Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire facts for kids

A Lord Lieutenant is a special person chosen by the King or Queen to represent them in a county. Think of them as the monarch's personal representative in a specific area, like Staffordshire. They have been around for a very long time, helping with things like local defense and keeping order. Since 1828, the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire has also been in charge of keeping important county records, a role called the custos rotulorum.

What is a Lord Lieutenant?

A Lord Lieutenant is the King or Queen's personal representative in a county. Their main job is to uphold the dignity of the Crown. This means they help with royal visits and present awards on behalf of the monarch. They also support local community groups and charities. It's a very important role that connects the local area with the royal family.

The Role of Custos Rotulorum

The term custos rotulorum means "keeper of the rolls". This person is the chief justice of the peace for the county. They are responsible for keeping the county's records and documents safe. Since 1828, the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire has also held this important position.

Lord Lieutenants of Staffordshire Through History

Here is a list of the people who have served as Lord Lieutenant for Staffordshire. This role has been held by many important figures over the centuries.

• Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford 1559
• George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury 3 July 1585 – 18 November 1590
• vacant (No one held the role)
• Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex 29 February 1612 – 17 July 1627
• Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth 17 July 1627 – 3 February 1629
• Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex 3 February 1629 – 1642
• Interregnum (A period when there was no king or queen)
• Robert Greville, 4th Baron Brooke 13 August 1660 – 17 February 1677
• James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth 24 March 1677 – 12 December 1679
• Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland 12 December 1679 – 2 September 1681
• Charles Talbot, 12th Earl of Shrewsbury 2 September 1681 – 2 September 1687
• Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers 2 September 1687 – 19 November 1687
• Walter Aston, 3rd Lord Aston of Forfar 19 November 1687 – 21 March 1689
• William Paget, 6th Baron Paget 21 March 1689 – 26 February 1713
• Henry Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge March 1713 – 28 October 1715
• Henry Newport, 3rd Earl of Bradford 28 October 1715 – 27 April 1725
• Washington Shirley, 2nd Earl Ferrers 27 April 1725 – 14 April 1729
• vacant (No one held the role)
• Henry Shirley, 3rd Earl Ferrers May 1731 – 16 July 1742
• John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower 23 July 1742 – 25 December 1754
• Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford 22 January 1755 – 21 October 1799
• George Leveson-Gower, Earl Gower 21 October 1799 – 6 June 1801
• Henry Bayly Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge 6 June 1801 – 13 March 1812
• Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 2nd Earl Talbot 13 April 1812 – 13 January 1849
• Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey 3 February 1849 – 29 April 1854
• Edward Littleton, 1st Baron Hatherton 18 May 1854 – 4 May 1863
• Thomas Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield 19 June 1863 – 14 July 1871
• Arthur Wrottesley, 3rd Baron Wrottesley 14 July 1871 – 18 March 1887
• William Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth 18 March 1887 – 4 August 1891
• William Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth 19 October 1891 – 6 May 1927
• John Ryder, 5th Earl of Harrowby 6 May 1927 – 18 January 1948
• Harold Wallace-Copeland 18 January 1948 – 16 August 1968
• Sir Arthur Bryan 16 August 1968 – 6 September 1993
• Sir James Appleton Hawley 6 September 1993 – 29 March 2012
• Ian Dudson 29 March 2012 – present

Deputy Lieutenants of Staffordshire

A deputy lieutenant of Staffordshire is a person chosen by the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire. These deputies help the Lord Lieutenant with their duties. A county can have several deputy lieutenants at one time. The number depends on how many people live in the county. Their appointment does not end when a new Lord Lieutenant takes over. However, they usually retire when they turn 75 years old.

19th Century Deputy Lieutenants

• 28 July 1834: James Bateman