List of honorary recorders

This is a list of the current titular and honorary recorders in the Courts of England and Wales, together with the Crown Court venue at which they sit.

The title of honorary recorder is awarded by a borough council to a judge who sits at the Crown Court within or associated with their area. It is intended to mark the link between the administration and judiciary. Conventionally the title is bestowed upon the resident judge, who is appointed by the Lord Chief Justice to be the most senior circuit judge sitting at that Crown Court.

Titular recorders

• Recorder of Liverpool (Judge Andrew Menary KC) (Liverpool) (honorary since 1971)
• Recorder of London (Judge Mark Lucraft KC) (Central Criminal Court)
• Recorder of Manchester (Judge Nicholas Dean KC) (Manchester) (honorary since 1971)

Honorary recorders

• Recorder of Aylesbury (Judge Francis Sheridan) (Aylesbury) ^[1]
• Recorder of Birmingham (Judge Melbourne Inman KC) (Birmingham)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Bolton (Judge Walsh) (Bolton)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Bradford (Judge Jonathan Rose) (Bradford) ^[2]
• Recorder of Brighton and Hove (Judge Christine Laing KC) (Lewes) ^[3]
• Recorder of Bristol (Judge Peter Blair, KC) (Bristol) ^{[4] [ dead link ]}
• Recorder of Cambridge (Judge Mark Bishop) (Cambridge) ^[5]
• Recorder of Canterbury (Judge Simon James) (Canterbury) ^[6]
• Recorder of Caernarfon (Judge Rhys Price Rowlands) (Caernarfon)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Cardiff (Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke) (Cardiff)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Carlisle (Judge Peter Davies) (Carlisle)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Chelmsford (Judge Gratwicke) (Chelmsford) ^[7]
• Recorder of Chester (Judge Steven Everett, DL) (Chester) ^[8]
• Recorder of Coventry (Judge Lockhart KC) (Leamington Spa)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Croydon (Judge Alice Robinson) (Croydon)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Derby (Judge Nirmal Shant KC) (Derby) ^[9]
• Recorder of Durham (Judge Christopher Prince) (Durham) ^[10]
• Recorder of Exeter (Judge Peter Johnson) (Exeter) ^[11]
• Recorder of Guildford (Judge Patricia Lees) (Guildford) ^[12]
• Recorder of Gloucester (Judge Ian Lawrie KC) (Gloucester) ^[13]
• Recorder of Greenwich (Judge Christopher Kinch KC) (Woolwich) ^[14]
• Recorder of Haringey (Judge John Dodd KC) (Wood Green) ^[15]
• Recorder of Hull and the East Riding (Judge Paul Watson KC) (Kingston upon Hull) ^[16]
• Recorder of Ipswich (Judge Martyn Levett) (Ipswich) ^[17]
• Recorder of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (Judge Edmunds KC) (Isleworth) ^[18]
• Recorder of Leeds (Judge Guy Kearl, KC) (Leeds) ^[19]
• Recorder of Lincoln (Judge John Pini, KC) (Lincoln) ^[20]
• Recorder of Luton (Judge Michael Simon) (Luton)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Maidstone (Judge Julian Smith) (Maidstone) ^[21]
• Recorder of Merthyr Tydfil (Judge Richard Twomlow) (Merthyr Tydfil) ^{[22] [23]}
• Recorder of Middlesbrough (Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, KC) (Teesside) ^[24]
• Recorder of Milton Keynes (Judge Antony Hughes) (Milton Keynes) ^[25]
• Recorder of Newcastle (Judge Paul Sloan, KC) (Newcastle) ^[26]
• Recorder of Norwich (Judge Stephen Holt) (Norwich) ^[27]
• Recorder of Nottingham (Judge Nirmal Shant, KC) (Nottingham) ^[28]
• Recorder of Oxford (Judge Ian Pringle ) (Oxford) ^[29]
• Recorder of Portsmouth (Judge Richard Price) (Portsmouth)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Preston (Judge Robert Altham) (Preston) ^[30]
• Recorder of Redbridge (Her Honour Judge Rosa Dean) (Snaresbrook) ^[31]
• Recorder of Richmond-upon-Thames (Judge Peter Lodder KC) (Kingston upon Thames) ^[32]
• Recorder of Salisbury (Judge Andrew Barnett) (Salisbury) ^[33]
• Recorder of Sheffield (Judge Jeremy Richardson, KC) (Sheffield) ^[34]
• Recorder of Southwark (Judge Michael Evans KC*) (Inner London Crown Court) * awaiting formal appointment at Southwark Council Meeting agenda 12 November 2025.
• Recorder of St Albans (Judge Lana Wood) (St Albans Crown Court) ^[35]
• Recorder of Stafford (Judge Kristina Montgomery, KC) (Stafford) ^[36]
• Recorder of Stoke on Trent (Judge Paul Glenn) (Stoke-on-Trent) ^[37]
• Recorder of Swansea (Judge Paul Thomas KC) (Swansea) ^[38]
• Recorder of Truro (Judge Simon Carr) (Truro) ^{[ citation needed ]}.
• Recorder of Westminster (Judge Tony Baumgartner) (Southwark Crown Court)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Recorder of Winchester (Judge Angela Morris) (Winchester) ^[39]
• Recorder of Wolverhampton (Judge James Burbidge KC) (Wolverhampton) ^{[40] [ dubious – discuss ]}
• Recorder of Worcester (Judge James Burbidge KC) (Worcester) ^[41]
• Recorder of York (Judge Sean Morris) (York) ^[42]

References

1. Goodman, Camilla (27 June 2012). "Community comes together for town's civic service". Get Bucks. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
2. "Judge Rose takes on top role at Bradford Crown Court". The Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
3. le Duc, Frank (24 October 2014). "Honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove appointed unanimously by councillors". Brighton & Hove News. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
4. Bennett, Geoff (7 January 2017). "Top Bristol judge confesses to writing obscene graffiti then leaves court with middle finger salute". Bristol Post. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
5. "Reviving legal title which dates back to 15th century does justice to Cambridge" . Retrieved 1 November 2015.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
6. James, Simon (11 June 2024). "Judge Simon James" . Retrieved 10 June 2024.
7. "MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING held on 15 May 2013" (PDF). Chelmsford Borough Council. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
8. "Minutes of Council Meeting held 21 July 2016" (PDF). Cheshire West & Chester Council. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
9. "COUNCIL 23 NOVEMBER 2016". Derby City Council. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
10. "Newly appointed judge speaks of fairness for all". The Sunderland Echo. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
11. "Appointment of recorder". Exeter City Council. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
12. https://democracy.guildford.gov.uk/ieIssueDetails.aspx?IId=16043&Opt=3
13. "Gloucester City Council Minutes - 24 March 2016" (PDF). Gloucester City Council. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
14. "Appointment of Honorary Recorder". Royal Borough of Greenwich. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
15. "Minutes of Council Meeting" (PDF). Retrieved 21 January 2025.
16. "Hull appoints new Honorary Recorder". Hull City Council. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
17. "Ipswich's Honorary Recorder". Ipswich Borough Council. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
18. "Recorder of Kensington and Chelsea".
19. Parsons, Rob (22 March 2016). "Leeds court's love affair with paper ends as legal system embraces 'the cloud'". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
20. "Council Tuesday, 1st December 2015 6.30 pm". City of Lincoln Council. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
21. "Lawpages" . Retrieved 21 January 2025.
22. Re-introduction of Honorary Recorder role will help safeguard Merthyr Tydfil Jobs, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, 27 February 2017, retrieved 10 October 2017
23. "Minutes of Meeting: Full Council and Mayor's Installation Meeting" (PDF). Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017. [The Chief Executive] Gareth Chapman referred to the resolution of the Council meeting on the 22nd February 2017 that Judge Richard Twomlow be appointed Honorary Recorder of Merthyr Tydfil and, as such, on behalf of the Council he presented the nominated Judge Richard Twomlow with a Scroll of Admission as Honorary Recorder of Merthyr Tydfil.
24. "Council Minutes". Middlesbrough Council. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
25. "Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the MILTON KEYNES COUNCIL held on WEDNESDAY 11 JULY 2010". Milton Keynes Council. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
26. "MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, CIVIC CENTRE, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE ON WEDNESDAY 5 November 2014 AT 6.00PM" (PDF). Newcastle City Council. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
27. "Sliogeris v R [2015] EWCA Crim 22 (30 January 2015)". British and Irish Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
28. "Agenda for City Council on Monday, 11th July, 2016, 2.00 pm". Nottingham City Council. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
29. "Honorary Recorder - appointment". Oxford City Council. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
30. "Honorary Recorder". Preston City Council. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
31. "Senior Circuit Judge, Resident Judge Appointment: Rosa Dean". Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
32. "Peter Lodder". Judicial Appointments Committee. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
33. Barton, Kirsty (14 October 2010). "City appoints new honorary recorder". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
34. "Civic role for Sheffield's new senior judge". The Star. Sheffield. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
35. Minutes of St Albans City Council meeting held on 6 December 2023
36. "Minutes of the Council held at the County Buildings, Martin Street, Stafford on Tuesday 28 April 2015". Stafford Borough Council. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
37. "Judge Paul Glenn's long career has been centred on home city". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
38. "Appointment of Honorary Recorder of Swansea". Swansea Council. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
39. "Agenda - Council - Wednesday, 13th January, 2021 6.00 pm". Winchester City Council. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
40. "First Honorary Recorder of City of Wolverhampton appointed". City of Wolverhampton. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
41. "Judge ready to take on honorary role".
42. Rychlikova, Megi (18 June 2018). "York court welcomes new judge". York Press. Retrieved 3 December 2018.