Civil Lord of the Admiralty

The Civil Lord of the Admiralty was a member of the Board of Admiralty usually charged with oversight of infrastructure. As a Member of the House of Commons or House of Lords he usually changed with the Government.

History

Under the Order in Council of 14 January, 1869, the Civil Lord, although a member of the Board, was designated "an assistant" to the Parliamentary Secretary, who was not a member. This curious arrangement was to persist for nearly a century until the final abolition of the Board.

In the First World War a Third and then a Fourth Civil Lord was appointed to the Board. It is not known whether they assisted the original Civil Lord or the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty.

Duties

21 June, 1844.

The 5th or Civil Lord prepares the Naval Estimates & superintends all matters connected with Finance & Naval Expenditure.He directs all Civil Engineering Works, Carrying on the Several Dockyards under the Sanction of the Board, & sees that all Contracts with Engineers & others are rigidly adhered to, that all Steam Machinery is delivered in due course, & that the works in the Yards progress in a satisfactory manner, & in accordance with the terms of the Contract. The Management of the Packet Service is entrusted to him, as likewise the preparation of the Contracts for the Packet Service abroad. All cases of Pay & Wages in the Civil Departments & Docks Yards are referred for his opinion or decision. He superintends the Department of the Accountant General of the Navy under (Mr Briggs) as also that of the Director of Works (under Captain Brandreth).

July, 1866.
Accountant General's Department.
Director of Works' Department.
Contracts Department.
Greenwich Hospital: Finance, Property, Buildings, and Schools.
Subscriptions to Churches, Schools, &c.
Education and Schools Generally.

December, 1868.
Director of Works' Department.
Coast Guard Buildings.
Promotions and Removal of Clerks in&mdash: Departments in London (except in Secretary's Office, Whitehall). Dockyards. Victualling Yards. Hospitals.
Civil Pensions and Superannuations.
Greenwich Hospital and Schools.
Subscriptions to Churches and Schools.
Compassionate Fund.
Charitable Institutions.
Ships Libraries.

December, 1872.
Director of Works Department.
Coast Guard Buildings.
Promotions and Removals of Clerks, &c., in— Departments in London (except Secretary's Office, Whitehall) Dockyards. Victualling Yards. Hospitals.
Civil Pensions and Superannuations.
Greenwich Hospital and Schools.
Subscriptions to Churches and Schools.
Compassionate Fund.
Charitable Institutions.

April, 1875.
1.—Director of Works Department including Contracts and purchases of Stores, and Land.
2.—Coast Guard Buildings and Sites.
3.—Promotions and Removals of Civil Officers, Clerks, Writers, and Mechanics, &c. in— Departments in London (except Naval Department, Whitehall.) Dockyards, Victualling Yards, Hospitals at Home and abroad.
4.—Civil Salaries, Pensions, and Superannuations.
5.—Greenwich Hospital Estates and Schools.
6.—Greenwich Hospital Funds.
7.—Subscriptions to Churches, Schools, and Sailors Homes.
8.—Compassionate and Charitable Funds.
9.—Charitable Institutions.
10.—Allowances to Minsters of Religion.
11.—Inspector of Schools.
12.—Appointment of Schoolmasters and Schoolmistresses.
13.—General questions relative to the retirement, pay, and allowances of Naval Officers.
14.—Naval Colleges—Finance and Civil appointments.
15.—Observatories—Greenwich—Cape of Good Hope.

1 January, 1904.
1.—Works Department, including Contracts and Purchases of Stores and Land; also Coast Guard Buildings, Sites, and Leases.
2.—Works Loan Department.
3.—Naval Establishments—Civil Staff, including Classification, Appointment, Promotion, Pay, Allowances and Pension (except Appoint, and Promotions in London Establishment, and of Professional Officers of Controller's Departments at the Dockyards).
4.—Naval Hospitals—Civil Staff other than Medical and Nursing Staff.
5.—Greenwich Hospital business, including appointments, except those of Naval Chaplains to Livings, Superintendent of the Royal Hospital School, Curator of the Painted Hall, and appointments to Greenwich Hospital Pensions.
6.—Subscriptions, &c.
7.Compassionate Allowances, &c.
8.Charitable Fund.
9.—Allowances to Ministers of Religion and Grants in Aid of Churches and Schools.
10.—Dockyard Schools and Civil appointments connected therewith.
11.—Marine Schools.
12.—Special Questions affecting Retirement, Pay, and Allowances of Naval and Marine Officers and Men.
13.—Dockyard Police.
NOTE.—The following questions will be dealt with by Civil Lord without further reference to Financial Secretary:—(1) Coast Guard Buildings; (2) Works Department questions generally; (3) Works Loan questions; (4) Allowances to Naval and Marine Officers and Men, when no new principle is involved. The above, if of an important character, or if likely to affect questions dealt with by the Financial Secretary, will be marked to him also.

20 October, 1904.
1.—Works and Buildings, including Contracts and Purchases of Stores and Land; Coast Guard Building, Sites, and Leases.
2.—Civil Staff of Naval Establishments, including Classification, Appointment, Promotion, Pay, Allowances and Pension (except in London Establishment, and of Professional Officers of Controller's Department at the Dockyards and Medical and Nursing Staff of Naval Hospitals); Dockyard Police.
3.—Greenwich Hospital business, including appointments (except of Naval Chaplains to Livings, Superintendent of the Royal Hospital School, Curator of the Painted Hall, and appointments to Greenwich Hospital Pensions).
4.—Charitable Fund, Compassionate Allowances, Subscriptions, &c., and Allowances to Ministers of Religion and Grants in Aid of Churches and Schools.
5.—Marine and Dockyard Schools and Civil appointments connected therewith.
6.—Special Questions affecting Retirement and Pay of Naval and Marine Officers and Men, when discretionary power is specifically provided for by Order in Council.
NOTE.—Works questions of an important character, or if likely to affect questions dealt with by the Financial Secretary, will be marked to him also.

7 September, 1912.
1. Works and Buildings, including Purchases of Land; Coast Guard Buildings, Sites, and Leases.
2. Staff of Civil Establishments (except as reserved to First Lord), including Classification, Appointment, Promotion, Pay, Allowances and Pension.
3. Greenwich Hospital business, including appointments (except Naval Chaplains to Livings, Superintendent of the Royal Hospital School, Curator of the Painted Hall, and appointments to Greenwich Hospital Pensions).
4. Charitable Fund, Compassionate Allowances, Subscriptions, &c., and Allowances to Ministers of Religion and Grants in Aid of Churches and Schools.
5. Marine and Dockyard Schools.
6. Special Questions affecting Retirement and Pay of Naval and Marine Officers and Men, when discretionary power is specifically provided for by Order in Council.
NOTE.—Works questions of an important character, or if likely to affect questions dealt with by the Financial Secretary, will be marked to him also.

27 June, 1917.
Works and Buildings, including Purchases of Land; Coast Guard Buildings, Sites, and Leases.
Staff of Civil Establishments (except as reserved to First Lord or Controller), including Classification, Appointment, Promotion, Pay, Allowances and Pension.
Greenwich Hospital business, including appointments (except Naval Chaplains to Livings, Superintendent of the Royal Hospital School, Curator of the Painted Hall, and appointments to Greenwich Hospital Pensions).
Charitable Fund, Compassionate Allowances, Subscriptions, &c., and Allowances to Ministers of Religion and Grants in Aid of Churches and Schools.
Marine and Dockyard Schools.
Special Questions affecting Retirement and Pay of Naval and Marine Officers and Men, when discretionary power is specifically provided for by Order in Council.
NOTE.—Works questions of an important character, or if likely to affect questions dealt with by the Financial Secretary, will be marked to him also.

Civil Lords, 1885–1919

Dates of appointment given:

• The Honourable Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, M.P., 2 July, 1885.
• The Honourable Robert W. Duff, M.P., 16 February, 1886.
• The Honourable Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, M.P., 6 August, 1886.
• The Honourable Edmund Robertson, M.P., 23 August, 1892.
• The Honourable Austen Chamberlain, M.P., 4 July, 1895.
• The Honourable Ernest G. Pretyman, M.P., 20 November, 1900.
• The Honourable Arthur H. Lee, M.P., 13 October, 1903.
• The Right Honourable George Lambert, M.P., 21 December, 1905.
• The Right Honourable The Duke of Devonshire, 3 June, 1915.
• The Right Honourable The Earl of Lytton, 31 August, 1916.
• The Honourable Ernest G. Pretyman, M.P., 11 December, 1916.
• The Right Honourable The Earl of Lytton, 31 August, 1916.

Fourth Civil Lord

• The Right Honourable The Earl of Lytton, 30 December, 1918.

Office lapsed, 16 January, 1919.

Bibliography

• The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. Vol. III. London: For Her Majesty's Stationary Office. 1873.
• Admiralty. Return "of the Distribution of Business under the Lords of the Admiralty under the Old and New Arrangement for conducting the business of the Department." H.C. 84, 1869. Copy in Greene Papers. National Maritime Museum. GEE/2.
• Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division (1929). The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. Its Work and Development. B.R. 1845 (late C.B. 3013). Copy No. 8 at The National Archives. ADM 234/434.