England: Presidents of the Council of State: 1653-1659 |
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| Council of State constituted on 29 Apr/9 May 1653 | |
| President of the Council of State | |
| 30 Apr/10 May 1653 - 9/19 May 1653 | John Lambert [1]
appointed and assumed presidency: 30 Apr/10 May 1653; end of term: 9/19 May 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 9/19 May 1653 - 13/23 May 1653 | Sir Gilbert Pickering, baronet
appointed: 6/16 May 1653; assumed presidency: 9/19 May 1653; end of term: 13/23 May 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 13/23 May 1653 - 20/30 May 1653 | Walter Strickland
assumed presidency: 13/23 May 1653; end of term: 20/30 May 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 20/30 May 1653 - 27 May/6 Jun 1653 | Thomas Harrison
assumed presidency: 20/30 May 1653; end of term: 27 May/6 Jun 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 27 May/6 Jun 1653 - 10/20 Jun 1653 | John Desborough (Disbrowe)
appointed and assumed presidency: 27 May/6 Jun 1653; end of term: 10/20 Jun 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 10/20 Jun 1653 - 25 Jun/5 Jul 1653 | Matthew Thomlinson
assumed presidency: 10/20 Jun 1653; end of term: 25 Jun/5 Jul 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 25 Jun/5 Jul 1653 - 8/18 Jul 1653 | Philip Jones
appointed: 24 Jun/4 Jul 1653; assumed presidency: 25 Jun/5 Jul 1653; end of term: 8/18 Jul 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 8/18 Jul 1653 - 13/23 Jul 1653 | Sir Gilbert Pickering, baronet appointed and assumed presidency: 8/18 Jul 1653; end of term: 13/23 Jul 1653 (last meeting of the Council) |
| Council of State appointed by Parliament on 9/19 Jul 1653 and 14/24 Jul 1653 for the term ending 3/13 Nov 1653 | |
| 14/24 Jul 1653 - 22 Jul/1 Aug 1653 | Sir Gilbert Pickering, baronet
assumed presidency: 14/24 Jul 1653; end of term: 22 Jul/1 Aug 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 22 Jul/1 Aug 1653 - 4/14 Aug 1653 | Edward Montagu
appointed: 21/31 Jul 1653; assumed presidency: 22 Jul/1 Aug 1653; end of term: 4/14 Aug 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 4/14 Aug 1653 - 18/28 Aug 1653 | Sir Charles Wolseley, baronet
assumed presidency: 4/14 Aug 1653; end of term: 18/28 Aug 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 18/28 Aug 1653 - 1/11 Sep 1653 | Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, baronet
appointed: 17/27 Aug 1653; assumed presidency: 18/28 Aug 1653; end of term: 1/11 Sep 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 1/11 Sep 1653 - 15/25 Sep 1653 | Robert Tichborne
appointed: 31 Aug/10 Sep 1653; assumed presidency: 1/11 Sep 1653; end of term: 15/25 Sep 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 15/25 Sep 1653 - 29 Sep/9 Oct 1653 | Henry Lawrence
assumed presidency: 15/25 Sep 1653; end of term: 29 Sep/9 Oct 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 29 Sep/9 Oct 1653 - 14/24 Oct 1653 | Charles Howard [2]
appointed: 28 Sep/8 Oct 1653; assumed presidency: 29 Sep/9 Oct 1653; end of term: 14/24 Oct 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 14/24 Oct 1653 - 1/11 Nov 1653 | William Sydenham [2]
appointed and assumed presidency: 14/24 Oct 1653; end of term: 1/11 Nov 1653 (last meeting of the Council) |
| Council of State appointed for the term of six months by an act of Parliament passed on 2/12 Nov 1653 | |
| President of the Council | |
| 3/13 Nov 1653 - 7/17 Dec 1653 | Edward Montagu assumed presidency: 3/13 Nov 1653; end of term: 7/17 Dec 1653 (successor assumed presidency) |
| 7/17 Dec 1653 - 10/20 Dec 1653 | Walter Strickland
appointed: 6/16 Dec 1653; assumed presidency: 7/17 Dec 1653; 10/20 Dec 1653 (last meeting of the Council) |
| Council of State appointed by the Instrument of Government and by the Lord Protectors | |
| President of the Council | |
| 19/29 Dec 1653 - 7/17 Mar 1659 | Henry Lawrence
appointed and assumed presidency: 19/29 Dec 1653; appointed by the Lord Protector (16/26 Jan 1654); end of term: 7/17 Mar 1659 (coup) [3] |
- The Order Books of the Council of State do not contain any information on presiding officers at the meetings held on 29 Apr/9 May 1653 and 30 Apr/10 May 1653. The member listed first on the list of attendees was Oliver Cromwell. On 30 Apr/10 May 1653 Lambert was appointed president.
- On 4/14 Oct 1653 William Sydenham was appointed to serve as President of the Council during the illness of Howard. Sydenham assumed the presidency on 5/15 Oct 1653 and chaired the meetings to 14/24 Oct 1653 when he was appointed President for the term ending on 3/13 Nov 1653.
- The Order Book for May 1659 is missing. The last warrant entered into the Book of Passes and Warrants and signed by Lawrence is dated 5 May 1659. The Parliament which had been in session between 1648 and 20/30 Apr 1653 was reconvened on 7/17 May 1659 and on the same day appointed a Committee of Safety "with full Power to take especial and effectual Care of the Preservation of the Peace and Safety of this Commonwealth."
Last update: 18 Mar 2024