Deputy Clerk of the Closet
The Deputy Clerk of the Closet is the Domestic Chaplain to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The office was created in 1677 to serve as deputy for the Clerk of the Closet. Since 1931, the Deputy Clerk has also served as Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal and Sub-Almoner. The Deputy Clerk is the only full-time clerical member of the Ecclesiastical Household of the Monarch of the United Kingdom.
From 1746 until 1903 there were three Deputy Clerks, who served in turn (four months at a time). In 1894 the then Clerk of the Closet, Randall Davidson, observed that the post of Deputy Clerk was 'now very much a sinecure', not least because Queen Victoria had insisted that the Clerk himself be present when new Bishops did homage (a task previously undertaken by the Deputy Clerk in Waiting).[1] In 1903 Edgar Sheppard, already in office (since 1884) as Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal and (since 1899) as Sub-Almoner, was additionally appointed to serve as one of the three Deputy Clerks. Another of the three, W. R. Jolley, died in 1907 and he was not replaced; nor was Sheppard himself when he died in 1921. That left just one Deputy remaining (J. N. Dalton); following his death, in 1931, the Sub-Dean (or 'Precentor') of the Chapels Royal took on the role.
List of Deputy Clerks of the Closet
- Paul Wright 2015 – present [2][3]
- Bill Scott 2007–2015
- William James Booth 1991–2007[4]
- Anthony Douglass Caesar 1979–1991[5]
- James Seymour Denis Mansel 1965–1979[6]
- Maurice Frederic Foxell 1948–1965[7]
- Wallace Harold Elliott 1941–1948[8]
- Launcelot Percival 1931–1941[9]
- James Edgar Sheppard 1903–1921[10]
- John Neale Dalton 1897–1931[11]
- Frederic William Farrar 1894–1903[12]
- George Prothero 1892–1894[13]
- William Rowe Jolley 1886–1907[14]
- Charles John Vaughan 1882–1897[15]
- Hugh Pearson 1881–1882[16]
- Thomas James Rowsell 1879–1892[17]
- Joseph Barber Lightfoot 1875–1879[18] (afterwards Bishop of Durham)
- Arthur Penrhyn Stanley 1863−1881[19][20]
- Lord Wriothesley Russell 1850–1886[21]
- The Hon. Edward Southwell Keppel 1841–1875[22]
- John Vane 1839–1863[23]
- Thomas Vowler Short 1837–1841[24] (afterwards Bishop of Sodor and Man and then Bishop of St Asaph)
- George Davys, Dean of Chester, 1837–1839[24] (afterwards Bishop of Peterborough)
- Timothy Fysh Foord-Bowes 1834–1837[25]
- John Merewether, Dean of Hereford, 1833–1850[26]
- Frederick-William Blomberg 1827–1837[27]
- Charles Richard Sumner 1824–1826 (afterwards Bishop of Llandaff)[28]
- Robert James Carr 1821–1824[29](afterwards Bishop of Chichester)
- James Stanier Clarke 1816–1834[30]
- Thomas Hughes 1808–1833[31]
- William Cookson 1805–1820[32]
- Edward Legge 1803–1805 (later Bishop of Oxford)[33]
- Charles Moss 1800–1806 (afterwards Bishop of Oxford)[34]
- Henry Majendie 1794–1800 (afterwards Bishop of Chester)[34]
- William Arnald 1782–1787[35]
- John Fisher 1781–1785[36]
- William Buller 1764–1793 (afterwards Bishop of Exeter)[37]
- Newton Ogle 1762–1781[38]
- Charles Poyntz (1761–1808)[39]
- Hon Frederick Keppel 1759–1762 (afterwards Bishop of Exeter)[40]
- Edward Townshend 1748–1758[41][42]
- Jonathan Shipley 1750–1760 (afterwards Dean of Winchester)[28]
- Lord James Beauclerk 1745–1748 (afterwards Bishop of Hereford)[37]
- John Head 1745–1760[31]
- Robert Hay Drummond 1741–1748 (afterwards Bishop of St Asaph)[31]
- Alured Clarke, Dean of Exeter 1734–1742[32][43]
- Charles Naylor 1726–1738[44]
- John Gilbert 1723–1738 (afterwards Bishop of Llandaff. Clerk of the Closet 1752–57)[45]
- Gilbert Burnet 1723–1726[37]
- Henry Egerton 1719–1723 (afterwards Bishop of Hereford. Clerk of the Closet 1735–46)[46]
- ---? Talbot 1718–1723[41]
- ---? Torriano 1716–1718[41]
- William Wake 1689–[47]
- J. Montague 1684–
- Nathaniel Crew 1667–[48]
References
- ↑ Bickersteth, John; Dunning, Robert W. (1991). Clerks of the Closet in the Royal Household. Stroud, Gloucs.: Alan Sutton. pp. 113–115.
- ↑ "Events: 21 February 2024, Revd Paul Wright". Durham University. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Cycle of Prayer for February 2025" (PDF). Diocese of London. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
- ↑ "No. 52621". The London Gazette. 2 August 1991. p. 11833.
- ↑ "No. 47919". The London Gazette. 3 August 1979. p. 9877.
- ↑ "No. 43720". The London Gazette. 23 July 1965. p. 7029.
- ↑ "No. 38364". The London Gazette. 27 July 1948. p. 4257.
- ↑ "No. 35398". The London Gazette. 30 December 1941. p. 7377.
- ↑ "No. 33762". The London Gazette. 13 October 1931. p. 6555.
- ↑ "No. 27549". The London Gazette. 5 May 1903. p. 2839.
- ↑ "No. 26910". The London Gazette. 12 November 1897. p. 6227.
- ↑ "No. 26578". The London Gazette. 11 December 1894. p. 7277.
- ↑ "No. 26336". The London Gazette. 21 October 1892. p. 5873.
- ↑ "No. 25582". The London Gazette. 30 April 1886. p. 2058.
- ↑ "No. 25103". The London Gazette. 2 May 1882. p. 1997.
- ↑ "No. 25018". The London Gazette. 23 September 1881. p. 4805.
- ↑ "No. 24715". The London Gazette. 29 April 1879. p. 3054.
- ↑ "No. 24181". The London Gazette. 16 February 1875. p. 651.
- ↑ Lodge, E. (1907). The Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage & Companionage of the British Empire. p. 1649. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ↑ Foster, Joseph (1888–1891). . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: James Parker – via Wikisource.
- ↑ "No. 21087". The London Gazette. 19 April 1850. p. 1120.
- ↑ "No. 19980". The London Gazette. 21 May 1841. p. 1281.
- ↑ "Promotions, Preferments, etc". The Gentleman's Magazine. XII: 194. August 1839. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
- 1 2 The Annual Register of the year 1837. London: J. G. & F. Rivington. 1838. p. 155. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
- ↑ "Index of officers-F" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "No. 19014". The London Gazette. 18 January 1833. p. 121.
- ↑ de Vere Beauclerk-Dewar, P.; Powell, R.S. (2006). Right Royal Bastards: The Fruits of Passion. Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-9711966-8-1. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- 1 2 "Index of officers-S" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "The Chapel Royal: Clerks of the Closet | British History Online".
- ↑ Nichols, J. (1835). The Gentleman's Magazine. E. Cave. p. 328. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- 1 2 3 "Index of officers-H" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- 1 2 "Index of officers-C" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-L" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- 1 2 "Index of officers-M" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-A" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ Britton, John. Wells, Exeter, and Worcester. p. 82.
- 1 2 3 "Index of officers-B" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-O" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-P" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-K" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Index of officers-T" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ Atherton, I. (1996). Norwich Cathedral: Church, City, and Diocese, 1096–1996. Hambledon Press. p. 584. ISBN 978-1-85285-134-7. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ↑ Cooper, T. (1873). A New Biographical Dictionary: Containing Concise Notices of Eminent Persons of All Ages and Countries: and More Particularly of ... Great Britain and Ireland. Bell. p. 407. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ↑ "Index of officers-N" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-G" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ "Index of officers-E" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ↑ Davison, Thomas (1820). Athenæ Oxonienses. An Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops who Have Their Education in the University of Oxford. To which are Added the Fasti, Or Annals of the Said University. By Anthony A Wood, M. A. of Merton College. A New Edition, with Additions, and a Continuation by Philip Bliss, Fellow of St. John's College. Vol. 1.[-4.]. p. 342. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ↑ Lawrence, L.A.; British Numismatic Society; Andrew, W.G. (1920). The British Numismatic Journal: Including the Proceedings of the British Numismatic Society. British Numismatic Society. p. 273. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- Bickersteth, John; Dunning, Robert W. (1991). Clerks of the Closet in the Royal Household: Five Hundred Years of Service to the Crown. Stroud, Gloucestershire Wolfeboro Falls, NH: Alan Sutton Publishing. ISBN 978-0-86299-873-8. OCLC 28115550. Retrieved 30 April 2019.