The Common Serjeant of London (full title The Serjeant-at-Law in the Common Hall) is an ancient British legal office, first recorded in 1291, and is the second most senior permanent judge of the

Central Criminal Court A Central Criminal Court refers to major legal court responsible for trying crimes within a given jurisdiction. Such courts include: *The name by which the Crown Court is known when it sits in the City of London *Central Criminal Court of England a ...

after the

Recorder of London The Recorder of London is an ancient legal office in the City of London. The Recorder of London is the senior circuit judge at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey), hearing trials of criminal offences. The Recorder is appointed by the C ...

, acting as deputy to that office, and sitting as a judge in the trial of criminal offences. He is also one of the High Officers of the

City of London Corporation The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the municipal governing body of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United King ...

, and must undertake certain civic obligations alongside his judicial duties: each Midsummer he presides at the election of

Sheriffs A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

in the

Guildhall A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...

, and each Michaelmas he plays a key role in the ceremonial election of the Lord Mayor. He presents the Sheriffs to the

King's Remembrancer The King's Remembrancer (or Queen's Remembrancer) is an ancient judicial post in the legal system of England and Wales. Since the Lord Chancellor no longer sits as a judge, the Remembrancer is the oldest judicial position in continual existence ...

at the annual

Quit Rents ceremony The King's Remembrancer (or Queen's Remembrancer) is an ancient judicial post in the legal system of England and Wales. Since the Lord Chancellor no longer sits as a judge, the Remembrancer is the oldest judicial position in continual existence ...

, and is in attendance on most other major ceremonial occasions. The Common Serjeant is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of 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. T ...

. Formerly, the Common Serjeant of London was a legal officer of the City Corporation of London. The Common Serjeant of London attended on the

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional pow ...

and the

Court of Aldermen The Court of Aldermen forms part of the senior governance of the City of London Corporation. It comprises twenty-five aldermen of the City of London, presided over by the Lord Mayor (becoming senior alderman during his year of office). The Cou ...

on court days, and acted with them in council. He also attended the Court of Aldermen and

Common Council Common Council may refer to: * The Court of Common Council, an elected body of the City of London Corporation * Buffalo Common Council, the legislative branch of the Buffalo, NY City Government * Los Angeles Common Council, the predecessor of the L ...

, and had charge of the Orphans' Estates Judge Richard Marks, KC, was appointed the 81st Common Serjeant on 3 March 2015.

Incomplete list of Common Serjeants

Thomas Juvenal Thomas Juvenal (died 1309) was the first known Common Serjeant of London, an ancient British legal office, first recorded with his appointment in 1291, and which is the second most senior permanent judge in London after the Recorder of London, a ...

(1291–1309) * Thomas de Kent (1309–c.1318) * Gregory de Norton (c.1318–1329) * William de Ford (1333–1353) * John Wentbrigg (c.1353–1362) *

Ralph Strode Ralph Strode (fl. 1350 – 1400), English schoolman, was probably a native of the West Midlands. He was a fellow of Merton College, Oxford, before 1360, and famous as a teacher of logic and philosophy and a writer on educational subjects. He belon ...

(c.1375–1385) * John Tremayne (1388–1389) *

John Fray Sir John Fray (died 1461) was an English lawyer who was Chief Baron of the Exchequer and a Member of Parliament. He was elected Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in 1419 and 1420. He served on a number of commissions before being appoint ...

(1421–1422) * Alexander Anne (1424–?1435) * John Wilton (1437–?1441) * Robert Danvers (1441–1442) * Richard Moyle (1441–?1443) *

Thomas Billing Sir Thomas Billing (died 1481) was an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench. Early life and career Billing is said by Fuller to have been a native of Northamptonshire, where two villages near Northampton bear his name, and to have ...

(1443–1449) * John Nedeham (1448–?1452) * Thomas Urswick (1452–1455) * Robert Ingleton (1454–1456) * Guy Fairfax (1456–?1457) * Thomas Rigby (1457–?1460) * Thomas Bryan (1460–1463) * John Baldwyn (1463–1469) * Robert Molyneux (1469–) * John Haugh * Richard Higham *

Thomas Frowyk Sir Thomas Frowyk KS (c. 1460 – 7 October 1506) was an English justice. Family Born at Gunnersbury, Middlesex, Thomas Frowyk was the son of a London mercer, Sir Thomas Frowyk, by his second wife, Jane Sturgeon, daughter of Richard Sturgeon. ...

(1486–1496) * Thomas Marowe (1496–) * John Greene (1495–) * Henry White * William Walsingham of Gray's Inn (1526–) * John Onley (1530–1533) *

Edward Hall Edward Hall ( – ) was an English lawyer and historian, best known for his ''The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke''—commonly known as ''Hall's Chronicle''—first published in 1548. He was also sever ...

(1533–1535) * Robert Southwell (1535–1536) * Thomas Atkyns * Sir Robert Broke (1536–1546) * John Marshe (1547–1563) * Bernard Randolph (1563–1583) * Thomas Kirton (1583–1601) * Richard Wilbraham (died 1601) *

Richard Wheler Richard Wheler (died 1614) was the member of the Parliament of England for Great Bedwyn Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in east Wiltshire, England. The village is on the River Dun about southwest of Hungerford, southeast of Swind ...

of Lincoln's Inn (1601–?1608) * Daniel Hills of Lincoln's Inn * Thomas Jones of Gray's Inn (died 1625 - Sergeant for 12 years) * Ralph Latham (died 1641) * Henry Proby (1643–) (died 1660) *

Sir Richard Browne, 2nd Baronet Sir Richard Browne, 2nd Baronet (before 1634 – September 1684) was a barrister and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660. Browne was the son of Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, and his wife Bridget Bryan. He was admitted as a b ...

(1661–1671) * George Jeffreys (1671–1678) * Henry Crispe (1678–1700) * Duncan Dee (1700–1720) * John Lingard (1720–1729) * Thomas Garrard (1729–1758) * Thomas Nugent (1758–1790) * John Silvester (1790–1803) *

Newman Knowlys Newman Knowlys (1758– 5 January 1836) was an English barrister and judge and the Common Serjeant of London and Recorder of London. Knowlys was born in London, the fourth son of William Knowlys, a merchant of London. He was educated at Bot ...

(1803–1811) *

Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman, (23 July 177926 September 1854) was an English lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice between 1832 and 1850. Background and education Denman was born in London, the son of Dr Thomas D ...

(1822–1830) * Hon. Charles Ewan Law (1830–1833) * John Mirehouse of Angle, Pembrokeshire (1833–1850) * Edward Bullock (1850–1855) * Thomas Chambers (1857–1878) * Sir William Thomas Charley (1878–1892) * Sir

Forrest Fulton Sir (James) Forrest Fulton (12 July 1846 – 25 June 1926) was a British judge and Conservative politician. Early life Born in Ostend, Belgium, he was the youngest son of Lieutenant-Colonel James Forrest Fulton and his wife, Fanny née Jessopp ...

(1892–1900) * Sir

Frederick Albert Bosanquet Sir Frederick Albert Bosanquet, KC, JP (8 February 1837 – 2 November 1923) was a British judge who was Common Serjeant of London, the second most senior permanent judge of the Central Criminal Court after the Recorder of London. Biography ...

, MA, KC, JP (1900–1917) * Sir Henry Fielding Dickens KC (1917–1932) *

Henry Holman Gregory Sir Henry Holman Gregory (30 June 1864 – 9 May 1947) was an English lawyer, judge and Liberal Party politician. Family and education Holman Gregory was born at Bath in Somerset, the son of H T Gregory a well-known Bath solicitor. He was educ ...

KC (1932–1934) *

Cecil Whiteley Judge George Cecil Whiteley KC MA DL JP (1875–1942), was Common Serjeant of London from 1933 to 1942 and a Judge at the Mayor's and City of London Court. Cecil Whiteley attended Dulwich College, where he had an undistinguished academic re ...

(1934–1942) * Sir

Hugh Loveday Beazley Sir Hugh Loveday Beazley (16 October 1880 – 17 July 1964) was a County Court Judge (1934–1937), a Judge of the Mayor's and City of London Court (1937–1942) and the Common Serjeant of London (1942-1953).Edward Anthony Hawke Sir Edward Anthony Hawke (26 July 1895 – 25 September 1964) was a British judge and the Common Serjeant of London from 1954 to 1959 and Recorder of London from 1959 to 1964.Fred E. Pritchard, ‘Hawke, Sir (Edward) Anthony (1895–1964)’, rev. ...

(1954–1959) * Sir

Carl Douglas Aarvold Carl may refer to: * Carl, Georgia, city in USA * Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community *Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name * Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of ...

(1959–1964) *

Mervyn Griffith-Jones John Mervyn Guthrie Griffith-Jones (1 July 1909 – 13 July 1979) was a British judge and former barrister. He led the prosecution of Penguin Books in the obscenity trial in 1960 following the publication of D. H. Lawrence's ''Lady Chatterley ...

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

MC QC (1964–1979) * Sir John Leonard (1979–1981)Obituary
in ''

The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...

'' * Sir David Tudor-Price (1981–84) *

Thomas Herbert Pigot Thomas Herbert Pigot, QC (19 May 1921 – 10 September 1998) was an English barrister and judge. He was Common Serjeant of London from 1984 to 1990. Born in Wigan in 1921, the son of a company secretary and of a teacher, Pigot was educated at M ...

QC (1984–90) * Robert Davison Lymbery QC (1990–1993) * Neil Denison QC (1993–2001) * Peter Beaumont QC (2001–2004) *

Brian Barker Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word m ...

QC (2005–2013) *

Nicholas Hilliard Nicholas Hilliard () was an English goldsmith and limner best known for his portrait miniatures of members of the courts of Elizabeth I and James I of England. He mostly painted small oval miniatures, but also some larger cabinet miniatures, ...

QC (2013–2015) (80th Serjeant) * Richard Leon Marks KC (2015–Present)

Gallery

Image:Sir Robert Broke.jpg, Sir Robert Broke, Common Serjeant of London in 1536 Image:George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem by William Wolfgang Claret.jpg,

Judge George Jeffreys George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys, PC (15 May 1645 – 18 April 1689), also known as "the Hanging Judge", was a Welsh judge. He became notable during the reign of King James II, rising to the position of Lord Chancellor (and servin ...

, Common Serjeant of London in 1671 Image:Sir John Silvester.jpg,

Sir John Silvester ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

, Common Serjeant 1790-1803 Image:1stLordDenman.jpg,

Lord Denman Baron Denman, of Dovedale in the County of Derby, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1834 for the prominent lawyer, judge and Whig politician Thomas Denman. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench fro ...

, Common Serjeant of London 1822 - 1830 Image:W T Charley.jpg,

William Thomas Charley Sir William Thomas Charley (5 March 1833 – 8 July 1904) was a British judge and Conservative Party politician. Life Charley was born in Woodbourne, County Antrim, Ulster in 1833, the youngest son of Matthew Charley and Anne Roberts. He was ...

, Common Serjeant of London in 1878 File:Forrest Fulton Vanity Fair 9 July 1903.jpg, Sir

by 'Spy' in ''

Vanity Fair Vanity Fair may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Literature * Vanity Fair, a location in ''The Pilgrim's Progress'' (1678), by John Bunyan * ''Vanity Fair'' (novel), 1848, by William Makepeace Thackeray * ''Vanity Fair'' (magazines), the ...

'' (1903) Image:Frederick-Albert-Bosanquet-1901.jpg, Sir Frederick Bosanquet as Common Serjeant of London.

Caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, a ...

by 'Spy' from ''

'' (1901) Image:judge-brian-barker.jpg, Judge

QC, Common Serjeant of London 2005 to 2013

References

External links

Appointment of Common Serjeant of LondonCommon Serjeant of London on the Probert Encyclopaedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Common Serjeant of London Law in London English law Common Serjeants of London Legal professions Historical legal occupations Old Bailey