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, hearing trials of criminal offences. The Recorder is appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the City of London Corporation with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor. The Recorder's deputy is the Common Serjeant of London, appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. The Recorder of London is, since 14 April 2020, Mark Lucraft QC.
Background
The first Recorder of London was appointed in 1298. Originally it seems likely that the Recorder would have recorded pleas in the court of the Lord Mayor and the aldermen and delivered their judgments. A charter granted by Henry VI in 1444 appointed the Recorder ex officio a conservator of the peace. The Recorder increasingly exercised judicial functions thereafter, eventually becoming the principal judge in the City of London.The Recorder became a judge at the Central Criminal Court when it was created by Parliament in 1834. The Central Criminal Court became a Crown Court under the Courts Act 1971, but the Recorder maintained their position when the office of recorder in other cities became honorary.
Functions
In addition to hearing criminal trials at the Central Criminal Court, the Recorder of London heads up court list management to the court's judges. The Recorder also provides legal advice to the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen.The Recorder has a traditional costume and takes charge of the election of the Lord Mayor of London, declares the result, and physically presents the new Lord Mayor for the monarch's approval, first to the Lord Chancellor, and then to the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls. On the occasion of a state visit, the Recorder usually presents an Address of Welcome on behalf of the City.
The Recorder of London is the returning officer at the election of the Verderers of Epping Forest, and is usually appointed High Steward of Southwark, appointed by the Court of Aldermen, holding the sitting of the three courts leet of the City's manors there each year.
The Recorder can act as the deputy of the Common Serjeant in the election of the Sheriff and their presentation to the Queen's Remembrancer at the Quit Rent ceremony.
Since 14 April 2020, the Recorder is Mark Lucraft QC.
List of Recorders of London
- 1298 – Geoffrey de Norton
- 1303 – John de Wengrave
- 1321 – Jeffrey de Hertpoll
- 1321 – Robert de Swalchyne
- 1329 – Gregory de Norton
- 1339 – Roger de Depham
- 1353 – Thomas Ludlow
- 1365 – William de Halden
- 1377 – William Cheyne
- 1389 – John Tremayne
- 1392 – William Makenade
- 1394 – John Cokayne
- 1398 – Matthew de Sulhworth
- 1403 – Thomas Thornburgh
- 1405 – John Preston
- 1415 – John Barton
- 1422 – John Fray
- 1426 – John Simonds
- 1435 – Alexander Anne
- 1440 – Thomas Cockayn
- 1440 – William Bowes
- 1442 – Robert Danvers
- 1451 – Thomas Billing
- 1455 – Thomas Urswick
- 1471 – Sir Humphrey Starkey
- 1483 – Thomas Fitzwilliam
- 1495–1508 – Sir Robert Sheffield
- 1508–18 – John Chalyner
- 1518–20 – Richard Broke
- 1520–26 – William Shelley
- 1526–36 – John Baker
- 1536–46 – Sir Roger Cholmeley
- 1546–53 – Robert Broke
- 1553–63 – Ranulph Cholmley
- 1563–66 – Richard Onslow
- 1566–69 – Sir Thomas Bromley
- 1569–71 – Thomas Wilbraham
- 1571–91 – William Fleetwood
- 1591–92 – Edward Coke
- 1592–94 – Edward Drew
- 1594–95 – Thomas Fleming
- 1595–1603 – John Croke
- 1603–16 – Henry Montagu
- 1616 – Thomas Coventry
- 1616–18 – Sir Anthony Benn
- 1618 – Richard Martin
- 1618–20 – Robert Heath
- 1620 – Robert Shute
- 1620–31 – Sir Heneage Finch
- 1631–34 – Edward Littleton
- 1634–35 – Robert Mason
- 1635 – Sir Henry Calthorpe
- 1635–43 – Thomas Gardiner
- 1643 – Peter Phesant
- 1643–49 – Sir John Glynn
- 1649–55 – William Steele
- 1655–58 – Lislebone Long
- 1658–59 – John Green
- 1659–68 – William Wilde
- 1668–76 – John Howell
- 1676–78 – Sir William Dolben
- 1678–80 – Sir George Jeffreys
- 1680–83 – George Treby
- 1683–85 – Sir Thomas Jenner
- 1685–87 – Sir John Holt
- 1687–88 – Sir John Tate
- 1688–92 – Bartholomew Shower
- 1692–1708 – Salathiel Lovell
- 1708–14 – Sir Peter King
- 1714–39 – Sir William Thompson
- 1739–42 – Sir John Strange
- 1742–43 – Simon Urlin
- 1743–49 – John Stracey
- 1749–53 – Sir Richard Adams
- 1753–63 – Sir William Moreton
- 1763–72 – Sir James Eyre
- 1772–79 – John Glynn
- 1779–89 – James Adair
- 1789–1803 – Sir John William Rose
- 1803–22 – Sir John Silvester, Bt
- 1822–33 – Newman Knowlys
- 1833–50 – Charles Ewan Law
- 1850–56 – James Stuart-Wortley, MP
- 1856–78 – Russell Gurney
- 1878–91 – Thomas Chambers
- 1892–1900 – Charles Hall
- 1900–22 – Sir Forrest Fulton
- 1922–34 – Sir Ernest Wild
- 1934–37 – Henry Holman Gregory
- 1937–59 – Sir Gerald Dodson
- 1959–64 – Edward Anthony Hawke
- 1964–75 – Carl Aarvold
- 1975–90 – Sir James Miskin
- 1990–98 – Sir Lawrence Verney
- 1998–2004 – Michael Hyam
- 2004–13 – Peter Beaumont
- 2013–15 - Brian Barker
- 2015-19 - Nicholas Hilliard
- 2020- Mark Lucraft