 2nd Baron Amherst
(Great Britain, from 1797)

1st Earl Amherst
(United Kingdom, from 1826)

-8 November 1797–13 March 1857 [42] [17] 59 years, 125 days12 May 1856305 days
John Rushout, 2nd Baron Northwick Great Britain --17 April 1801–20 January 1859 [43] [17] 57 years, 278 days13 March 18571 year, 313 days
Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey United Kingdom 3rd Baron Grantham
(Great Britain, from 1803)

2nd Earl de Grey
(United Kingdom, from 1833)

Tory 23 May 1803–14 November 1859 [44]

[17]

56 years, 175 days20 January 1859298 days
Robert Haldane-Duncan, 1st Earl of Camperdown United Kingdom 2nd Viscount Duncan
(Great Britain, from 1806)

1st Earl of Camperdown
(United Kingdom, from 1831)

-15 April 1806–22 December 1859 [45] [17] 53 years, 251 days14 November 185938 days
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen Scotland Scottish Representative Peer (1806–1818) [a]

1st Viscount Gordon
(United Kingdom, from 1814)

Tory
(1806–1834)

Conservative (1834–1846; Peelite: 1846–1859)

Liberal (1859-1860)

17 December 1806–14 December 1860 [46] 53 years, 363 days22 December 1859358 days
Thomas Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull Scotland 4th Baron Hay of Pedwardine
(Great Britain) [a]
Conservative 11 March 1807–18 February 1866 [47] 58 years, 344 days14 December 18605 years, 66 days
Augustus FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster Ireland 3rd Viscount Leinster
(Great Britain)
-3 February 1813–10 October 1874 [48] [49] 61 years, 249 days18 February 18668 years, 234 days
Henry Gage, 4th Viscount Gage Ireland 3rd Baron Gage
(Great Britain)
-18 February 1813–20 January 1877 [50] 63 years, 337 days10 October 18742 years, 102 days
Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton United Kingdom Conservative 22 June 1821–7 March 1882 [51] [49] 60 years, 258 days20 January 18775 years, 46 days
Stephen Moore, 3rd Earl Mount Cashell Ireland Irish Representative Peer -19 February 1827–10 October 1883 [52] 56 years, 233 days7 March 18821 year, 217 days
Henry Pelham, 3rd Earl of Chichester United Kingdom -26 February 1827–15 March 1886 [53] 59 years, 17 days10 October 18832 years, 156 days
John Freeman-Mitford, 1st Earl of Redesdale United Kingdom 2nd Baron Redesdale (United Kingdom, from 1830)

1st Earl of Redesdale (United Kingdom, from 1877)

-22 February 1830–2 May 1886 [54] 56 years, 69 days15 March 188648 days
John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney United Kingdom 3rd Viscount Sydney (Great Britain, from 1831)

1st Earl Sydney
(United Kingdom, from 1874)

Liberal 25 February 1831–14 February 1890 [55] 58 years, 354 days2 May 18863 years, 288 days
William King-Noel, 1st Earl of Lovelace United Kingdom 8th Baron King
(Great Britain, from 1833)

1st Earl of Lovelace
(United Kingdom, from 1838)

-26 July 1833–29 December 1893 [55] 60 years, 156 days14 February 18903 years, 318 days
Hungerford Crewe, 3rd Baron Crewe United Kingdom --15 February 1836–3 January 1894 [55] 57 years, 322 days29 December 18935 days
William Murray, 4th and 3rd Earl of Mansfield Great Britain - Conservative 12 May 1840–1 August 1898 [55] 58 years, 81 days3 January 18944 years, 210 days
Harry Chichester, 2nd Baron Templemore United Kingdom --15 June 1842–10 June 1906 [55] 63 years, 360 days1 August 18987 years, 313 days
Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester United Kingdom --29 April 1844–24 January 1909 [55] 64 years, 270 days10 June 19062 years, 228 days
Horatio Nelson, 3rd Earl Nelson United Kingdom - Conservative 4 February 1845–25 February 1913 [56] 68 years, 21 days24 January 19094 years, 32 days
Henry Reynolds-Moreton, 3rd Earl of Ducie United Kingdom - Liberal 22 July 1853–28 October 1921 [55] 68 years, 98 days25 February 19138 years, 245 days
George Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry England - Conservative 6 June 1859–13 March 1930 [57] 70 years, 280 days28 October 19218 years, 136 days
Robert Devereux, 16th Viscount Hereford England --13 June 1864–27 March 1930 [58] 65 years, 287 days13 March 193014 days
Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly Scotland 3rd Baron Meldrum (United Kingdom) [a] Liberal 3 May 1869–20 February 1937 [59] 67 years, 293 days27 March 19306 years, 330 days
Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa United Kingdom --4 June 1872–9 April 1938 [60] 65 years, 309 days20 February 19371 year, 48 days
Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn United Kingdom --8 June 1874–16 January 1942 [61] 67 years, 222 days9 April 19383 years, 282 days
John Norton, 5th Baron Grantley Great Britain --24 May 1878–5 August 1943 [62] 65 years, 73 days16 January 19421 year, 201 days
Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale United Kingdom --31 May 1883–13 April 1944 [63] 60 years, 318 days5 August 1943252 days
Aldred Lumley, 10th Earl of Scarbrough England --19 February 1885–4 March 1945 [64] 60 years, 13 days13 April 1944325 days
Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe United Kingdom 2nd Baron Houghton
(United Kingdom, from 1885)

1st Earl of Crewe
(United Kingdom, from 1895)

1st Marquess of Crewe (United Kingdom, from 1911)

Liberal 28 January 1886–20 June 1945 [65] 59 years, 143 days4 March 1945108 days
George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke United Kingdom - Conservative 4 March 1886–20 December 1947 [66] 61 years, 291 days20 June 19452 years, 183 days
Charles FitzRoy, 4th Baron Southampton Great Britain --23 January 1891–7 December 1958 [67] 67 years, 287 days20 December 194710 years, 352 days
Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of Shaftesbury England --4 June 1891–25 March 1961 [68] 69 years, 294 days7 December 19582 years, 108 days
Henry Paulet, 16th Marquess of Winchester England --18 June 1900–28 June 1962 [69] 62 years, 10 days25 March 19611 year, 95 days
Bertram Gurdon, 2nd Baron Cranworth United Kingdom --12 June 1903–4 January 1964 [70] 60 years, 206 days28 June 19621 year, 190 days
Ralph Stonor, 5th Baron Camoys England --13 February 1906–3 August 1968 [71] 62 years, 172 days4 January 19644 years, 212 days
George Parker, 7th Earl of Macclesfield Great Britain --28 February 1910–20 September 1975 [72] 65 years, 204 days3 August 19687 years, 48 days
Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford England --15 January 1918–18 August 1976 [73] 58 years, 216 days20 September 1975333 days
William Compton, 6th Marquess of Northampton United Kingdom - Liberal 11 March 1919–30 January 1978 [74] 58 years, 325 days18 August 19761 year, 165 days
Randolph Stewart, 12th Earl of Galloway Scotland 6th Baron Stewart of Garlies
(Great Britain, from 1920)

12th Earl of Galloway
(Scotland, from 1963) [a]

-28 April 1920–13 June 1978 [75] 58 years, 46 days30 January 1978134 days
Arthur Hill, 7th Marquess of Downshire Ireland 7th Earl of Hillsborough
(Great Britain)
-18 May 1920–28 March 1989 [76] 68 years, 314 days13 June 197810 years, 288 days
Jeffery Amherst, 5th Earl Amherst United Kingdom - Liberal Democrat 17 May 1927–4 March 1993 [77] [78] 65 years, 291 days28 March 19893 years, 341 days
Dominick Browne, 4th Baron Oranmore and Browne Ireland 2nd Baron Mereworth
(United Kingdom)
-26 July 1927 – 11 November 1999 [b] [79] [80] 72 years, 108 days4 March 19936 years, 252 days
Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu United Kingdom Elected to remain in October 1999. Conservative 7 November 1947–31 August 2015 [81] 67 years, 297 days11 November 1999 [c] 15 years, 293 days
Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham United Kingdom Elected to remain in October 1999. Conservative 13 December 1949–26 April 2021 [d] [84] 71 years, 134 days31 August 20155 years, 238 days
David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne United Kingdom Elected to remain in October 1999. Conservative 3 July 1962 [85] 62 years, 191 days26 April 20213 years, 259 days

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Until 31 July 1963, when the Peerage Act 1963 came into effect, peers in the Peerage of Scotland did not have the automatic right to sit in the House of Lords unless they were also peers in the peerages of England, Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
  2. Removed by the House of Lords Act 1999.
  3. Though at their deaths (in 2007 and in 2018, respectively) the Earl Jellicoe and the Lord Carrington were the longest-serving peers, neither had had an unbroken tenure as both had automatically lost their seats on 11 November 1999, and had returned to the Lords the following week as life peers. [82] [83]
  4. Retired under the provisions of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley</span> British Whig politician

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleanor Laing</span> British politician and life peer (born 1958)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Lords Act 1999</span> UK law removing hereditary peerage from the House of Lords

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titles Deprivation Act 1917</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which authorised enemies of the United Kingdom during the First World War to be deprived of their British peerages and royal titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwilym Lloyd George</span> Welsh politician (1894–1967)

Gwilym Lloyd George, 1st Viscount Tenby,, later hyphenated Lloyd-George, was a Welsh politician and cabinet minister. The younger son of David Lloyd George, he served as Home Secretary from 1954 to 1957.

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Peter St Clair-Erskine, 7th Earl of Rosslyn,, known professionally as Peter Loughborough, is a Scottish peer and police officer. He is Lord Steward of the Royal Household and Personal Secretary to Their Majesties, as well as a former Metropolitan Police Commander. The Earl's lands include Rosslyn Chapel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Oppenheim-Barnes</span> British politician (1928–2025)

Sally Oppenheim-Barnes, Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, PC was a British Conservative politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Sassoon</span> British politician

Sir Edward Albert Sassoon, 2nd Baronet was a British businessman and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archibald Acheson, 4th Earl of Gosford</span> British peer

Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson, 4th Earl of Gosford, was a British peer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Weld-Forester, 3rd Baron Forester</span> British Conservative politician and army officer

George Cecil Weld-Forester, 3rd Baron Forester PC, styled The Honourable George Weld-Forester between 1821 and 1874, was a British Conservative politician and army officer. He notably served as Comptroller of the Household in 1852 and from 1858 to 1859. A long-standing MP, he was the Father of the House of Commons from 1873 to 1874, when he succeeded his elder brother in the barony and took a seat in the House of Lords.

Thomas Knox, 2nd Earl of Ranfurly, styled Viscount Northland between 1831 and 1840, was an Anglo-Irish peer and politician.

David Davies, 3rd Baron Davies,, was a British hereditary peer and engineer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Arundell, 10th Baron Arundell of Wardour</span> English peer

James Everard Arundell, 10th Baron Arundell of Wardour, styled The Honourable James Arundell between 1808 and 1817, was an English peer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Preston, 6th Viscount Gormanston</span> Irish viscount (died 1643)

Nicholas Preston, 6th Viscount Gormanston (1606–1643) sat in the House of Lords of the Irish Parliament of 1634–1635 and sided with the insurgents after the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

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