Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster
# Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster

The Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster is an office of the Duchy of Lancaster. The vice-chancellor is appointed by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster after consultation with the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. Since 1987, the vice-chancellor has been a High Court judge of the Chancery Division with a term of approximately three years.

The Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster exercises general supervision over the conduct of Chancery division business in the North of England and is an ex-officio member of the court of Lancaster University.

Before the implementation of the Courts Act 1971, the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine was controlled by section 14 of the Administration of Justice Act 1928 (repealed by Schedule 11, Part 2 of the Courts Act 1971). From 1973 to 1987, Andrew James Blackett-Ord, a circuit judge held the post. Since then, the office has been held by a Justice of the High Court sitting in the Chancery Division.

## List of vice-chancellors

Source: Somerville, Duchy of Lancaster Office Holders, (1871 onwards): Northern Circuit

* 1649 and 1651 : Thomas Fell
* ?–?1790 : William Swinnerton (served 33 years, died 1790)
* 1791-1799 : James Allan Park
* 1800-1815: Edward King
* 1815-1820: William David Evans
* 1820-1822: Samuel Yate Benton
* 1826-1844 :Francis Ludlow Holt
* 1849–1851 : William Page Wood
* 1851–1852: Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury
* 1853–1868 : William Milbourne James
* 1868–1871 : John Wickens
* 1871–1881 : George Little
* 1881–1893: Henry Fox Bristowe
* 1893–1895 : William Fothergill Robinson
* 1895–1905 : Sir Samuel Hall
* 1905–1912 : Octavius Leigh-Clare
* 1912–1919 : Sir Dudley Stewart-Smith
* 1919–1925 : Roger Bernard Lawrence
* 1925–1936 : Sir (William) Courthope Townshend Wilson
* 1936–1948 : Sir John Bennett
* 1948–1963 : Sir (John) Leonard Stone
* 1963–1973 : Sir Thomas Burgess
* 1973–1987: Andrew James Blackett-Ord

### Since 1987

* 1987–1991: Sir Richard Scott
* 1991–1994: Sir Andrew Morritt
* 1994–1999: Sir Jonathan Parker
* 1999–2002: Sir William Blackburne
* 2002–2005: Sir Timothy Lloyd
* 2005–2008: Sir Nicholas Patten
* 2008–2012: Sir David Richards
* 2012–2013: Sir Michael Briggs
* 2013-2017: Sir Alastair Norris
* 2017-2019: Sir Gerald Barling
* 2019-2021: Sir Richard Snowden
* 2021: Sir Timothy Fancourt
