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The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord.^[1] He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff,^[2] and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS.^{[citation needed]} The current First Sea Lord is Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope (appointed 21 July 2009).^[3]

[edit] History

Between 1795 and 1827 the head of the Royal Navy was known as the Admiral of the Fleet.^{[citation needed]} This office later became a rank.

• Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe 1795–1799
• Sir Peter Parker 1799–1811
• Prince William, Duke of Clarence 1811–1827

"Until the early nineteenth century it was not unusual for the First Lord to be a naval officer; after 1806 the only naval officer to occupy the post was the Duke of Northumberland (1852)."^[4] The title of First Naval Lord was first given to the senior Naval Lord on the Board of Admiralty in 1828.^{[citation needed]} The title was changed to First Sea Lord in 1904.^{[citation needed]} From 1923 onwards, the First Sea Lord was a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee; and from 1923 to 1959 in rotation with the representatives of the other services (the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and Chief of the Air Staff) would serve as the chairman of that committee and head of all British armed forces.^[a] The title was retained when the Board of Admiralty was abolished in 1964 and its functions integrated into the Ministry of Defence.^{[citation needed]}

Under the current organisation, the First Sea Lord sits on both the Defence Council,^[2] and the Admiralty Board.^[2]

George Cockburn 1841 - 1846

Sir Thomas Hardy 1830 - 1834

[edit] First Naval Lords, 1828–1904

• Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet 1828–1830 ^[4]
• Sir Thomas Hardy, 1st Baronet 1830–1834 ^[4][5]
• Sir The Hon. George Heneage Dundas 1834 ^[4][5]
• Sir Charles Adam 1834 ^[4][5][5]
• Sir George Cockburn 1834–1835 ^[4][5]
• Sir Charles Adam 1835–1841 ^[4][5]
• Sir George Cockburn 1841–1846 ^[4][5]
• Sir William Parker, Bt 1846 ^[4][5]
• Sir Charles Adam 1846–1847 ^[4][5]
• Sir James Whitley Deans Dundas 1847–1852 ^[4][5]
• The Hon. Maurice Fitzhardinge Berkeley 1852 ^[4][5]
• Hyde Parker 1852–1854 ^[4][5]
• The Hon. Maurice Fitzhardinge Berkeley 1854–1857 ^[4][5]
• The Hon. Sir Richard Saunders Dundas 1857–1858 ^[4][5]
• Sir William Fanshawe Martin 1858–1859 ^[4][5]
• The Hon. Sir Richard Saunders Dundas 1859–1861 ^[4][5]
• The Hon. Sir Frederick Grey 1861–1866 ^[4][5]
• Sir Alexander Milne 1866–1868 ^[4][5]
• Sir Sydney Dacres 1868–1872 ^[4][5]
• Sir Alexander Milne 1872–1876 ^[5]
• Sir Hastings Yelverton 1876–1877 ^[5]
• Sir George Wellesley 1877–1879 ^[5]
• Sir Astley Cooper Key 1879–1885 ^[5]
• Sir Arthur Acland Hood 1885–1886 ^[5]
• Lord John Hay 1886 ^[5]
• Sir Arthur Acland Hood 1886–1889 ^[5]
• Sir Richard Vesey Hamilton 1889–1891 ^[5]
• Sir Anthony Hoskins 1891–1893 ^[5]
• Sir Frederick Richards 1893–1899 ^[5]
• Lord Walter Kerr 1899–1904

Sir John Cunningham 1946 - 1948

Earl Mountbatten of Burma 1955 - 1959

[edit] First Sea Lords, 1904–1964

• Sir John Arbuthnot Fisher 1904–1910
• Sir Arthur Knyvet Wilson 1910–1911 ^[6]
• Sir Francis Bridgeman 1911–1912 ^[6]
• Prince Louis of Battenberg 1912–1914 ^[6]
• The Lord Fisher 1914–1915
• Sir Henry Jackson 1915–1916
• Sir John Jellicoe 1916–1917
• Sir Rosslyn Wemyss 1917–1919
• The Earl Beatty 1919–1927
• Sir Charles Madden, Bt 1927–1930
• Sir Frederick Field 1930–1933
• The Lord Chatfield 1933–1938
• Sir Roger Backhouse 1938–1939
• Sir Dudley Pound 1939–1943
• The Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope 1943–1946
• Sir John Cunningham 1946–1948
• The Lord Fraser of North Cape 1948–1951
• Sir Rhoderick McGrigor 1951–1955
• The Earl Mountbatten of Burma 1955–1959
• Sir Charles Lambe 1959–1960
• Sir Caspar John 1960–1963
• Sir David Luce 1963–1964

[edit] First Sea Lords, 1964–present

• Sir David Luce 1964–1966
• Sir Varyl Begg 1966–1968
  

  

  The Queen and Admiral Sir Alan West, then First Sea Lord embarked on board HMS Endurance during the review of the international fleet.
• Sir Michael Le Fanu 1968–1970
• Sir Peter Hill-Norton 1970–1971
• Sir Michael Pollock 1971–1974
• Sir Edward Ashmore 1974–1977
• Sir Terence Lewin 1977–1979
• Sir Henry Leach 1979–1982
• Sir John Fieldhouse 1982–1985
• Sir William Staveley 1985–1989
• Sir Julian Oswald 1989–1993
• Sir Benjamin Bathurst 1993–1995
• Sir Jock Slater 1995–1998
• Sir Michael Boyce 1998–2001
• Sir Nigel Essenhigh 2001–2002
• Sir Alan West 2002–2006
• Sir Jonathon Band 2006–2009 ^[7]
• Sir Mark Stanhope 2009–incumbent ^[3]

[edit] See also

• HMS Illustrious (R06) - Flagship of the First Sea Lord
• Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
• Second Sea Lord
• Third Sea Lord
• Fourth Sea Lord
• Fifth Sea Lord

[edit] Notes

[edit] Citations

v • d • e First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy Admiral of the Fleet The Earl Howe · Sir Peter Parker · Prince William, Duke of Clarence First Naval Lords (1828–1904) Sir George Cockburn · Sir Thomas Hardy · The Hon. George Dundas · Charles Adam · Sir George Cockburn · Sir Charles Adam · Sir George Cockburn · Sir William Parker · Sir Charles Adam · James Dundas · The Hon. Maurice Berkeley · Hyde Parker · The Hon. Maurice Berkeley · The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas · William Martin · The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas · The Hon. Sir Frederick Grey · Sir Alexander Milne · Sir Sydney Dacres · Sir Alexander Milne · Sir Hastings Yelverton · George Wellesley · Sir Astley Key · Sir Arthur Hood · Lord John Hay · Sir Arthur Hood · Sir Richard Hamilton · Sir Anthony Hoskins · Sir Frederick Richards · Lord Walter Kerr First Sea Lords (1904–present) Sir John Fisher · Sir Arthur Wilson · Sir Francis Bridgeman · Prince Louis of Battenberg · The Lord Fisher · Sir Henry Jackson · Sir John Jellicoe · Sir Rosslyn Wemyss · The Earl Beatty · Sir Charles Madden, Bt · Sir Frederick Field · The Lord Chatfield · Sir Roger Backhouse · Sir Dudley Pound · The Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope · Sir John Cunningham · The Lord Fraser of North Cape · Sir Rhoderick McGrigor · The Earl Mountbatten of Burma · Sir Charles Lambe · Sir Caspar John · Sir David Luce · Sir Varyl Begg · Sir Michael Le Fanu · Sir Peter Hill-Norton · Sir Michael Pollock · Sir Edward Ashmore · Sir Terence Lewin · Sir Henry Leach · Sir John Fieldhouse · Sir William Staveley · Sir Julian Oswald · Sir Benjamin Bathurst · Sir Jock Slater · Sir Michael Boyce · Sir Nigel Essenhigh · Sir Alan West · Sir Jonathon Band · Sir Mark Stanhope