Father of the House (United Kingdom)

The father of the House is a title that is bestowed on the senior member of the House of Commons who has the longest continuous service. If two or more members have the same length of current uninterrupted service, then whoever was sworn in earliest, as listed in Hansard, is named as Father of the House.[1]

Father of the House
Incumbent
Sir Peter Bottomley
since 13 December 2019
House of Commons of the United Kingdom
Member ofHouse of Commons
SeatWestminster
First holderWilliam Wither Bramston Beach
circa. 1899

The only formal duty of the father of the House is to preside over the election of the speaker of the House of Commons. However, the relevant Standing Order does not refer to this member by the title of "Father of the House", but instead to the longest-serving member of the House present who is not a minister of the Crown. Until 1971, the clerk of the House of Commons presided over the election of the Speaker. As the clerk is never a member, and therefore is not permitted to speak, he would silently stand and point at the Member who was to speak. However, this procedure broke down at the election of a new Speaker in 1971 and was changed upon the recommendation of a select committee.[2]

Since the 2019 general election, Sir Peter Bottomley, who has been an MP continuously since 1975, has been Father of the House. His grandmother’s cousin Robin Turton was also Father. The previous father was Kenneth Clarke[3] who began his continuous service at the 1970 general election and became father in 2017 after the death of Sir Gerald Kaufman. Dennis Skinner also began continuous service at the 1970 general election, but was sworn in after Clarke.[4][5][1] Clarke declined to seek re-election in 2019 and retired from the Commons. Skinner contested the 2019 election, but was defeated.

History

Historically, the father of the House was not a clearly defined term, and it is not clear by what process it was used for individual Members. The first recorded usage of the term dates to 1788, in an obituary of Thomas Noel; it is also attested in an engraved portrait of Whitshed Keene by Charles Picart, from 1816. It may have been interpreted at various times as the oldest member, the member with the longest total service, the member with the longest unbroken service (the modern definition), or the member who entered the House longest ago. There is also some evidence that in the late 19th century, the position may have been elected. The modern definition was not settled upon until the late 1890s.[6]

After the Second World War, a convention arose that the father would normally be a member of the Select Committee on Privileges, but this lapsed following the establishment of the modern Standards and Privileges Committee in the 1990s.[6]

Among the twentieth-century fathers, there were several very prominent figures; four former Prime Ministers became Father of the House, and a fifth, Henry Campbell-Bannerman was simultaneously Father of the House and Prime Minister from May 1907 until soon before his death during April 1908. Almost all have been Privy Councillors.[6]

To date, all holders of the position have been men.[6] In 2015 Harriet Harman described herself as the 'Mother of the House' as she was the longest continuously serving woman MP.[7] David Cameron referred to her as the Mother the week after,[8] and Theresa May referred to Harriet Harman as the Mother of the House in 2017.[9] Harman had in fact been the longest serving female MP since at least 2010.

List of fathers of the House since 1899

This list covers all fathers of the House since W.W. Beach, the first to become Father after the modern approach (longest period of continuous service) was agreed in 1898.[6] Those who died as fathers are indicated by a †.

Name Entered Parliament Father (Standing Order No 1) Left House Party Constituency
William Wither Bramston Beach185718991901† ConservativeNorth Hampshire (1857–85)
Andover (1885–1901)
Michael Hicks Beach186419011906 ConservativeGloucestershire East (1864–85)
Bristol West (1885–1906)
George Finch186719061907† ConservativeRutland
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman186819071908† LiberalStirling Burghs
Sir John Kennaway, 3rd Baronet187019081910 ConservativeEast Devon (1870–85)
Honiton (1885–1910)
Thomas Burt187419101918 Lib-LabMorpeth
T. P. O'Connor188019181929† Irish NationalistGalway Borough (1880–85)
Liverpool Scotland (1885–1929)
David Lloyd George189019291945 LiberalCaernarvon Boroughs
The Earl Winterton190419451951 ConservativeHorsham (1904–18, 1945–51)
Horsham and Worthing (1918–45)
Sir Hugh O'Neill191519511952 Ulster UnionistMid Antrim (1915–22)
Antrim (1922–50)
North Antrim (1950–52)
David Grenfell192219521959 LabourGower
Sir Winston Churchill 1900
continuous from 1924		 1959 1964 ConservativeOldham (1900–04)
LiberalOldham (1904–06)
Manchester North West (1906–08)
Dundee (1908–22)
ConservativeEpping (1924–45)
Woodford (1945–64)
R. A. Butler192919641965 ConservativeSaffron Walden
Sir Robin Turton192919651974 ConservativeThirsk and Malton
George Strauss1929
continuous from 1934		19741979 LabourLambeth North (1929–31, 1934–50)
Vauxhall (1950–79)
John Parker193519791983 LabourRomford (1935–45)
Dagenham (1945–83)
James Callaghan194519831987 LabourCardiff South (1945–50)
Cardiff South East (1950–83)
Cardiff South and Penarth (1983–87)
Sir Bernard Braine195019871992 ConservativeBillericay (1950–55)
South East Essex (1955–83)
Castle Point (1983–92)
Sir Edward Heath195019922001 ConservativeBexley (1950–74)
Sidcup (1974–83)
Old Bexley and Sidcup (1983–2001)
Sir Thomas Dalyell, 11th Baronet196220012005 LabourWest Lothian (1962–83)
Linlithgow (1983–2005)
Alan Williams196420052010 LabourSwansea West
Sir Peter Tapsell1959
continuous from 1966		20102015 ConservativeNottingham West (1959–64)
Horncastle (1966–83)
East Lindsey (1983–97)
Louth and Horncastle (1997–2015)
Sir Gerald Kaufman197020152017† LabourManchester Ardwick (1970–83)
Manchester Gorton (1983–2017)
Kenneth Clarke197020172019 Conservative (1970–2019)Rushcliffe
Independent (2019)
Sir Peter Bottomley19752019Incumbent ConservativeWoolwich West (1975–83)
Eltham (1983–97)
Worthing West (1997–present)

Earlier "fathers"

This list covers all those who would have been considered Father of the House, by the modern definition, since an arbitrary date of 1701. Many of these will not have been considered "Father of the House" by contemporaries, and some men who were described as such are not listed here.

Name Entered Parliament Father (Standing Order No 1) Left House Party Constituency
Sir John Fagg1645
continuous from 1653		17011701†Steyning
Thomas Turgis165917011704†Gatton
Sir Christopher Musgrave, 4th Baronet166117041704†Westmorland
Thomas Strangways167317041713Dorset
Sir Richard Onslow167917131715 WhigGuildford (1713–14)
Surrey (1714–15)
Thomas Erle167917151718 WhigWareham
Edward Vaughan167917181718† WhigCardiganshire
Richard Vaughan1685
continuous from 1689		17181724† WhigCarmarthen
Lord William Powlett168917241729† ToryWinchester (1689–1710, 1715–29)
Lymington (1710–15)
Sir Justinian Isham, 4th Baronet1685
continuous from 1694		17291730† ToryNorthampton (1685–90, 1694–98)
Northamptonshire (1698–30)
Sir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet169517301738† ToryKing's Lynn
Sir Roger Bradshaigh169517381747† ToryWigan
Sir Edward Ashe169517471747 ToryHeytesbury
Sir Thomas Cartwright1695
continuous from 1701		17471748† ToryNorthamptonshire
Sir Richard Shuttleworth170517481749† ToryLancashire
Phillips Gybbon170717491762† WhigRye
Sir John Rushout, 4th Baronet171317621768 ToryMalmesbury (1713–22)
Evesham (1722–68)
William Aislabie172117681781† WhigRipon
Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore173317811782† WhigThetford (1733–54, 1774–82)
Hereford (1754–68)
Heytesbury (1768–74)
The Earl Nugent174117821784 TorySt Mawes (1741–54, 1774–84)
Bristol (1754–74)
Sir Charles Frederick174117841784 ToryNew Shoreham (1741–54)
Queenborough (1754–84)
The Lord Mendip174117841790 ToryCricklade (1741–47)
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1747–61, 1774–90)
Aylesbury (1761–68)
Petersfield (1768–74, 1791–95)
William Drake174617901796†Amersham
Sir Philip Stephens, 1st Baronet175917961806 ToryLiskeard (1759–68)
Sandwich (1768–1801)
Clement Tudway176118061815† ToryWells
Sir John Aubrey, 6th Baronet176818151826† ToryWallingford (1768–74, 1780–84)
Aylesbury (1774–1780)
Buckinghamshire (1780–90)
Clitheroe (1790–96)
Aldeburgh (1796–1812)
Steyning (1812–20)
Horsham (1820–26)
Sir Samuel Smith178818261832 TorySt Germans (1788–90)
Leicester (1790–1818)
Midhurst (1818–20)
Wendover (1820–32)
George Byng179018321847† WhigMiddlesex
Charles Williams-Wynn179718471850† Tory (1797–1834)Old Sarum (1797–99)
Montgomeryshire (1797–1850)
Conservative (1834–50)
George Harcourt180618501861† Whig (1806–35)Lichfield (1806–31)
Oxfordshire (1831–61)
Conservative (1835–57)
Peelite (1857–59)
Liberal (1859–61)
Sir Charles Burrell, 3rd Baronet180618611862† Tory (1806–34)New Shoreham
Conservative (1834–62)
Henry Cecil Lowther181218621867† Tory (1812–34)Westmorland
Conservative (1834–67)
Thomas Peers Williams182018671868 Tory (1820–34)Marlow
Conservative (1834–68)
Henry Lowry-Corry182518681873† Tory (1825–34)Tyrone
Irish Conservative
(1834–73)
George Weld-Forester182818731874 Tory (1828–34)Wenlock
Conservative (1834–74)
Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot183018741890† Whig (1830–59)Glamorganshire (1830–85)
Mid Glamorganshire (1885–90)
Liberal (1859–90)
Charles Pelham Villiers183518901898† Liberal (1835–86)Wolverhampton (1835–85)
Wolverhampton South (1885–98)
Liberal Unionist (1886–98)
Sir John Mowbray, 1st Baronet185318981899† ConservativeDurham City (1853–85)
Oxford University (1885–99)

Longest-serving member of the House of Lords

The title 'Father of the House' is not used in the House of Lords.[6] The longest-serving member is recorded on the House website, though no duties or special distinctions are associated with the position.[10] As of 2021, the longest-serving member is The Lord Trefgarne (Conservative), who first took his seat on 3 July 1962[11] (having succeeded his father in the peerage in 1960 while still a minor). The House of Lords Act 1999 repealed the automatic right of hereditary peers to be members of the House of Lords; Trefgarne was one of those elected to continue as a member under section 2 of the Act.

As of 2023, the longest-serving life peer is The Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative), who is also the longest-serving female member of the House. She first took her seat on 23 June 1981.[12]

Peer Most senior title in the peerage of Party affiliation Time served
(from when first taking their seat)		 Total tenure Became longest-serving member Tenure as longest-serving member
Arthur Hill, 7th Marquess of Downshire Ireland Other 18 May 1920 – 28 March 1989[13] 68 years, 314 days
Jeffery Amherst, 5th Earl Amherst United Kingdom Liberal Democrat 7 March 1927 – 4 March 1993[14] 65 years, 291 days 28 March 1989 3 years, 341 days
Dominick Browne, 4th Baron Oranmore and Browne Ireland Other 26 July 1927 – 11 November 1999[15] 72 years, 108 days 4 March 1993 6 years, 252 days
George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe United Kingdom Conservative 25 July 1939 – 22 February 2007[16] 67 years, 212 days 11 November 1999 7 years, 103 days
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington Ireland Conservative 9 October 1945 – 9 July 2018[17] 72 years, 273 days 22 February 2007 11 years, 137 days
Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham United Kingdom Conservative 13 December 1949 – 26 April 2021[18] 71 years, 134 days 9 July 2018 2 years, 291 days
David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne United Kingdom Conservative 3 July 1962 61 years, 115 days 26 April 2021 2 years, 183 days

See also

References
  1. Moss, Stephen (2 May 2015). "Labour's Dennis Skinner at 83: 'Father of the House? You must be joking'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  2. "The Speaker" (PDF). Westminster, United Kingdom: House of Commons Information Office. September 2003. pp. 4–5.
  3. "Boris Johnson to seek election after rebel Tories deliver Commons defeat". Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  4. "Members Sworn". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Hansard Digitisation Project. 30 June 1970. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  5. "Members Sworn". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Hansard Digitisation Project. 1 July 1970. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  6. Kelly, Richard (6 October 2016). "Father of the House: House of Commons Background Paper SN06399".
  7. Hansard, Volume 596. "debated on Monday 18 May 2015, Column 6". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  8. Hansard, Volume 596. "debated on Monday 27 May 2015, Column 43". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  9. "Election of Speaker". Hansard. UK: Commons. 13 June 2017.
  10. Parliament.UK – House of Lords FAQS – Membership and principal office holders at parliament.uk
  11. "Lord Trefgarne (Hansard, 3 July 1962)". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  12. "Baroness Gardner Of Parkes (Hansard, 23 June 1981)". api.parliament.uk.
  13. "Marquess of Downshire". UK Parliament. 18 May 1920. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  14. "Earl of Amherst". UK Parliament. House of Lords. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  15. "Lord Oranmore and Browne". UK Parliament. House of Lords. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  16. "Earl Jellicoe (Hansard, 25 July 1939)". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  17. "Lord Carrington (Hansard, 9 October 1945)". UK Parliament. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  18. "Lord Denham (Hansard, 13 December 1949)". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
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