The Civil Lord of the Admiralty [ 1] formally known as the Office of the Civil Lord of Admiralty also referred to as the Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty was a member of the Board of Admiralty who was responsible for managing the Royal Navy's supporting civilian staff, the works and buildings departments and naval lands from 1830 to 1964.
From 1709 the board of admiralty usually had a minimum of two Civil Lord Commissioners, however, there was not a settled arrangement for the distribution of duties amongst the members of the Board. In 1805 the First Lord of the Admiralty Charles Middleton, the Lord Barham , began a period of reform of the commissioners responsibilities during his tenure.[ 2] He initially gave a new name to the Naval Lord Commissioners now referred to as "Professional Naval Lords", whilst the Civil Lords were given the duty of signing off all official documents.
In 1830 when Sir James Graham was appointed First Lord he also underwent further re-organising of the board following the abolition of the Navy Board each of the members were given particular responsibility for different areas of naval administration from this year it was fixed in principle that, other than the First Lord, there should be four Naval Lords; and one Civil Lord who was added in 1832. This arrangement was subject to minor variations. In 1834-5 there were three Naval and two Civil Lords.[ 3]
Between 1830 and 1868 he had main responsibility for Naval Finance, this however changed when Parliamentary Secretary was re-designated the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary.[ 4] In January 1869 the civil lord through an order in Order in Council [ 5] was designated an assistant to the First Lord of the Admiralty. These orders usually had a much wider remit in that they outlined the general regulations of governance of the Naval Service.
In March 1872 another order in council [ 6] was issued this time the civil lord would have specific duties assigned to them by the First Lord defining on this occasion the structure of the board. In 1874 the civil lord was given much wider powers. Exceptional changes to these rules meant that during wartime periods additional civil lords (though not officially styled so until after 1882) were added to the board to ease the burden of workload on the Civil Lord. The office existed until 1964 when the Admiralty was abolished and replaced by the Navy Department within a new Ministry of Defence .
The Civil Lord assisted the First Lord in political and parliamentary duties, between 1830 and 1964 his remit changed from time to time but generally included the following responsibilities:[ 7] [ 8]
Deal with all special questions relating to the retirements, pay, and allowances of naval and marine officers and men. Direct Civil Engineering Works. Manage all Admiralty buildings including repairs and the construction as well as the storing of building materials that were within the Works Department. Manage business within the Greenwich Hospital Department. Manage compassionate allowances, the admiralty charitable fund, the allowances to ministers of religion, the various Dockyard and Marine Schools. Manage leasing arrangements in regards to coastguard stations. Superintendence of all Admiralty works and labour services. Superintend all civilian staff at naval establishments, including: classifications, appointments, promotions, pay, allowances, and pensions, excluding appointments and promotions in London, and of professional officers of the Controller's Department of Dockyards. Superintends the Contracts Department. Superintends the Department of the Accountant General of the Navy. (in 1932 this department is abolished its financial functions were merged within the Department of the Permanent Secretary . Civil Lords of the Admiralty [ edit ] Included:[ 9] [ 10]
Mr. Charles Ross MP, July 1830 – May 1832 Henry Labouchere, the Lord Taunton , June 1832 – December 1834 Anthony Ashley Cooper, the Lord Ashley , December 1834 – March 1834 (held jointly with Maurice Fitzgerald) Sir Maurice FitzGerald , December 1834 – March 1835 (held jointly with Anthony Ashley Cooper, Lord Ashley) Archibald Primrose, the Lord Dalmeny , 1835 – July 1841 Mr. Henry Lowry-Corry , 1841–1845 Mr. Henry FitzRoy , 1845–1846 Mr. William Fraser Cowper , 1846–1854 Sir Robert Peel , 1855–1857 Mr. Thomas George Baring , 1857–1858 Algernon Percy, the Lord Lovaine , 1858–1859 Rt Hon: Frederick Lygon , March–April 1859 Mr. Samuel Whitbread , June 1859 – March 1863 Spencer Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire , March–April 1863 Mr. James Stansfeld , May 1863 – April 1864 Mr. Hugh Childers , 1864–1865 Mr. Henry Fenwick , January–April 1866 Captain John Hay , April–May 1866 Lord George Shaw-Lefevre , May–July 1866 Sir Charles du Cane , 1866–1867 Frederick, the Lord Stanley of Preston , 1868 Sir George Otto Trevelyan , 1868–1870 Robert Haldane-Duncan, Earl of Camperdown , 1870–1874 Sir Massey Lopes , 1874–1880 Mr. William Caine, 1884–1885 Mr. Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett , 1885–1885 Mr. Robert Abercromby, 1886–1886 Mr. Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett , 1886–1892 Mr. Edmund Robertson , 1892–1895 Mr. Austen Chamberlain , 1895–1900 Colonel Arthur Lee , 1903–1905 Mr. George Lambert , 1905–1915 Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell , 1921–1922 Mr. Frank Hodges, 1924–1924 Rt Hon George Hall , 1929–1931 Mr. Kenneth Lindsay , 1935–1937 Mr. John Llewellin, 1937–1939 Sir Austin Hudson , 1939–1942 Sir Richard Pilkington , 1942–1945 Mr. Stoker Edwards , 1945–1951 Mr. Simon Wingfield-Digby 1951-1957 Hon. Thomas Galbraith, 1957–1959 Mr. Ian Orr-Ewing , 1959–1963 Mr. John Hay , 1963–1964 Departments under the civil lord [ edit ] Included:
^ Steinberg, S. (27 December 2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1962: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations . Springer. p. 103. ISBN 9780230270916 . ^ Sainty, J. C. "Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660–1870, British History Online" . www.british-history.ac.uk . University of London, London, 1975, pp. 18–31. Retrieved 7 March 2017 . ^ Sainty, J. C. "Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660–1870, British History Online" . www.british-history.ac.uk . University of London, London, 1975, pp. 18–31. Retrieved 7 March 2017 . ^ Hamilton, C. I. (3 February 2011). The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making, 1805–1927 . Cambridge University Press. p. 125. ISBN 9781139496544 . ^ The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service . H.M. Stationery Office. 1873. pp. 254–256. ^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty October–December:"Distribution of Business." " . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . National Archives, 1872, ADM 1/6313. Retrieved 5 March 2017 . ^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty October–December:"Distribution of Business." " . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . National Archives, 1874, ADM 1/6313. Retrieved 5 March 2017 . ^ "Greene, Sir William Graham (Secretary of the Admiralty), orders and circulars on changes in administration in the Admiralty, 1884–1917" . collections.rmg.co.uk . National Maritime Museum, GEE/2. ^ "Civil Lord of Admiralty" . Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Hansard, Offices, (C), 1803–2005. Retrieved 5 March 2017 . ^ Davis, Peter. "Commissioners of the Admiralty 1828 – 1899" . pdavis.nl . Peter Davis, 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2017 . Primary source for this article is by Harley Simon, Lovell Tony, (2016), Civil Lord of the Admiralty, dreadnoughtproject.org, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org .
Admiralty. Return "of the Distribution of Business under the Lords of the Admiralty under the Old and New Arrangement for conducting the business of the Department." H.C. 84, 1869. Copy in Greene Papers. National Maritime Museum. GEE/2. Hansard (1803–2005), Offices, Civil Lord of Admiralty, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/offices/civil-lord-of-admiralty . The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. Vol. III. London: For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1873.
Ministerial Lords Naval Lords Staff Naval Lords Civil Lords Civil Secretaries
Direction and control of Admiralty and Naval affairs Boards and offices under the First Lord Direction of Admirals Naval/Sea Lords War and Naval Staff Secretariat and staff under the First Sea Lord Operational planning, policy strategy, tactical doctrine requirements Divisions and sections under the War and Naval Staff Offices of the Sea Lords Admiralty civil departments and organisations under the Sea Lords Admiralty Area Cash Offices Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service Admiralty Compass Observatory Admiralty Constabulary Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters Admiralty Engineering Laboratory Admiralty Experimental Station Admiralty Experiment Works Admiralty Gunnery Establishment Admiralty Interview Board Admiralty Labour Department Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment Admiralty Materials Laboratory Admiralty Mine Design Department Admiralty Mining Establishment Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory Admiralty Record Office Admiralty Regional Offices Admiralty Research Laboratory Admiralty Signal Establishment Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment Admiralty Surveying Service Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment Architectural and Engineering Works Department Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department Air Department Air Materiel Department Air Personnel Department Amphibious Warfare Headquarters Armament Supply Department Board of Invention and Research Board of Longitude Boom Defence Department Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department Britannia Royal Naval College Chemical Board Chemical Department Civil Catering Department Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department Coastguard and Reserves Branch Combined Operations Headquarters Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department Compass Department Contract and Purchase Department Council of Naval Education Dental Examining Board Department of Radio Equipment Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord Department of Naval Education Operational Research Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments Department of Physical Research Department of Physical Training & Sports Department of Radio Equipment Department of Research Programmes and Planning Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation Department of the Admiral of the Training Service Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance Department of the Chief of Naval Information Department of the Chief Scientist Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services Department of the Controller of the Navy Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding Department of the Controller for Navy Pay Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships Department of the Director-General Aircraft Department of the Director-General of Manpower Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair Department of the Director of Contract Labour Department of the Director of Dockyards Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering Department of the Director of Manning Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs Department of the Director of Naval Construction Department of the Director of Naval Equipment Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service Department of the Director of Personal Services Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining Department of the Director of Transports Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs Department of the Director of Warship Production Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training Department of the Engineer in Chief Department of the Paymaster Director-General Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy Department of the Physician of the Navy Department of the Physician General of the Navy Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy Department of the Surveyor of Buildings Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training) Directorate General Training Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department Dockyards Branch Dockyard Expense Accounts Department Dockyard Schools Electrical Engineering Department Engineer Branch Engineering Department Experimental Department Fire Control Group Greenwich Hospital Department Inspector of Telegraphs Inspector of Repairs Joint Warfare Establishment Medical Consultative Board Medical Examining Board Historical Section Hydrographic Department Marine Department Marine Pay Department Materials and Priority Department Medical Consultative Board Medical Department Medical Examining Board Movements Department Nautical Almanac Office Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department Naval Engineering College Naval Equipment Department Naval Historical Branch Naval Construction Department Naval Intelligence Department Naval Medical Service Naval Law Division Naval Manpower Department Naval Mobilisation Department Naval Ordnance Department Naval Ordnance Inspection Department Naval Ordnance Stores Department Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department Naval Publicity Department Naval Regional Offices Naval Reserve Department Naval Security Department Naval Stores Department Naval Training Department Naval Works Department Navy, Army and Air Force Institute Navy and Army Canteen Board Navy Works Department Navigation Department Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves Office of the Admiralty Chemist Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty Office of the Assistant Controller Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development Office of the Clerk of the Journals Office of the Chief Polaris Executive Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy Office of the Deputy Controller Production Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings Office of the Keeper of Records Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval) Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages Office of the Vice Controller Air Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy Organisation and Methods Department Packet Service Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs Royal Corps of Naval Constructors Royal Flying Corps Royal Marine Police Royal Marines Office Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet Royal Naval Academy Royal Naval Aircraft Workshops Royal Naval Air Service Royal Naval Air Stations Royal Naval Armaments Depot Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Royal Naval Cordite Factories Royal Naval Propellant Factory Royal Naval College Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Royal Naval College, Greenwich Royal Naval College, Keyham Royal Naval College, Osborne Royal Naval Engineering College Royal Naval Film Corporation Royal Naval Hospital Royal Naval Medical Depot Royal Naval Minewatching Service Royal Naval Mine Depot Royal Naval Patrol Service Royal Naval Scientific Service Royal Naval Sick Quarters Royal Naval Torpedo Depot Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval War College Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth Royal Navy Dockyard Royal Navy Medical Service Royal Navy Shore Signal Service Royal Observatory, Greenwich Royal School of Naval Architecture Salvage Department School of Mathematics and Naval Construction Scientific Research and Experiment Department Sea Transport Branch Sea Transport Department Sea Transport Division Ship Department Ship Design Department Signal Department Signal School Sixpenny Office Statistics Department Steam Department Superintendent of De-magnetisation Torpedo Experimental Establishment Transport Department Undersurface Warfare Department Victualling Department Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps Weapons Department Weapons Department (Naval) Women's Royal Naval Service Wireless Telegraphy Board Direction/Command of the Fleet Naval formations after 1707 1st Fleet 2nd Fleet 3rd Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Africa Atlantic Fleet Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf Australia Station Cape of Good Hope Station Cape and West Africa Station Battle Cruiser Fleet Battle Cruiser Force Caspian Flotilla Channel Fleet Channel Squadron Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland Cork Station Coast of Scotland Commander-in-Chief, China Commander-in-Chief, Dover Flag Officer, East Africa East Indies Station East Indies and China Station Eastern Fleet Far East Fleet English Channel Grand Fleet Flag Officer Gibraltar Harwich Force Home Fleet Jamaica Station Leith Station Commander-in-Chief, Levant Levant and East Mediterranean Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands Mediterranean Fleet Medway Newfoundland Station New Zealand Division New Zealand Naval Forces Nore North America and West Indies Station Commander-in-Chief, North Sea Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands Pacific Fleet Pacific Station Admiral of Patrols Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Queenstown Station Royal East African Navy Royal Indian Navy Flag Officer Submarines Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth Reserve Fleet Scotland and Northern Ireland Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic South East Coast of America Station Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway West Africa Squadron Flag Officer, West Africa Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches Naval formations before 1707 Direction of Naval Finance Departments under the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary Direction of Naval Administration and the Admiralty Secretariat Branches and offices under the Permanent Secretary Civil Administration Departments under the Civil Lords Legal