Black Rod (officially known as the Lady Usher of the Black Rod or, if male, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is an official in the parliaments of several
Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...
of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprem ...
. The position is similar to one known as a
serjeant-at-arms in other bodies.
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
, Black Rod is principally responsible for controlling access to and maintaining order within the House of Lords and its precincts,
as well as for ceremonial events within those precincts. Since early 2018, the post has been held for the first time by a woman,
Sarah Clarke.
Origin
The office was created in 1350 by royal
letters patent, though the current title dates from 1522. The position was adopted by other members of the Commonwealth when they adopted the British
Westminster system. The title is derived from the
staff of office, an
ebony staff topped with a golden lion, which is the main symbol of the office's authority.
A ceremonial rod or staff is a common type of symbol indicating the authority of the office-holder. Depictions of ancient authority figures in many cultures include such a rod (alternatively called a
sceptre). Another early example was the
fasces (literally a bound bundle of rods) carried by guards ("
lictors") who accompanied certain high-level officials in the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...
and later
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
.
United Kingdom
Appointment
Black Rod is formally appointed by the Crown based on a recruitment search performed by the
Clerk of the Parliaments, who is the employer of all House of Lords officials. Prior to 2002, the office rotated among retired senior officers from the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
, the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
and the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
. It is now advertised openly. Black Rod is an officer of the English
Order of the Garter, and is usually appointed
Knight Bachelor
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are ...
if not already knighted. Their deputy is the
Yeoman
Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...
Usher of the Black Rod.
Official duties
Black Rod is principally responsible for controlling access to and maintaining order within the House of Lords and its precincts,
as well as for ceremonial events within those precincts. Previous responsibilities for security, and the buildings and services of the
Palace of Westminster, have been passed, respectively, to the Parliamentary Security Director (as of the post's creation in January 2016) and Lords Director of Facilities (as of that post's creation and the retirement of the then-Black Rod in May 2009).
Black Rod's official duties also include responsibility as the usher and doorkeeper at meetings of the
Most Noble Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cr ...
; the personal attendant of the Sovereign in the Lords; as secretary to the
Lord Great Chamberlain and as the Serjeant-at-Arms and Keeper of the Doors of the House, in charge of the admission of strangers to the House of Lords. Either Black Rod or their deputy, the Yeoman Usher, is required to be present when the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament, is in session, and plays a role in the
introduction
Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to:
General use
* Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music
* Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and ...
of all new
Lords Temporal in the House (but not of bishops as new
Lords Spiritual). Black Rod also arrests any Lord guilty of breach of
privilege or other Parliamentary offence, such as contempt or disorder, or the disturbance of the House's proceedings. Their equivalent in the
House of Commons is the
Serjeant at Arms.
Former Black Rod
David Leakey said that 30% of his work as Black Rod was within or for the House of Commons.
Black Rod, along with their deputy, is responsible for organising ceremonial events within the Palace of Westminster, providing leadership in guiding the significant logistics of running such events.
Ceremonial duties
Mace
Black Rod is in theory responsible for carrying the
Mace into and out of the chamber for the Speaker of the House of Lords (formerly the
Lord Chancellor
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...
, now the
Lord Speaker
The Lord Speaker is the presiding officer, chairman and highest authority of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The office is analogous to the Speaker of the House of Commons: the Lord Speaker is elected by the membe ...
), though this role is delegated to the
Yeoman
Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...
Usher and Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms, or on judicial occasions, to the Lord Speaker's deputy, the Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms. The mace was introduced in 1876.
State Opening of Parliament
Black Rod is best known for their part in the ceremonies surrounding the
State Opening of Parliament and the
Speech from the throne. Black Rod summons the Commons to attend the speech and lead them to the Lords. As part of the ritual, the doors to the chamber of the House of Commons are slammed in the approaching Black Rod's face. This is to symbolise the Commons' independence of the Sovereign. Black Rod then strikes the door three times with their staff, and is then admitted and issues the summons of the monarch to attend.
This ritual also happens whenever the Lords have a commission to be read and Black Rod summons MPs to hear it. For example, on Tuesday 17 December 2019 this ritual happened twice.
This ritual is derived from the attempt by
King Charles I to arrest
Five Members
The Five Members were Members of Parliament whom King Charles I attempted to arrest on 4 January 1642. King Charles I entered the English House of Commons, accompanied by armed soldiers, during a sitting of the Long Parliament, although the ...
in 1642, in what was seen as a breach of the constitution. This and prior actions of the King led to the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
. After that incident, the House of Commons has maintained its right to question the right of the monarch's representative to enter their chamber, although they cannot bar them from entering with lawful authority.
List of Black Rods in England, Great Britain and the UK from 1361
This list is derived from one published by the Parliamentary Archives in 2011, with alterations from later research.
* c.1361–1387: Walter Whitehorse
* 1387–1399: John Cray
* 1399–1410: Thomas Sy
* 1410–1413: John Sheffield
* 1413–1415: John Athelbrigg
* 1415–1418: William Hargroave
* 1418–1423: John Clifford
* 1423–1428: John Carsons
* 1428–1459: William Pope
* 1438–1459: Robert Manfield (joint)
* 1459–1461: John Penycok
* 1461–1471: ''Vacant ?''
* 1471–1485: William Evington
* 1483–1485: Edward Hardgill (joint)
* 1485–1489: Robert Marleton
* 1489–1513: Ralph Assheton
* 1495–30 December 1511: Hugh Denys (jointly with Assheton until Denys's death)
* 1513–1526:
Sir William Compton
* 1526–1536:
Henry Norreys
* 1536–1543:
Anthony Knyvett
* 1543–1554:
Sir Philip Hoby
* 1554–1565: John Norreys
* 1554–1591: Sir William Norreys (joint)
* 1591–1593:
Anthony Wingfield
* 1593–1598: Simon Bowyer
* 1598–1620: Richard Coningsby
* 1605–1620: George Pollard (joint)
* 1620–1642:
James Maxwell
* 1642–1649: Alexander Thayne (as recognised by Parliament); jointly with James Maxwell until c. 1646. The Lords was abolished in 1649 and Thayne made a claim to the title at the Restoration in 1661, but was denied.
* 2 March 1645 – 1661: Peter Newton (as recognised by the Royalists; Edward Ellis discharged the duties in 1642 and Newton in 1644, but neither seems to have been formally appointed at the time.
)
* 1671–1675: Sir John Ayton
* 1671–1683: Sir Edward Carteret
* 1683–25 April 1694: Sir Thomas Duppa
* 1694–25 August 1698:
Sir Fleetwood Sheppard
* 5 December 1698 – 1 June 1710:
Admiral Sir David Mitchell
* 1710–1718: Sir William Oldes
* 1718–1727: Sir William Sanderson, 1st Baronet
* 1727–1747: Sir Charles Dalton
* 1747–1760: Sir Henry Bellenden
* 1760 – 6 September 1765:
Sir Septimus Robinson
* 1765 – 1812:
Sir Francis Molyneux, 7th Baronet
Sir Francis Molyneux, 7th Baronet (1738–1812) was a courtier who became Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.
Career
Born the son of Sir William Molyneux, 6th Baronet and educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield, Francis Molyneux was ...
* 1812 – 25 July 1832:
Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt
Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt (1762 – 24 February 1833) was an English politician. He was a Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) from 1796 to 1812.
Career
Educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, after serving as ...
* 25 July 1832 – 8 February 1877:
Admiral Sir Augustus Clifford
* 3 May 1877 – 23 June 1883:
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
Sir William Knollys
* 24 July 1883 – 7 October 1895: Admiral
Sir James Drummond
* 16 December 1895 – 23 July 1901:
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
Sir Michael Biddulph
* August 1904 – 16 December 1919: Admiral
Sir Henry Stephenson
* January 1920 – 14 May 1941: Lieutenant-General
Sir William Pulteney
Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet (October 1729 – 30 May 1805), known as William Johnstone until 1767, was a Scottish advocate, landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1768 and 1805. He was reputedly the wealthiest ...
* October 1941 – 15 August 1944:
Air Chief Marshal Sir William Mitchell
* January 1945 – 18 January 1949: Vice Admiral
Sir Geoffrey Blake
* 18 January 1949 – 18 June 1963: Lieutenant-General
Sir Brian Horrocks
* 18 June 1963 – October 1970: Air Chief Marshal
Sir George Mills
* October 1970 – 18 January 1978: Admiral
Sir Frank Twiss
* 10 January 1978 – January 1985: Lieutenant-General
Sir David House
* January 1985 – January 1992: Air Chief Marshal
Sir John Gingell
* January 1992 – 8 May 1995: Admiral
Sir Richard Thomas
* 9 May 1995 – 8 May 2001: General
Sir Edward Jones
* 9 May 2001 – 30 April 2009: Lieutenant-General
Sir Michael Willcocks
* 30 April 2009 – 28 October 2010: Lieutenant-General
Sir Frederick Viggers
* 21 December 2010 – 21 December 2017:
Lieutenant-General David Leakey
* 12 February 2018 – present:
Sarah Clarke
List of Serjeants-at-Arms of the House of Lords
Technically the serjeant at arms attending the
Lord Chancellor
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...
(the former presiding officer of the House of Lords) was regarded as an officer of the House of Lords. He was appointed for life until 1713 and during good behaviour thereafter, originally receiving a daily remuneration and from 1806 an annual salary. The post was merged with that of Black Rod in 1971.
* ''Incomplete before 1660''
* 1660: Humphrey Leigh
* 1668: Edward Wood (in Extraordinary; did not succeed to the reversion)
* 1671: Sir George Charnock (in Extraordinary)
* 1673: Sir George Charnock (in Ordinary) jointly with Roger Charnock
[Chris Cook and John Stevenson, ''British Historical Facts 1688–1760'' (1988) p. 97.]
* 1697: Peter Persehouse
[
* 1713: Sarles Goatley][
* 1713: Charles Stone][
* 1716: Francis Jephson
* 1745: Richard Jephson][Chris Cook and John Stevenson, ''British Historical Facts 1760–1830'' (1980) p. 50.]
* 1789: William Watson[
* 1818: ]George Francis Seymour
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Francis Seymour, (17 September 1787 – 20 January 1870) was a Royal Navy officer. After serving as a junior officer during the French Revolutionary Wars, Seymour commanded the third-rate under Admiral Sir John ...
[Chris Cook and Brendan Keith, ''British Historical Facts 1830–1900'' (1975) p. 104.]
* 1841: Alexander Perceval
Colonel Alexander Perceval (1787 – 9 December 1858) was an Irish politician.
He was the eldest surviving son of Rev. Philip Perceval of Temple House, Ballymote, Sligo. He succeeded his father in 1800.
He sat in the House of Commons for ...
[
* 1858: Colonel Sir Wellington Patrick Manvers Chetwynd Talbot][
* 1899: Major-General Sir Arthur Edward Augustus Ellis][
* 1901: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Fleetwood Isham Edwards][
* 1910: Major-General Sir Stanley de Astel Clarke
* 5 November 1910: Captain Sir Seymour John Fortescue
* 1 February 1936: Major-General Sir Charles Edward Corkran
* 17 March 1939: Admiral Sir Herbert Meade-Fetherstonhaugh
* 2 December 1946: Air Vice-Marshal Sir Paul Copeland Maltby
* 17 March 1962: Captain Kenneth Lachlan Mackintosh
* 1 January 1971: Admiral Sir ]Frank Twiss
Admiral Sir Frank Roddam Twiss, (7 July 1910 – 27 January 1994) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel from 1967 to 1970. He went on to serve as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod from 19 ...
''Since 1971 the office of Serjeant at Arms has been held by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.''
Gentlemen Ushers of the Black Rod in Ireland
Before the Act of Union of 1800, which united the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain
The Kingdom of Great Britain (officially Great Britain) was a sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of Union 1707, wh ...
to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign state in the British Isles that existed between 1801 and 1922, when it included all of Ireland. It was established by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Grea ...
, there was also a Black Rod in the Irish House of Lords. From 1783 the Irish Black Rod was also Usher of the Order of St Patrick, so the office continued after the Union. No one was appointed to the office after the creation of the Irish Free State
The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between ...
in December 1922.
*1707: Andrew Fountaine
Andrew Fountaine (7 December 1918 – 14 September 1997) was an activist involved in the British far right. After military service in a number of conflicts Fountaine joined the Conservative Party and was selected as a parliamentary candidate u ...
*c.1708–1709: Thomas Ellys
*1711–17??: Brinsley Butler, 1st Viscount Lanesborough (died 1735)
*1745–17??: Robert Langrishe
*1745–1747: Solomon Dayrolles
Solomon Dayrolles (died 1786) was an English diplomat.
Life
Dayrolles was the nephew and heir of James Dayrolles, king's resident for some time at Geneva, and from 1717 to 1739 at The Hague, who died on 2 January 1739, was the godson of Philip S ...
*1747–17??: William FitzWilliam
*1757: James Gisborne
*1761–1763: George Montagu
*1763–1765: Sir Archibald Edmonstone
*1772?: Robert Weston
*1780–1781: Sir John Lees
*1783: Sir John Freemantle[The Most Illustrious Order by Peter Galloway; ]
*1783–1784: Sir Willoughby Ashton
*1784–1790: Colonel Andrew Barnard
*1787–1789: Scrope Morland
*1790–1796: The Honourable Henry Fane
*1796–1799: Nicholas Price
*1799–1806: Thomas Linsay
*1806–1835: Sir Charles Hawley Vernon
*1835–1838: Major The Honourable Sir Francis Charles Stanhope
*1838–1841: Sir William Edward Leeson
*1841–1858: Lieutenant Colonel Sir George Morris
*1858–1878: Sir George Burdett L'Estrange
*1879–1913: Colonel James Alfred Caulfeild, 7th Viscount Charlemont
*1915–1917: Sir John Olphert
*1918–1933: Sir Samuel Murray Power
The Senate of Northern Ireland also had a Black Rod throughout its existence.
Other UK ushers
Before the Acts of Union 1707 united the English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
and Scottish parliaments, there was a Heritable Usher of the White Rod who had a similar role in the Estates of Parliament in Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. This office is currently held by The Rt Rev. John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh
The Bishop of Edinburgh, or sometimes the Lord Bishop of Edinburgh is the ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh.
Prior to the Reformation, Edinburgh was part of the Diocese of St Andrews, under the Archbishop of St Andrews a ...
, but the role carries no duties.
Gentleman ushers exist for all the British orders of chivalry, and are coloured as follows:
* The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
Black Rod (officially known as the Lady Usher of the Black Rod or, if male, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is an official in the parliaments of several Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the Parliam ...
– Most Noble Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cr ...
* The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of ...
– Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The ...
* The Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, established 14 January 1726.
The Brunswick Herald, an officer of arms of the Order of the Bath, was annexed with the position at the time it ...
– Most Honourable Order of the Bath
* The Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod – Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
* The Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod, or Lady Usher of the Purple Rod when appropriate, is the Usher to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, established in 1917 and effective since .
The Gentleman Usher is appointed by the Sovereign an ...
– Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
In other Commonwealth countries
As in the United Kingdom, Black Rod is responsible for arresting any senator or intruder who disrupts the proceedings.
Canada
The Black Rod for the Senate of Canada is the equivalent to the office for the House of Lords. The Legislatures of Saskatchewan, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
, Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, and Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
have also incorporated Black Rods into their respective parliamentary systems.
Australia
The Australian Senate and the upper houses in five Australian states and territories have their own Usher of the Black Rod. (Queensland abolished its upper house and the assemblies of the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory have always been unicameral.)
The current Usher of the Black Rod for the Australian Senate is John Begley. In the Australian Senate, the Usher of the Black Rod assists with the administration and security of the Senate and has the power to take anyone into custody who causes a disturbance in or near the Senate chamber.
New Zealand
In New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
, where the Legislative Council was abolished in 1951, the Usher of the Black Rod continues to summon MPs to the chamber for the Throne Speech. It is not a full-time position.
Arthur Bothamley was the first person to hold the role; he was usher of the black rod for 45 years from 1892 until August 1937. In September 1937, he was succeeded by Captain Douglas Bryan, who retired in June 1957. John Everitt Seal took over from Bryan in June 1957 and held the role until his death on 1 November 1964. Alexander John Mackay Manson was appointed in May 1965 to succeed Seal in time for the opening of the second term of the 34th New Zealand Parliament later that month. Manson retired in June 1971. In May 1972, Melville Harvey Scott Innes-Jones was appointed to succeed Manson. Innes-Jones retired in 1991.
Colonel William "Bill" Nathan, OBE, ED, appointed in 1993, was the first Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. Colonel Nathan retired in 2005, and was followed by Major David Baguley. David Williams was appointed as the acting Usher of the Black Rod in 2017 for the opening of the 52nd New Zealand Parliament
The 52nd New Zealand Parliament was a session of legislature in New Zealand, which opened on 7 November 2017 following the 2017 general election and dissolved on 6 September 2020. The New Zealand Parliament comprises the Sovereign (represent ...
. Commander Sandra "Sandy" McKie was appointed to act in the role in 2020 for the opening of the 53rd Parliament, the first woman to hold the position. McKie was permanently appointed to the role effective from 17 October 2022, following the formal retirement of Major Baguley.
South Africa
The Senate of South Africa had a Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod from its inception in 1910 to abolition in 1980. When the Senate was restored in 1994 the renamed position of Usher of the Black Rod returned with it, continuing in the new National Council of Provinces
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) is the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa under the (post-apartheid) constitution which came into full effect in 1997. It replaced the former Senate, but is very similar to that body, and to ...
.
Gentlemen Ushers of the Black Rod in Jamaica
* 1820–1836: Anthony Davis
References
External links
The records of Black Rod's Department are held by the UK Parliamentary Archives
The British Parliament's information about the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
{{Officers of the Lords and Commons
Ushers of the Black Rod
Westminster system
Positions within the British Royal Household
Officers of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom
Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom