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Alexander Gordon-Lennox (Royal Navy officer)

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101: 83: 366:, a largely ceremonial role in the chamber but nevertheless a key leadership position in the administration of parliament. The appointment created reignited an ongoing controversy among the members, who felt they should be consulted in the selection of their serjeant-at-arms. The issue had last been brought up in the 1950s. Gordon-Lennox's aristocratic background and the fact that his uncle 46: 400:
He served in the role from November 1962 until his retirement in 1976. The years he served as serjeant at arms saw an evolving Commons' administration, including demands for better facilities, a larger staff, and stricter security measures because of terrorist threats. In 1970, a member of the public
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that caused him offense. Pannell signed a motion challenging the appointment, which was signed by 60 other Labour members, requesting a committee be formed on the matter. Prime Minister
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on the selection. This new procedure was adopted and Gordon-Lennox was the first serjeant-at-arms since the 16th century to be selected by the House of Commons.
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seized the mace from the table and held it above his head in response to all of the member of the Labour Party breaking into song (their anthem "
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discussed the procedure with the Queen and reached a compromise, deciding that she would make her appointment after consultation with the
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threw tear gas bombs into the chamber. As MPs fled, Gordon-Lennox raced in to remove the ceremonial mace – that dates to the time of
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Additionally, Gordon-Lennox, who was known to have a "salty" sense of humour, allegedly made a remark to
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remarked that, "It was rather like going back for a treasure in the middle of battle."
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from 1929–46) were viewed by some as influencing factors in the appointment.
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Admiral Gordon-Lennox married Barbara Steele in 1936, daughter of Brig.-Gen.
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before serving as a Defence and Naval Attaché. He married Julia Morrison.
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Serjeants at arms of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom
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in 1954. He went on to become Commander of the signal school
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in 1957 and Deputy Chief of Supplies and Transport at the
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In 1976, he was forced to intervene when Conservative MP
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Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
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into an aristocratic family, the younger son of Major
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to the Queen Mother and later to Queen Elizabeth II.
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British military personnel of the Malayan Emergency
342:in 1961 before retiring in 1962. He was admitted a 503: 257:(1908–1988). His father was killed in 1914 at the 19:For the 19th-century Conservative politician, see 781: 505:"Obituary: Rear-Adml Sir 'Sandy' Gordon-Lennox" 253:. His elder brother was Lieutenant-General Sir 805:Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order 815:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order 425:Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order 338:His last appointment was as President of the 175:Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order 584: 582: 405:– from the speaker's table. Conservative MP 498: 496: 494: 492: 490: 488: 486: 484: 482: 453:(1938–2024), Naval officer and chairman of 247:Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond 232: 217:(9 April 1911 – 4 July 1987) was a British 850:Graduates of Britannia Royal Naval College 599: 464:Andrew Gordon-Lennox (born 1948) became a 44: 728:President, Royal Naval College, Greenwich 579: 538:Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives 674:(Supplement). 1 January 1972. p. 4. 664: 644: 548: 479: 370:had served in a similar position in the 364:Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons 227:Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons 52:Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons 782: 434: 296:. He became Commanding Officer of the 845:People educated at Heatherdown School 317:in 1955, Flag Captain commanding the 569:"New Serjeant at Arms for Commons". 533: 531: 529: 362:appointed Gordon-Lennox to serve as 221:officer who became President of the 835:Royal Navy officers of World War II 810:Companions of the Order of the Bath 353: 16:Royal Navy Rear Admiral (1911–1987) 13: 626:. Parliament of the United Kingdom 344:Companion of the Order of the Bath 237:Gordon-Lennox was born in 1908 in 179:Companion of the Order of the Bath 14: 861: 526: 99: 81: 678: 395:Speaker of the House of Commons 288:, in East Coast convoys and in 271: 50:Sir Alexander Gordon-Lennox as 658: 638: 616: 562: 542: 340:Royal Naval College, Greenwich 255:George "Geordie" Gordon-Lennox 223:Royal Naval College, Greenwich 151:Royal Naval College, Greenwich 1: 654:. 22 June 1976. p. 8697. 472: 376:Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod 282:Britannia Royal Naval College 558:. 1 January 1962. p. 2. 447:Capt. Michael Gordon-Lennox 21:Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox 7: 420:") during a heated debate. 202:Henry Charles Gordon-Lennox 183:Distinguished Service Order 38:Sir Alexander Gordon-Lennox 10: 866: 306:as well as Captain of the 251:Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch 243:Lord Bernard Gordon-Lennox 18: 768: 757: 749: 744: 734: 725: 717: 712: 624:"Alexander Gordon-Lennox" 514:. 7 July 1987. p. 16 276:Gordon-Lennox joined the 170: 156: 128: 118: 110: 93: 76: 68: 58: 43: 30: 800:Royal Navy rear admirals 233:Early life and education 762:of the House of Commons 368:Lord Esmé Gordon-Lennox 358:In August 1962, Queen 280:in 1924 as a cadet at 429:1972 New Year Honours 348:1962 New Year Honours 259:First Battle of Ypres 111:Years of service 830:Gordon-Lennox family 606:"Serjeant at Arms". 308:2nd Frigate Squadron 133:2nd Frigate Squadron 745:Government offices 738:Morgan Morgan-Giles 691:The Daily Telegraph 511:The Daily Telegraph 435:Marriage and family 423:He was appointed a 284:. He served in the 264:He was educated at 694:. 15 February 2024 671:The London Gazette 651:The London Gazette 555:The London Gazette 266:Heatherdown School 778: 777: 769:Succeeded by 735:Succeeded by 713:Military offices 455:Blind Veterans UK 414:Michael Heseltine 329:Malayan Emergency 188: 187: 165:Malayan Emergency 857: 772:Sir Peter Thorne 760:Serjeant-at-Arms 750:Preceded by 732:1961–1962 718:Preceded by 710: 709: 704: 703: 701: 699: 682: 676: 675: 662: 656: 655: 642: 636: 635: 633: 631: 620: 614: 613: 603: 597: 596: 586: 577: 576: 566: 560: 559: 546: 540: 535: 524: 523: 521: 519: 507: 500: 452: 391:Harold Macmillan 354:Serjeant-at-arms 294:Second World War 216: 103: 95: 86: 85: 48: 28: 27: 865: 864: 860: 859: 858: 856: 855: 854: 780: 779: 774: 765: 761: 755: 753:Sir Ivor Hughes 740: 731: 723: 708: 707: 697: 695: 684: 683: 679: 663: 659: 643: 639: 629: 627: 622: 621: 617: 605: 604: 600: 588: 587: 580: 568: 567: 563: 547: 543: 536: 527: 517: 515: 502: 501: 480: 475: 459:lady-in-waiting 448: 437: 387:Charles Pannell 356: 274: 239:Chelsea, London 235: 204: 181: 177: 163: 149: 142: 135: 80: 64:Chelsea, London 63: 54: 39: 36: 35: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 863: 853: 852: 847: 842: 837: 832: 827: 822: 817: 812: 807: 802: 797: 792: 776: 775: 770: 767: 756: 751: 747: 746: 742: 741: 736: 733: 724: 719: 715: 714: 706: 705: 677: 657: 637: 615: 598: 578: 561: 541: 525: 477: 476: 474: 471: 470: 469: 462: 436: 433: 427:(KCVO) in the 403:Charles the II 372:House of Lords 355: 352: 290:Arctic convoys 273: 270: 268:in Berkshire. 234: 231: 229:from 1962–76. 186: 185: 172: 168: 167: 158: 154: 153: 130: 126: 125: 120: 116: 115: 112: 108: 107: 97: 91: 90: 88:United Kingdom 78: 74: 73: 70: 66: 65: 60: 56: 55: 49: 41: 40: 37: 31: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 862: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 836: 833: 831: 828: 826: 823: 821: 818: 816: 813: 811: 808: 806: 803: 801: 798: 796: 793: 791: 788: 787: 785: 773: 764: 763: 754: 748: 743: 739: 730: 729: 722: 716: 711: 693: 692: 687: 681: 673: 672: 667: 661: 653: 652: 647: 641: 625: 619: 611: 610: 602: 594: 593: 585: 583: 574: 573: 565: 557: 556: 551: 545: 539: 534: 532: 530: 513: 512: 506: 499: 497: 495: 493: 491: 489: 487: 485: 483: 478: 467: 463: 460: 456: 451: 446: 445: 444: 442: 441:Julian Steele 432: 430: 426: 421: 419: 415: 410: 408: 404: 398: 396: 392: 388: 384: 379: 377: 373: 369: 365: 361: 351: 349: 345: 341: 336: 334: 330: 326: 325: 320: 316: 315: 309: 305: 304: 299: 295: 291: 287: 283: 279: 269: 267: 262: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 230: 228: 224: 220: 215: 211: 207: 203: 199: 195: 194:Sir Alexander 192: 184: 180: 176: 173: 169: 166: 162: 159: 155: 152: 148: 147: 141: 140: 134: 131: 127: 124: 121: 117: 113: 109: 106: 102: 98: 92: 89: 84: 79: 75: 71: 67: 61: 57: 53: 47: 42: 34: 29: 26: 22: 758: 726: 696:. Retrieved 689: 680: 669: 660: 649: 640: 628:. Retrieved 618: 607: 601: 590: 570: 564: 553: 544: 516:. Retrieved 509: 466:Commander RN 438: 422: 418:The Red Flag 411: 399: 380: 360:Elizabeth II 357: 346:(CB) in the 337: 323: 313: 302: 275: 272:Naval career 263: 236: 201: 197: 193: 191:Rear-Admiral 189: 161:World War II 157:Battles/wars 145: 138: 123:Rear-Admiral 62:9 April 1911 33:Rear-Admiral 25: 795:1987 deaths 790:1911 births 721:Earl Cairns 666:"No. 45554" 646:"No. 46942" 550:"No. 42552" 407:Bill Deedes 327:during the 292:during the 286:Middle East 72:4 July 1987 784:Categories 766:1962–1976 473:References 278:Royal Navy 219:Royal Navy 105:Royal Navy 77:Allegiance 698:26 August 630:26 August 609:The Times 592:The Times 572:The Times 518:26 August 335:in 1959. 333:Admiralty 324:Newcastle 225:. He was 146:Newcastle 114:1924–1962 129:Commands 94:Service/ 319:cruiser 314:Mercury 303:Mermaid 139:Mercury 383:Labour 171:Awards 96:branch 298:sloop 212: 208: 198:Sandy 700:2024 632:2024 520:2024 374:(as 322:HMS 312:HMS 301:HMS 249:and 206:KCVO 144:HMS 137:HMS 119:Rank 69:Died 59:Born 450:OBE 385:MP 214:DSO 786:: 688:. 668:. 648:. 581:^ 552:. 528:^ 508:. 481:^ 431:. 350:. 261:. 210:CB 200:" 702:. 634:. 522:. 196:" 23:.

Index

Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox
Rear-Admiral

Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons
United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Royal Navy
Rear-Admiral
2nd Frigate Squadron
HMS Mercury
HMS Newcastle
Royal Naval College, Greenwich
World War II
Malayan Emergency
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Rear-Admiral
KCVO
CB
DSO
Royal Navy
Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons
Chelsea, London
Lord Bernard Gordon-Lennox
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond
Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch
George "Geordie" Gordon-Lennox

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