Third Sea Lord

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The Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy was the officer responsible for procurement and matériel in the British Royal Navy. The title is now simply Controller of the Navy (CofN). The Controller is a member of the Admiralty Board.

The post of Controller of the Navy (sometimes called "Comptroller") was in existence by the 1500s and originally ran the business of the Navy Board until its abolition in 1831.

In the reorganisation of the Admiralty by Order in Council of 14 January 1869, the Controller of the Navy was given a seat on the Board of Admiralty as the Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy (also sometimes known as the Third Naval Lord until 1905). The Controller lost the title of Third Sea Lord and the seat on the Board by an Order in Council of 19 March 1872, but regained them by a further Order of 10 March 1882.^[1]

In 1869, the post of Storekeeper-General of the Navy was abolished and its duties merged into those of the Controller of the Navy.^[2]

The appointment of Controller of the Navy was abolished in September 1912, although that of Third Sea Lord remained.^[3] In 1917 the post of Controller of the Navy was revived, but as a separate civilian position with a seat on the Board of Admiralty.^[4] In 1918, the post was once again amalgamated with that of Third Sea Lord.

The title of Third Sea Lord appears to have disappeared in the 1980s, although that of Controller of the Navy remains.

Until after the Second World War, the Third Sea Lord was usually a Rear-Admiral on appointment, although he could be promoted while he held the position. In the 19th century, he was often a Captain on appointment, although usually promoted Rear-Admiral soon afterwards. From the late 1940s the post increased in prestige and the holder was usually a Vice-Admiral on appointment, although always promoted Admiral during his term of office.

1 List of Third Sea Lords and Controllers of the Navy
2 Footnotes
3 See also

[edit] List of Third Sea Lords and Controllers of the Navy

[edit] Controllers of the Navy (up to 1869)

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

William Holstocke, 1561–1589
William Borough
Sir Henry Palmer
Sir Guylford Slingsby
George Carteret, 1641–1642
Sir Henry Palmer, 1642–?
Sir John Mennes, 1661–1671
Sir Thomas Allin, 1671–1680
Captain Sir Richard Haddock, 1682–1686, 1688–1715
Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Wager, 1715–1718
Captain Richard Haddock, ?–1749
Captain Savage Mostyn, 1749–1755
Captain Charles Saunders, 1755–1756
George Cockburne, ?–1770
Captain Sir Hugh Palliser, 1770–1775
Captain Maurice Suckling, 1775–1778
Admiral Charles Middleton, 1778–1794
Admiral Sir Andrew Hamond, 1794–1806
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Thompson, 1806–1816
Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin, 1816–1831
Rear-Admiral Sir Baldwin Wake Walker, 1860–1861
Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Spencer Robinson, 1861–1869

[edit] Third Sea Lords and Controllers of the Navy (1869–1872)

Admiral Sir Robert Spencer Robinson, 1869–1871
Captain Robert Hall, 1871–1872

[edit] Controllers of the Navy (1872–1882)

Captain Robert Hall, 1872
Vice-Admiral Sir Houston Stewart, 1872–1881
Vice-Admiral Thomas Brandreth, 1881–1882

[edit] Third Sea Lords and Controllers of the Navy (1882–1912)

Vice-Admiral Thomas Brandreth, 1882–1885
Vice-Admiral Sir William Graham, 1885–1888
Vice-Admiral John Hopkins, 1888–1892
Vice-Admiral Sir John Fisher, 1892–1897
Rear-Admiral Arthur Knyvet Wilson, 1897–1901
Rear-Admiral William May, 1901–1905
Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Jackson, 1905–1908
Rear-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, 1908–1910
Rear-Admiral Charles Briggs, 1910–1912
Rear-Admiral Gordon Moore, 1912

[edit] Third Sea Lords (1912–1918)

Rear-Admiral Gordon Moore, 1912–1914
Rear-Admiral Charles Madden, 1914
Rear-Admiral Gordon Moore,1914
Rear-Admiral Frederick Tudor, 1914–1917
Rear-Admiral Lionel Halsey, 1917–1918

[edit] Controllers of the Navy (1917–1918)

Vice-Admiral Sir Eric Geddes^[5], 1917
Sir Alan Garrett Anderson, 1917–1918

[edit] Third Sea Lords and Controllers of the Navy (1918–?)

Rear-Admiral Sir Charles de Bartolomé, 1918–1919
Rear-Admiral Sir William Nicholson, 1919–1920
Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Field, 1920–1923
Rear-Admiral Cyril Fuller, 1923–1925
Vice-Admiral Sir Ernle Chatfield, 1925–1928
Vice-Admiral Roger Backhouse, 1928–1932
Vice-Admiral Charles Forbes, 1932–1934
Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson, 1934–1939
Vice-Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, 1939–1942
Admiral Sir Frederic Wake-Walker, 1942–1945
Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1945–1946
Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Daniel, 1946–1949
Admiral Sir Michael Denny, 1949–1953
Admiral Sir Ralph Edwards, 1953–1956
Admiral Sir Peter Reid, 1956–1961
Admiral Sir Michael Le Fanu, 1961–1965
Admiral Sir Horace Law, 1965–1970
Admiral Sir Michael Pollock, 1970–1971
Admiral Sir Anthony Griffin, 1971–1976
Admiral Sir Richard Clayton, 1976–1979
Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, 1979–1981
Admiral Sir Lindsay Bryson, 1981–1984
Admiral Sir Derek Reffell, 1984–

[edit] Controllers of the Navy (?–present)

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Walmsley, ?–1997
Rear-Admiral Peter Spencer, 1997–2000

[edit] Footnotes

^ "The Board of Admiralty", The Times, 26 November 1900
^ "The Admiralty", The Times, 4 March 1869
^ "The Administration and Discipline of the Navy", The Times, 9 September 1912
^ "The Controller of the Navy", The Times, 28 May 1917
^ Geddes was a civilian, but was granted Royal Navy rank while he served in this post.