Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood

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The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain's department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of orders of chivalry and some aspects of honours in general. It does not deal with nominations or decisions on appointments, but rather administers the appointment procedures and investitures, and provides the insignia. It is a small office, with eight staff in 2019.^[1]

History and duties

The office was established by King Edward VII in April 1904^[2] in response to the recommendations of a committee set up in 1902 to consider changes to the administration of the honours system. The new office replaced the ad hoc arrangements which had evolved over time.^[1] The Central Chancery is headed by a Secretary, who is assisted by an Assistant Secretary.^[3]

Since 1991, the Secretary of the Central Chancery has been the same individual who serves as Assistant Comptroller to the Lord Chamberlain's Office, and currently serves ex-officio as the registrar of the Royal Victorian Order^[4]^[5] and of the Order of the British Empire.^[6]

Since 1931, the office has been held by retired and active duty officers of the Armed Forces.

The current secretary, Lt.Col. Stephen Segrave, took part in the Royal Procession at the 2023 Coronation, leading the contingent representing orders of chivalry and gallantry award holders.^[7]

List of secretaries

Sir Francis Morgan Bryant CB CVO CBE ISO (1916–1931)
Rear Admiral Philip John Hawkins Lander Row CB CVO (1931–1932)
Commander Dudley Colles KCB KCVO OBE (1932–1936)
Major Sir Henry Hudson Fraser Stockley KCVO OBE (1936–1946)
Brigadier Sir Ivan de la Bere KCVO CB CBE (1946–1960)
Major General Sir Cyril Harry Colquhoun KCVO CB OBE (1960–1968)
Major General Sir Peter Bernard Gillett KCVO CB CBE (1968–1979)
Major General Sir Desmond Hind Garrett Rice KCVO CBE (1980–1989)
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Walter Ross GCVO OBE GCStJ DL (1989–1991)
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Charles McClure Mather CBE (1991–1999)^[8]
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Guy Cartwright (1999–2005)^[9]
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Fergus Matheson of Matheson, 8th Baronet LVO DL (2005–2014)^[10]
Lieutenant Colonel James Vernon (2014–2019)^[11]
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave (2019–present)^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b Jonathan P. K. Smith. The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, volume 58, number 3, page 172. September 2019.
^ "No. 27663". The London Gazette. 1 April 1904. p. 2113.
^ "No. 62008". The London Gazette. 27 July 2017. p. 14398.
^ "No. 32781". The London Gazette. 29 December 1922. p. 9160.
^ "Royal Victorian Order", The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: Newsletter" (PDF). Centralchancerry.org.uk. January 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
^ "Mather, Lt-Col Anthony Charles Mcclure", Who's Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2017). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "Cartwright, Lt-Col. Robert Guy", Who's Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2017). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "Matheson of Matheson, Lt Colonel Sir Alexander Fergus", Who's Who (online ed., Oxford University Press, December 2017). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ "The Royal Mint Advisory Committee" (Cabinet Office). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^ The Court Circular, 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.

External links

Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom

Orders

Current

Royal family orders	George VI Elizabeth II Charles III

Dormant

Defunct

Royal Guelphic

Royal family orders	George IV Victoria & Albert Edward VII George V

Other

Current
decorations
and medals

Level 1	Victoria Cross George Cross
Level 2A	Distinguished Service Order Conspicuous Gallantry Cross Royal Red Cross (class I)
Level 2B	George Medal King's Police Medal, for Gallantry King's Fire Service Medal, for Gallantry
Level 3A	Distinguished Service Cross Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross Royal Red Cross (class II)
Level 3B	Sea Gallantry Medal King's Gallantry Medal Royal Victorian Medal British Empire Medal King’s Police Medal, for Distinguished Service King's Fire Service Medal, for Distinguished Service King's Ambulance Service Medal King's Volunteer Reserves Medal Polar Medal Imperial Service Medal Overseas Territories Police Medal Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service
Level 4	Mentioned in Despatches King's Commendation for Bravery King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air King's Commendation for Valuable Service
Other	Badge of Honour Elizabeth Cross

Obsolete
decorations
and medals

Level 1	Indian Order of Merit (1st class) Albert Medal (1st class) Edward Medal (1st class) Empire Gallantry Medal
Level 2A	Indian Order of Merit (2nd class) Distinguished Conduct Medal Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying)
Level 2B	Albert Medal (2nd class) Edward Medal (2nd class) Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold
Level 3A	Order of British India (1st class) Order of British India (2nd class) Indian Order of Merit (3rd class) Title Badge (India) (1st class) Title Badge (India) (2nd class) Title Badge (India) (3rd class) Royal West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal Indian Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal Military Medal Distinguished Flying Medal Air Force Medal Burma Gallantry Medal
Level 3B	Constabulary Medal (Ireland) Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver Kaisar-i-Hind Medal (Gold, Silver, Bronze) Indian Police Medal, for Gallantry Ceylon Police Medal, for Gallantry Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Gallantry Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Gallantry Mauritius Police Medal for Meritorious Service Colonial Police Medal, for Gallantry Canada Medal Queen's Medal for Chiefs Indian Police Medal, for Meritorious Service Ceylon Police Medal, for Merit Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Meritorious Service Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Meritorious Service
Level 4	Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

See also: Order of Wear; British campaign medals; Degradation (knighthood); Revocations

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