Master of the Ceremonies

This article is about the former office in the British royal household. For other uses, see Master of Ceremonies (disambiguation).

The office of Master of the Ceremonies was established by James VI and I. The Master's duties were to receive foreign dignitaries and present them to the monarch at court. Below is a list of known holders until the replacement of the office by the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps in 1920. ^[1]

Masters of the Ceremonies

• 1603–1627: Sir Lewes Lewkenor ^[2]
• 1627–1641: Sir John Finett ^[2]
• 1641–1686: Sir Charles Cotterell ^[2]
• 1686–1710: Sir Charles Lodowick Cotterell ^[2]
• 1710–1758: Sir Clement Cottrell (later Cottrell-Dormer) ^[2]
• 1758–1779: Sir Charles Cottrell-Dormer ^[2]
• 1779–1796: Sir Clement Cottrell-Dormer ^[2]
• 1796–1818: Sir Stephen (or Samuel) Cottrell ^[2]
• 1818–1847: Sir Robert Chester ^[2]
• 1847–1876: Sir Edward Cust, 1st Baronet ^[3]
• 1876–1890: Sir Francis Seymour, 1st Baronet
• 1890–1893: Sir Christopher Teesdale ^[4]
• 1893–1903: Sir William James Colville ^[5]
• 1903–1907: Sir Douglas Dawson ^{[6] [7]}
• 1907–1920: Sir Arthur Walsh ^[8]

Assistant Masters of the Ceremonies

• 1668–1672: Charles Cotterell ^[9]
• 1672–1686: Charles Lodowick Cotterell ^[9]
• 1686–1699: John Dormer ^[9]
• 1699–1707: Clement Cotterell ^[9]
• 1710–1740: John Inglis ^[9]
• 1740–1758: Charles Cotterell ^[9]
• 1758–1796: Stephen Cotterell ^[9]
• 1796–1818: Robert Chester ^[9]
• 1818–1822: Robert Chester (jnr.) ^[9]
• 1822–1823: William John Crosbie ^[9]
• 1823–1825: Henry Thomas Baucutt Mash ^[9]
• 1825–1845: Thomas Seymour Hyde ^[10]
• 1845–1847: Sir Edward Cust, 1st Baronet ^[11]
• 1847–1855: William Henry Cornwall ^{[3] [12]}
• 1855–1881: Charles Bagot ^[13]
• 1881–1887: Augustus Savile ^[14]
• 1887–1901: William Chaine ^[15]

Marshals of the Ceremonies

• 1660: Amice Andros ^[9]
• 1669: Thomas Sambourne ^[9]
• 1673: Richard Le Bas ^[9]
• 1704: John Inglis ^[9] (also Assistant Master from 1710)
• 1740: Robert Cotterell ^[9]
• 1745: Charles Cotterell ^[9] (also Assistant Master since 1740)
• 1759: Thomas Wright ^[16]
• 1761: Stephen Cotterell ^[17] (also Assistant Master since 1758)
• 1796: Robert Chester, senior ^[9] (also Assistant Master)
• 1818: Robert Chester, junior ^[9] (also Assistant Master)
• 1822: William John Crosbie ^[9] (also Assistant Master)
• 1823: Henry Thomas Baucutt Mash ^[9] (also Assistant Master)
• 1825: Thomas Seymour Hyde ^[10] (also Assistant Master)
• 1845: William Henry Cornwall ^[11]
• 1847: Spencer Lyttelton ^[3]
• 1877: Augustus Savile Lumley ^[18]
• 1881: William Chaine ^[14]
• 1887: Richard Charles Moreton ^[15]
• 1913: Charles Hubert Montgomery ^[19]

Assistant Marshals of the Ceremonies

• 1699: Charles Sambourne Le Bas ^[9]
• 1899: Sir Robert Follett Synge ^[20] (retitled Deputy Marshal in 1902)

References

1. Great Britain. The London Gazette. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 5355. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
2. Venning, T. Compendium of British Office Holders. p. 482.
3. "No. 20688". The London Gazette . 1 January 1847. p. 6.
4. Cook, J.D.; Harwood, P.; Pollock, W.H.; Harris, F.; Hodge, H. (1893). The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art. J. W. Parker and Son. p. 508. Retrieved 30 April 2019. Sir Christopher Teesdale was very well known, first for his exploits at Kars, then for a long period as Equerry to the Prince of Wales, and, lastly, as Master of the Ceremonies to the Queen.
5. "No. 27336". The London Gazette . 23 July 1901. p. 4838.
6. Lady's Realm: An Illustrated Monthly Magazine. Hutchinson and Company. 1904. p. 304. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
7. Begent, P.J.; Chesshyre, H.; Chesshyre, D.H.B.; Jefferson, L. (1999). The most noble Order of the Garter: 650 years. Spink. p. 140. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
8. Truth. 1907. p. 191. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
9. "Dependent Sub-departments: Ceremonies 1660–1837". British History Online. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
10. "No. 18200". The London Gazette. 6 December 1825. p. 2239.
11. "No. 20553". The London Gazette. 19 December 1845. p. 7245.
12. "Obituary. Major-General Cornwall". The Gentleman's Magazine. No. October 1855. p. 432.
13. Bulletins and Other State Intelligence for the Year 1885, Part 2, compiled by T. L. Behan. p. 2000.
14. "No. 24946". The London Gazette. 4 March 1881. p. 1018.
15. "No. 25696". The London Gazette. 29 April 1887. p. 2381.
16. "No. 9870". The London Gazette. 13–17 February 1759. p. 1.
17. "No. 10088". The London Gazette. 17–21 March 1761. p. 4.
18. "No. 24409". The London Gazette. 26 January 1877. p. 369.
19. "No. 28683". The London Gazette. 21 January 1913. p. 491.
20. "No. 27090". The London Gazette. 16 June 1899. p. 3801.

• "Dependent Sub-departments: Ceremonies 1660–1837". Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660–1837. 2006. pp. 112–114. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
• "Cottrell-Dormer of Rousham". Burke's Peerage & Gentry, 107th edition. 2003. Retrieved 2007-02-01.