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The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, generally shortened to just Black Rod, is an official in the parliaments of a number of Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the British Parliament. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories His equivalent in the House of Commons is the Sergeant-at-Arms. The House of Commons is the name of the elected Lower house of the Bicameral Parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. A Serjeant at Arms (also spelled Sergeant at Arms, and sometimes Serjeant-at-Arms) is an officer appointed by a Deliberative

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Origin

The office was created in 1350 by royal letters patent, though the current title dates from 1522. Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right The position was adopted by other members of the Commonwealth when they copied the British Westminster system. The Westminster system is a democratic Parliamentary system of Government modelled after the British government (the Parliament of the United The title is derived from the staff of office, an ebony staff topped with a golden lion, which is the main symbol of the office's authority. Ebony ( Diospyros ebenum) also known as India Ebony or Ceylon Ebony depending on its origin is a Tree in the genus Diospyros

Black Rod in the United Kingdom

Appointment

Black Rod is formally appointed by the Crown based on a recruitment search performed by the Clerk of the Parliaments, to whom he reports. The Clerk of the Parliaments is the chief clerk of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Prior to 2002 the office was held by a retired senior officer from the British Army, the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force and was rotated between each service. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) It is now advertised openly. Black Rod is an officer of the English Order of the Garter, and takes the rank of knight bachelor. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. The present Black Rod is Lieutenant-General Sir Michael Willcocks. Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the Lieutenant General Sir Michael Alan Willcocks KCB (born 27 July[[ 944]] is the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod for the Parliament of the United His deputy is the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod. Yeoman is noun used to indicate a variety of positions or Social classes In the 16th century a yeoman was also a Farmer of middling social status who owned

Official duties

Black Rod has a number of official duties: he is the personal attendant of the Sovereign in the Lords; as secretary to the Lord Great Chamberlain is responsible as the usher and doorkeeper at meetings of the Order of the Garter (stemming from the Garter Statute 1522); and, as the Sergeant-at-Arms and Keeper of the Doors of the House he is concerned in the admission of strangers to the House of Lords. The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients Black Rod further has the task of arresting any Lord guilty of breach of privilege or other Parliamentary offence, such as contempt or disorder, or the disturbance of the House's proceedings. Parliamentary privilege, also known as absolute privilege, is a legal mechanism employed within the legislative bodies of countries whose Constitutions are based on He is also responsible, as the representative of the Administration and Works Committee, for more important services; the black rod is used to tap the governor's shoulder as a blessing from the Queen and security of the Palace of Westminster. Either Black Rod or his deputy, the Yeoman Usher, is required to be present when the House of Lords, upper house of Parliament, is in session, and plays a role in the induction of all new Lords Temporal into the House (but not of bishops as new Lords Spiritual). This article is about the secular members of the British House of Lords. The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 Clergymen of the established Church of England

Ceremonial duties

The Mace

Black Rod is in theory responsible for carrying the Mace into and out of the chamber for the Speaker of the House of Lords (formerly the Lord Chancellor, now the Lord Speaker), though this role is delegated to the Yeoman Usher and Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms, or on judicial occasions, to the Lord Speaker's deputy, the Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms. The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal and wood carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a Mace-bearer, intended The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor is a senior and important functionary in the Government of the United Kingdom. The Lord Speaker is the speaker of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Yeoman is noun used to indicate a variety of positions or Social classes In the 16th century a yeoman was also a Farmer of middling social status who owned

State Opening of Parliament

Black Rod is best known for his part in the ceremonies surrounding the State Opening of Parliament and the Throne speech. In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event held usually in October or November that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament He summons the Commons to attend the speech and leads them to the Lords. As part of the ritual, as Black Rod approaches the doors to the chamber of the House of Commons to make his summons, they are slammed in his face. This is to symbolise the Commons' independence of the Sovereign. Black Rod then strikes the door three times with his staff, and in reply to the challenge "Who is there?" answers "Black Rod". He is then admitted and issues the summons of the monarch to attend. This ritual is derived from the attempt by Charles I of England to arrest five members in 1642, in what was seen as a breach of privilege, though strictly the King was entitled to enter the chamber. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. After that incident, the House of Commons has maintained its right to question the right of the monarch's representative to enter their chamber, though they can not bar him from entering with lawful authority.

In recent years, Black Rod has 'suffered' a friendly jibe on this annual occasion from the outspoken Labour MP Dennis Skinner. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Dennis Edward Skinner (born February 11, 1932, Clay Cross, Derbyshire) is a British Politician, who has been the Labour

Scottish Parliament

Before the Acts of Union 1707 united the English and Scottish parliaments, there was a Gentleman Usher of the White Rod who had a similar role in the Scottish Parliament. The Acts of Union were a pair of Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into [1] This office no longer exists.

See also Gentleman Usher for other colours. Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom.

Black Rod in other Commonwealth countries

As in the United Kingdom, Black Rod is responsible for arresting any senator or intruder who disrupts the proceedings.

Canada

See Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada

Australia

The Australian Senate has Ms Andrea Griffiths as Usher of the Black Rod and Mr Nick Tate as Deputy Usher of the Black Rod. The Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada is the most senior protocol position in the Parliament of Canada The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. One of these is present for the induction of all Senators. Each bicameral Australian state (that is, all but Queensland) also has its own Black Rod. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent

New Zealand

In New Zealand, where the Legislative Council was abolished in 1951, the Usher of the Black Rod continues to summon MPs to the chamber for the Throne Speech. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the Upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from It is not a full-time position. Colonel William (Bill) Nathan, OBE ED, was Usher of the Black Rod 1993 to 2005, and a successor has been appointed. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V.

Black Rods (UK) from 1361

Black Rods (Canada) from 1867

External links

References

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