The successor to Sir Michael Willcocks as Black Rod was announced last week. Sir Michael finishes his term of office next May and will be succeeded by Lt-Gen. Sir Freddie Viggers.
The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and Serjeant at Arms of the House of Lords – to use his full title – is best known for his ceremonial duties, not least during the State Opening of Parliament (pictured). The ceremonial masks the fact that his principal responsibilities are managerial and fundamental to the effective functioning of the House of Lords. He heads a substantial body of staff responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the Lords. This encompasses security. Sir Michael was appointed in 2001 shortly before September 11 and security has consequently been even more central to Black Rod’s responsibilities.
The need to appoint someone who could take on major responsibilities for management as well as security may explain why the new Black Rod is very much in the mould of the current occupant, even down to the fact that he holds the same military rank and comes from the same regiment. Though the occupants of the post have traditionally been drawn from the military, what makes the current occupant and his successor unusual is that both were appointed by open competition. Sir Freddie was appointed after the post was advertised last month and a short-list of six interviewed at the beginning of this month. The panel included the former First Civil Service Commissioner, Baroness Prashar. The field was narrowed down to two, who were interviewed by the Lord Speaker, the Convenor of the Cross-bench peers, and the leaders of the parties in the House. The two candidates in order of preference were then submitted to the Queen, with the new Black Rod being announced on 18 December.
Dear Lord Norton,
What an interesting post.
You say that the two candidates were submitted in order of preference to The Queen.
Was Her Majesty obliged to appoint the person who was first preference? Or was it her prerogative to choose between them?
Howridiculous.
Howridiculous: I am sure there is no formal obligation on the Queen to accept the first name. I am not sure how much, if at all, the practice has changed since the introduction of selection by open competition.
Dear Lord Norton,
Thank you. You won’t be surprised that I am in favour of Her Majesty’s prerogative!
Merry Christmas and thank you for your blogging this year.
Howridiculous.
Dear LotB,
I wanted to click on the photo to view it in greater detail (in its original size) but I see that that’s as big as it was posted. Is there a bigger size, somewhere, of this Black Rod fellow? I suggest that it would be a good idea to enable users to click on the little postage stamp-size photographs to view a larger, more impressive size. Especially if the user happens to be relatively ignorant about the content of the posting, and the photo happens to be relatively important to that user’s understanding of the content of the posting. Not that I won’t immediately investigate what the Black Rod is, only I shall do it elsewhere.
Jack
Actually, I just Googled it all (I even found that photo I mentioned, but bigger!) and I must say it’s a very interesting custom. Is his face very close to the doors when they’re slammed?
Isn’t there a new Facilities Manager or some such? And that role will be taking on many of Black Rod’s managerail responsiblities?
If so, does that mean that Black Rod is now more focused ono ceremonial duties? And is it part-time or paid less to reflect the diminished responsibilites?
Jack: I am contemplating doing a post on the current Black Rod, so I may take a photograph of him to include with the post. On the ceremony itself, Black Rod has a practice run prior to the actual ceremony, so I think he has got it down to a fine art. The initial problem, apparently, was not so much making sure he stood far enough away from the door but rather making sure he hit the door hard enough! The other practical problem he faces is when he enters the chamber and Dennis Skinner makes one of his celebrated comments. The current Black Rod has had to train himself not to laugh.
Craig Beaumont: There will indeed by a new facilities manager, though the principal difference is one of managerial structure – the manager will report directly to the Clerk of the Parliaments. Black Rod will remain important, both in terms of management and security, and certainly full time. It is worth noting that, as Black Rod, he retains duties other than those of Serjeant at Arms, including responsibility for the remaining royal parts of the Palace of Westminster. The significance of the responsibilities is reflected in the seniority and background of the person appointed.
I’m sure I heard Sir Michael Willcocks in a television interview say that some duties would transfer to a ‘Director of Services’. This sounds more appropriate than the appointment of a manager and more in line with other Parliaments around the world. Cutbacks?
I may have this wrong but Sir Michael recalled his first encounter with Dennis Skinner. Sir Michael replaced General Sir Edward Jones a well proportioned man.
When Sir Michael turned away from the Speaker to exit Dennis Skinner let fly with a one liner saying “We’ve been short changed!” This broke Sir Michael’s composure and led him to burst out with laughter.
Ref: Black Rods (UK) from 1358
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Rod