Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the British Sovereign's personal representative to the General Assembly

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...

of the Church of Scotland

Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....

(the Kirk

Kirk

Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...

), reflecting the Church's role as the national church

National church

National church is a concept of a Christian church associated with a specific ethnic group or nation state. The idea was notably discussed during the 19th century, during the emergence of modern nationalism....

of Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, and the Sovereign's role as protector and member of that Church.

History

Lord High Commissioners

Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland

The Lord High Commissioners to the Parliament of Scotland, sometimes referred to as the fifth estate of the Estates of Scotland, were the Scottish Sovereign's personal representative to the Parliament of Scotland following James VI of Scotland's accession to the throne of England and his becoming,...

were appointed to the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland

Parliament of Scotland

The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...

between 1603 and 1707 as the Sovereign's personal representative. The Act of Union 1707 made this function redundant, but a Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has been appointed each year, as the Sovereign's personal representative, since 1690.

Prior to 1929 the General Assembly was held in the former Tolbooth Highland St John's Church on Edinburgh's Royal Mile

Royal Mile

The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...

(this building is no longer used as a church, instead being converted into "The Hub" for the Edinburgh International Festival society). A Throne was provided for the use of the Lord High Commissioner. The union of the Church of Scotland

Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....

and the (non-established) United Free Church of Scotland

United Free Church of Scotland

The United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland...

took place in 1929. Since 1930 the General Assembly has always met in the former United Free Church Assembly hall on The Mound, Edinburgh. The Lord High Commissioner sits on the Throne in the Royal Gallery, which is technically "outside" the Assembly Hall - symbolising the independence of the Church in matters spiritual from state interference. The very first Assembly of the newly-united church in 1929 was held in halls in Annandale Street, Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

(now a bus garage), the only building large enough. Difficulty in accessing the Royal Gallery in this temporary location led to a seemingly trivial but nevertheless embarrassing dispute over protocol, whereby the Lord High Commissioner (the Duke of York, later King George VI

George VI of the United Kingdom

George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...

) would have had to enter through the Assembly Hall itself - an act of symbolic state interference in the hard-won spiritual independence of the church. The Moderator

Moderators and clerks in the Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland maintains a presbyterian polity and is thus governed by a hierarchy of bodies known as church courts. Each of these courts has a moderator and a clerk.-Moderators:...

, Dr John White, was adamant that this would be unacceptable, even suggesting that the post of Lord High Commissioner could be dispensed with. Eventually a suitable arrangement was agreed upon and the office of Lord High Commissioner has survived.

Functions

The office is now - and indeed was always - largely ceremonial; the person appointed invariably has a distinguished record of public service in Scotland as well as having close connections with the church, often being Elders of the Church of Scotland.

On behalf of the Sovereign

Monarch

A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...

, the Lord High Commissioner attends the General Assembly, makes opening and closing addresses to the Assembly, and carries out a number of official visits and ceremonial functions, not all related to the Church of Scotland. At the formal opening of the General Assembly, the Principal Clerk reads out the Royal Warrant

Royal Warrant

Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...

appointing the Lord High Commissioner. The Lord High Commissioner is then invited to address the Assembly. All ministers, elders

Elder (Christianity)

An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...

and deacons appointed by Presbyteries to attend the General Assembly are known as "Commissioners" and have voting powers; the Lord High Commissioner has no vote, nor may he/she intervene in debates.

Apart from his/her opening and closing addresses the Lord High Commissioner makes no further intenvention in Assembly debates, but will be in daily attendance for at least part of each day's business. Following the Assembly the Lord High Commissioner personally informs The Queen

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...

about the business of the week.

Form of address

While the General Assembly is meeting, the Lord High Commissioner is treated as if a Regent

Regent

A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

. By custom, he or she is addressed as "Your Grace", and is greeted with a bow or curtsey. When The Princess Royal

Anne, Princess Royal

Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...

was appointed in 1996, she was styled as "Her Grace" for the duration rather than her normal dynastic style "Her Royal Highness" because the Lord High Commissioner is ranked higher in the order of Precedence.

If a woman is appointed to the office, the alternative title "Her Majesty's High Commissioner" may, if requested, be used. Margaret Herbison

Margaret Herbison

Margaret McCrorie Herbison was a Scottish Labour politician.Educated at Bellshill Academy and the University of Glasgow, her early career was spent as a teacher of English and history and as an economics lecturer for the National Council of Labour Colleges. The daughter of a miner, she would later...

was the first woman to hold the post (1970 & 1971).

Residence

Since 1834 the Lord High Commissioner has resided at the Scottish royal Palace of Holyroodhouse and gives a garden party

Garden party

A garden party is a social gathering with food provided, in the open in a park or a garden. An event described as a garden party is usually more formal than other similar gatherings, which may be called just parties, picnics, barbecues, etc,...

for Commissioners to the General Assembly on the Saturday afternoon of Assembly week and other hospitality. He or she is entitled to use the Scottish Royal Banner — the lion rampant

Royal Standard of Scotland

The Royal Standard of Scotland, , also known as the Banner of the King of Scots, or more commonly the Lion Rampant of Scotland, is the Scottish Royal Banner of Arms...

flag, and has precedence

Order of precedence in Scotland

The order of precedence in Scotland was fixed by Royal Warrant in 1905. Amendments were made by further Warrants in 1952, 1958 and most recently in 1999 to coincide with the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government....

immediately after the Sovereign and the Duke of Edinburgh

Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...

and before the rest of the Royal Family

British Royal Family

The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...

. Even his or her official car receives special treatment and, except for The Queen's

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

, is the only vehicle in the country not to have number plates. However, the plates are re-attached during the closing speech of the Assembly, and the Lord High Commissioner returns to his royal but temporary residence as an ordinary citizen.

Household

There is a Household of His Grace the Lord High Commissioner. This includes the Purse Bearer

Purse Bearer

The Pursebearer is an official in the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, and based in the Ministry of Justice.The use of a special purse or burse to hold the Great Seal of the Realm, the Lord Chancellor's symbol of Office, can be traced as far back as the end of the 13th Century...

(who is the head of the Household), Chaplain

Chaplain

Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...

, Aides-de-Camp

Aide-de-camp

An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...

(three in 1949), a Lady-in-Waiting

Lady-in-waiting

A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...

, Extra Lady-in-Waiting, and Maids of Honour (three in 1949). The Macebearer bears the Lord President's Mace or the Old Exchequer Mace. The Master of the Horse

Master of the Horse

The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...

is no longer appointed. The subordinate staff further includes the Assistant to the Purse Bearer, and a Lady's Maid.

List of Purse Bearers

Tom Murray, WS
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...

since 2001
Robin Blair, LVO WS
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...

1988-2001
Sir Charles Fraser
Charles Annand Fraser
Sir Charles Fraser KCVO CVO LVO WS DL is a Scottish businessman and former Chairman, Lothian and Borders Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise network.- Early life :...

, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

1969-1988
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...

Alastair Blair, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...

WS
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...

JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

1961-1969
DC Scott-Moncreiff, CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...

WS
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...

1959-1960
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...

Edward Daymonde-Stevenson, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

1930-1958

List of Lords High Commissioner

1580 The Laird of Lundie and Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich
1581 The Laird of Caprington
1582 (April) Ralph Kerr
Ralph Kerr
Captain Ralph Kerr CBE was an officer in the Royal Navy. He served in the First and Second World Wars, and was killed in the sinking of HMS Hood by the German battleship Bismarck at the Battle of the Denmark Strait....

, later Earl of Dalkeith
1582 (Oct.) James Halyburton
James Halyburton
James Halyburton , Scottish Protestant reformer, was educated at the University of St Andrews, Fife, where he graduated MA in 1538.From 1553 to 1586 he was Provost of St Andrews and a prominent figure in national life...

and Colonel William Stewart

incomplete

1639 John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair was a Scottish statesman, the son of John Stewart, the younger, of Traquair in Peeblesshire, of a branch, originally illegitimate, of the house of Buchan, and was created Baron Stewart of Traquair in 1628 and earl of Traquair in 1633.He was appointed...
1640 none
1641 John Wemyss, 1st Earl of Wemyss
John Wemyss, 1st Earl of Wemyss
John Wemyss, 1st Earl of Wemyss Knighted in 1618 in 1625 Wemyss was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1625, with a charter to the barony of New Wemyss in that province of Canada...
1642 Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline
Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline
Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline PC , styled Lord Fyvie until 1622, was a Scottish peer.Seton the son of Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline and Margaret, daughter of James Hay, 7th Lord Hay of Yester and Lady Margaret Kerr...
1643 Sir Thomas Hope
Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet was a Scottish lawyer.Admitted as an advocate in 1605, he made his reputation by defence of John Forbes , and other ministers at Linlithgow in 1606. He prepared the deed revoking James VI's grants of church property in 1625. He was appointed Lord Advocate in 1626, and...
1644 - 1645 none
1646 Letter from the King regretting that no Commissioner could be sent
1647 - 1650 none
1651 Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres
Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres
Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Balcarres and 1st Earl of Balcarres was a Scottish nobleman.The eldest son of David Lindsay, 1st Lord Balcarres, and grandson of John Lindsay, Lord Menmuir....
1652 none
1653 none
1653–1690 no General Assembly
1690 John, Lord Carmichael
John Carmichael, 1st Earl of Hyndford
John Carmichael, 1st Earl of Carmichael , known as Lord Carmichael between 1672 and 1701, was a Scottish nobleman and politician....
1692 Robert Kerr, 4th Earl of Lothian
Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian
Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian PC , known as the 4th Earl of Lothian from 1675 to 1701, was a Scottish nobleman. He was styled Lord Kerr until 1661 and Lord Newbattle from 1661 to 1675....
1694 - 1699 John, Lord Carmichael
1700 James Ogilvy, Viscount Seafield
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield KT PC was a Scottish politician.Findlater was the son of James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater, and Lady Anne Montgomerie. He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1685, and was a Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for...
1701 William Johnstone, Earl of Annandale
William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale
William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, 1st Marquess of Annandale KT was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Hartfell and Henrietta Douglas...
1702 Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont
Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont
Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont , known as Sir Patrick Hume, 1st Baronet from 1648 to 1690 and as Lord Polwarth from 1690 to 1697, was a Scottish statesman...
1703 James Ogilvy, Viscount Seafield
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield KT PC was a Scottish politician.Findlater was the son of James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater, and Lady Anne Montgomerie. He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1685, and was a Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for...
1704 William, Lord Ross
William Ross, 12th Lord Ross
William Ross, 12th Lord Ross , was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician.-Origins:Ross was born in about 1656. He was the son and heir of George Ross, 11th Lord Ross, who died in 1682, by Grizel, daughter of William Cochrane, 1st Earl of Dundonald...
1705 William Johnstone, Earl of Annandale
William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale
William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, 1st Marquess of Annandale KT was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Hartfell and Henrietta Douglas...
1706 - 1710 David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow
David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow
David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow was a Scottish politician.The son of John Boyle of Kelburn, Commissioner, and Marion Steuart, he was the Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland from the Bute constituency from 1689–1699...
1711 William Johnstone, Earl of Annandale
William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale
William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, 1st Marquess of Annandale KT was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Hartfell and Henrietta Douglas...
1712 - 1714 John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, KT, PC was a Scottish nobleman, politician, and soldier. He served in numerous positions during his life, and fought in the Glorious Revolution for William III and Mary II....
1715 - 1721 John Hamilton-Leslie, 9th Earl of Rothes
John Hamilton-Leslie, 9th Earl of Rothes
John Hamilton Leslie, 9th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman.The eldest son of Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Haddington and Margaret Leslie, 8th Countess of Rothes...
1722 Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun
1723 Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun KT was a Scottish nobleman.He was the son of John Hope of Hopetoun, grandson of Sir Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet of Craighall, Fife. John Hope purchased the barony of Niddry Castle from the Earl of Winton around 1680...
1724 James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield KT PC was a Scottish politician.Findlater was the son of James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater, and Lady Anne Montgomerie. He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1685, and was a Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for...

and 1st Earl of Seafield
1725 Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun
1726 Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun
1727 James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater
James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield KT PC was a Scottish politician.Findlater was the son of James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater, and Lady Anne Montgomerie. He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1685, and was a Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for...

and 1st Earl of Seafield
1728 Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun
1729 David Erskine, 9th Earl of Buchan
1730 Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun
1731 Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun
1732–1738 William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian
William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian
William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian KT was a Scottish nobleman, styled Master of Jedburgh from 1692 to 1703 and Lord Jedburgh from 1703 to 1722...
1739 - 1740 John Carmichael, 3rd Earl of Hyndford
John Carmichael, 3rd Earl of Hyndford
John Carmichael, 3rd Earl of Hyndford PC, KT , styled Viscount of Inglisberry between 1710 and 1737, was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat....
1741 - 1753 Alexander Melville, 5th Earl of Leven
Alexander Melville, 5th Earl of Leven
Alexander Melville , 5th Earl of Leven was the son of David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven....
1754 John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun
John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun
John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun was the son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Lady Henrietta Johnstone....
1755 - 1763 Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart
1764 - 1772 John Boyle, 3rd Earl of Glasgow
John Boyle, 3rd Earl of Glasgow
John Boyle, 3rd Earl of Glasgow was a Scottish nobleman.-Origins:Boyle was the third but eldest surviving son and heir of John Boyle, 2nd Earl of Glasgow by Helenor, third daughter of William Morrison of Prestongrange, county Haddington...
1773 - 1776 Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart
1777 - 1782 George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie was a grandson of William Ramsay, 6th Earl of Dalhousie.On 30 July 1767, he married Elizabeth Glen and they had five children:*Lady Mary Ramsay*Lady Elisabeth Ramsay...
1783 - 1801 David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven
David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven
David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven was the son of Alexander Melville, 5th Earl of Leven.Grand Master of Scottish Freemasons 1759-61; Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland; a Lord of Police 1772-82; High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1783-1801On 29 July 1747, he...

, 5th Earl of Melville
1802 - 1816 Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier
Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier
Francis Scott Napier, 8th Lord Napier was a British peer and army officer.Napier was born in Ipswich in 1758, the son of Hon. William Napier and his wife, the Hon...
1817 - 1818 William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll
William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll
William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll , known as Lord Hay until 1778, was a Scottish peer.Erroll was the son of James Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll and his second wife, Isabella Carr. He firstly married Jane Bell in 1792, and they had one child together...
1819 - 1824 George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton
George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton
George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton, KT was the son of Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton.He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in February, 1785 and served as their vice-president from 1795-1819...
1825 - 1830 James Ochoncar Forbes, 18th Lord Forbes
1831 - 1841 Robert Montgomery Hamilton, 8th Lord Belhaven and Stenton
Robert Montgomery Hamilton, 8th Lord Belhaven and Stenton
Robert Montgomery Hamilton, 8th Lord Belhaven and Stenton KT was a Scottish peer and politician.-Background:Born at Wishaw House, he was the son of William Hamilton, 7th Lord Belhaven and Stenton, and Penelope Macdonald, youngest daughter of Ranald MacDonald of Clanranald...
1842 - 1846 John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute, KT, FRS was the son of John, Lord Mount Stuart and the former Lady Elizabeth McDouall-Crichton...
1847 - 1857 (except 1852) Lord Belhaven and Stenton
1852 - William David Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield
1858 - William David Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield
1859 - William David Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield
1860 - 1866 Lord Belhaven and Stenton
1867 - 1868 George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington
George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington
George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington , known as George Baillie until 1858, was a Scottish Conservative politician....
1869 - 1871 John Hamilton Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair
John Hamilton Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair
Sir John Hamilton Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair KT was a Scottish peer and politician, styled as Viscount Dalrymple from 1853 until 1864, who served as Governor of the Bank of Scotland for thirty-three years....
1872 - 1873 David Graham Drummond Ogilvy, 10th Earl of Airlie
1874 - 1875 Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn
Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn
Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn , styled Lord Loughborough until 1866, was a Scottish Conservative politician...
1876 - 1877 Alan Plantagenet Stewart, Earl of Galloway
1878 - 1880 Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn
1881 - 1885 John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 7th Earl of Aberdeen
John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , known as The Earl of Aberdeen from 1870 to 1916, was a Scottish politician...
1886 Thomas John Hovell-Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce, 5th Baron Thurlow
1887 John Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun
John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow
John Adrian Louis Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , also known as Viscount Aithrie before 1873 and as The 7th Earl of Hopetoun between 1873 and 1902, was a Scottish aristocrat, politician and colonial administrator. He is best known for his brief and controversial tenure as the...
1888 John Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun
1889 John Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun
1889 William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
1890 William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
1891 William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
1892 William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
1893 1895 Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane
Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane
Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane KG, PC, JP, DL , styled Lord Glenorchy between 1862 and 1871 and known as The Earl of Breadalbane and Holland between 1871 and 1885, was a Scottish nobleman and Liberal politician.-Background and education:Campbell was born at Fermoy, County Cork, the...
1896 William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
1897 William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
1898 - 1906 Ronald Ruthven Leslie-Melville, 11th Earl of Leven and 10th Earl of Melville
1907 Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
1908 Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
1909 Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
1910 John Hew North Gustave Henry Hamilton Dalrymple, 11th Earl of Stair
1911 Edward Priaulx Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner
1912 Edward Priaulx Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner
1913 Edward Priaulx Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner
1914 Edward Priaulx Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner
1915 John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 7th Earl of Aberdeen
John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , known as The Earl of Aberdeen from 1870 to 1916, was a Scottish politician...
1916 Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose
1917 Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose
1918 John George Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl
1919 John George Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl
1920 John George Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl
1921 George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland
1922 George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland
1923 Sydney Herbert Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone
1924 Rt Hon James Brown MP
1925 Edward James Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin, 14th Earl of Kincardine
1926 Edward James Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin, 14th Earl of Kincardine
1927 John Dalrymple, 12th Earl of Stair
John Dalrymple, 12th Earl of Stair
John James Hamilton Dalrymple, 12th Earl of Stair, KT, DSO, DL was the son of the 11th Earl of Stair.He fought in the Boer War, and World War I, was captured by the Germans....
1928 John Dalrymple, 12th Earl of Stair
1929 HRH The Duke of York
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...

(later George VI)
1930 Rt Hon James Brown MP
1931 Rt Hon James Brown MP
1932 Sir Iain Colquhoun
Iain Colquhoun
Sir Iain Colquhoun, 7th Baronet, KT, DSO, was a Scottish baronet, and the grandfather of an Irish earl and great-grandfather of a Scottish duke....

, 7th Baronet
1933 John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir was a Scottish novelist, historian and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation....

, author (The 39 Steps)
1934 John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
1935 HRH The Duke of Kent
Prince George, Duke of Kent
Prince George, Duke of Kent was a member of the British Royal Family, the fourth son of George V and Mary of Teck, and younger brother of Edward VIII and George VI...
1936 Kenneth Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 12th Lord Kinnaird
1937 Kenneth Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 12th Lord Kinnaird
1938 Lt Col Sir John Gilmour
1939 Lt Col Sir John Gilmour
1940 Sir Iain Colquhoun, 7th Baronet
1941 Sir Iain Colquhoun, 7th Baronet
1942 James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose KT CB CVO VD was a Scottish nobleman, politician and engineer.The eldest son of Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose, he was educated at Eton College. In 1906 he married Lady Mary Douglas-Hamilton, the only child of the 12th Duke of Hamilton...
1943 James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose
1944 Victor Alexander John Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow
1945 Victor Alexander John Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow
1946 George Mathers
George Mathers
George Mathers, 1st Baron Mathers KT, PC, DL was a Scottish trade unionist and Labour Party politician...

MP, later Baron Mathers
1947 George Mathers MP
1948 George Mathers MP
1949 HRH The Duke of Gloucester
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
1950 Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
1951 George Mathers MP
1952 Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
1953 Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
Air Commodore Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton and 11th Duke of Brandon, KT, GCVO, AFC, PC, DL, FRCSE, FRGS, was a Scottish nobleman and pioneering aviator....
1954 Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
1955 Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
1956 Walter Elliot
1957 Walter Elliot
1958 Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
1959 Francis David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss, 8th Earl of March
1960 Francis David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss, 8th Earl of March
1961–1963 HRH The Duke of Gloucester
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
1964 General Sir Richard O'Connor
Richard O'Connor
General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
1965 Harald Leslie, Lord Leslie
1966 Harald Leslie, Lord Leslie
1967 John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
John Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT, GCVO, GBE, CB, TD, PC was a Scottish broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom...
1968 John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
1969 HM The Queen attended in person
1970 Rt Hon Margaret Herbison
Margaret Herbison
Margaret McCrorie Herbison was a Scottish Labour politician.Educated at Bellshill Academy and the University of Glasgow, her early career was spent as a teacher of English and history and as an economics lecturer for the National Council of Labour Colleges. The daughter of a miner, she would later...
1971 Ronald John Bilsland Colville, 2nd Baron Clydesmuir
1972 Ronald John Bilsland Colville, 2nd Baron Clydesmuir
1973 - 1974 Rt Hon Lord Ballantrae
Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae
Bernard Edward Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae, KT, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, OBE was a brigadier in the British Army, military historian and the last British-born Governor-General of New Zealand.- Military service :...

, of Auchairne and the Bay of Islands GCMG GCVO DSO OBE
1975 - 1976 Sir Hector MacLennan Kt FRCPGlas FRCOG
1977 Francis David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss, 8th Earl of March
1978 - 1979 The Rt Hon William Ross
William Ross, Baron Ross of Marnock
William 'Willie' Ross, Baron Ross of Marnock MBE was the longest serving Secretary of State for Scotland, holding office from 1964 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1976, throughout the Prime Ministership of Harold Wilson....

MBE LLD (former Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...

)
1980 Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin, 15th Earl of Kincardine
1981 Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin, 15th Earl of Kincardine
1982 Col Sir John Edward Gilmour, 3rd Baronet
1983 Col Sir John Edward Gilmour, 3rd Baronet
1984 Charles Hector Fitzroy Maclean, 1st Baron Maclean of Duart
1985 Charles Hector Fitzroy Maclean, 1st Baron Maclean of Duart
1986 John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott
1987 John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott
1988 Captain Sir Iain Mark Tennant
1989 Captain Sir Iain Mark Tennant
1990 The Rt Hon Donald MacArthur Ross, Lord Ross
Donald MacArthur Ross, Lord Ross
Donald MacArthur Ross, Lord Ross, PC, FRSE is a former Lord Justice Clerk - the second most senior judge in Scotland.-Personal life:He was born in Dundee and educated at the High School of Dundee and the University of Edinburgh...

, Lord Justice Clerk
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
1991 The Rt Hon Lord Ross
1992 Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden
1993 Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden
1994 Lady Marion Anne Fraser
1995 Lady Marion Anne Fraser
1996 HRH The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
1997 Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden
1998 Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld
Norman Hogg, Baron Hogg of Cumbernauld
Norman Hogg, Baron Hogg of Cumbernauld CBE, DL, JP, LLD, FSA Scot. was a Scottish Labour politician.Educated at Ruthrieston Secondary School in Aberdeen, he worked for Aberdeen Town Council from 1953-67 and then as a District Officer for NALGO from 1967 to 1979...
1999 Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld
2000 HRH The Duke of Rothesay
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
2001 Viscount Younger of Leckie
George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie
George Kenneth Hotson Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie KT KCVO TD PC was a British politician and banker....

, former Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...

(as George Younger MP
George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie
George Kenneth Hotson Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie KT KCVO TD PC was a British politician and banker....

)
2002 HM The Queen attended in person
2003 Lord Steel of Aikwood
David Steel
David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC is a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its merger with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the Liberal Democrats...

, former Presiding Officer
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...

of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...

and former Leader of the Liberal Democrats
2004 Lord Steel of Aikwood
2005 Lord Mackay of Clashfern, former Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
2006 Lord Mackay of Clashfern
2007 HRH The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
2008 : Rt. Hon. George Reid
George Reid (Scottish politician)
George Newlands Reid, PC , is a Scottish politician. From February 1974 to 1979 he served as a Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire. He was elected in 1999 as a Member of the newly established Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for Mid Scotland and...

, former Presiding Officer
Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament is the speaker of the Scottish Parliament, elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament, by means of an exhaustive ballot. He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the Scottish Parliament and as such is viewed as a figurehead for the entire...

of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
2009 George Reid
2010 David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn
David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn
David Clive Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn, is a retired British administrator, diplomat and Sinologist. Lord Wilson of Tillyorn was the penultimate Commander-in-Chief and 27th Governor of Hong Kong...

, former Governor of Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
2011 David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn

Sources, References and External links

Church of Scotland website

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.