Letter - Transmitting Lord Willoughby de Eresby's Petition [1950-02-10]

Letter - Transmitting Lord Willoughby de Eresby's Petition [1950-02-10]

Royal Houshold

Letter from Sir Albert Napier to Laurence Helsby transmitting Lord Willougby de Eresby's petition for the office of Lord Great Chamberlain.

Albert Napier (Clerk of the Crown in Chancery)

PREM 5/590

1950-02-10

Jason Loch

HOUSE OF LORDS,
S.W.1.
10th February, 1950.

Dear Helsby

    The Office of Lord Great Chamberlain, the Great Officer of State who has charge of the Palace of Westminster, is hereditary, being descendible in “tail general”. This means (among other things) that when a holder dies leaving no son and more than one daughter, the right to the office is vested in two or more persons as co-heirs. The duties then have to be performed by deputy.

    The duties have now been performed by deputy for very many years. The procedure is for the co-heirs to consent by unanimous consent a person to act as their Deputy to execute the duties of the office, and for that Deputy Nominate to petition The King for His Majesty’s approval of his nomination.

    The present Deputy is Lord Ancaster, and he wishes to relinquish this office owing to age and infirmity.

    The present co-heirs are the Marquess of Cholmondeley, the Earl of Ancaster and the issue of the late Marquess of Lincolnshire, and they have agreed to nominate Lord Willoughby de Eresby (Lord Ancaster’s son) as their Deputy, and for that purpose have completed Deeds of Nomination.

    In accordance with usual practice Lord Willoughby de Eresby has sent his Petition and the supporting Deeds of Nomination to this Office. They are in order, and accordingly I forward them herewith.

    The next step is for the Prime Minister, if he thinks fit, to put forward Lord Willoughby de Eresby’s name to The King for His Majesty’s approval and, when His Majesty has signified His pleasure, for you to instruct the Home Office to prepare a Warrant signifying the King’s approval of the selection of Lord Willoughby de Eresby for the office of Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain.

    When the Home Office receive your instructions, they will need the enclosed documents for the preparation of the Warrant. I am sending a copy of this letter to Strutt at the Home Office.

(Sgd.) Yours sincerely, A. E. A. Napier

L. N. Helsby, Esq., C.B.

Albert Napier (Clerk of the Crown in Chancery)

Laurence Helsby (Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister)

Letterhead has the Lesser Royal Arms and "Lord Chancellor" in black along with the House of Lords' address.

Document is typewritten with handwritten salutation and valediction.