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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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686:"Michael Gordon Lennox, naval officer who revolutionised limpet mine checks and ran Blind Veterans UK"
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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
457:. He was married to Dame Jennifer Gordon-Lennox (née Gibbs), a
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in 1954. He went on to become
Commander of the signal school
589:"M.P.s Question Selection by the Queen – Serjeant-at-Arms".
612:. The Times Digital Archive. 12 December 1962. p. 11.
443:. They had two sons who both followed Royal Navy careers:
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in 1957 and Deputy Chief of
Supplies and Transport at the
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820:
Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval
College, Greenwich
595:. The Times Digital Archive. 2 November 1962. p. 7.
575:. The Times Digital Archive. 16 August 1962. p. 10.
245:, and his wife, Hon. Evelyn Loch. His grandfathers were
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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
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257:(1908–1988). His father was killed in 1914 at the
19:For the 19th-century Conservative politician, see
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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
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405:– from the speaker's table. Conservative MP
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453:(1938–2024), Naval officer and chairman of
247:Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond
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217:(9 April 1911 – 4 July 1987) was a British
850:Graduates of Britannia Royal Naval College
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464:Andrew Gordon-Lennox (born 1948) became a
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728:President, Royal Naval College, Greenwich
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538:Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
674:(Supplement). 1 January 1972. p. 4.
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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
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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".
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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
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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
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395:Speaker of the House of Commons
288:, in East Coast convoys and in
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50:Sir Alexander Gordon-Lennox as
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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.
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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
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306:as well as Captain of the
251:Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch
243:Lord Bernard Gordon-Lennox
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624:"Alexander Gordon-Lennox"
514:. 7 July 1987. p. 16
276:Gordon-Lennox joined the
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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
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769:Succeeded by
735:Succeeded by
713:Military offices
455:Blind Veterans UK
414:Michael Heseltine
329:Malayan Emergency
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165:Malayan Emergency
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772:Sir Peter Thorne
760:Serjeant-at-Arms
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696:. Retrieved
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628:. Retrieved
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516:. Retrieved
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466:Commander RN
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418:The Red Flag
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360:Elizabeth II
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346:(CB) in the
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272:Naval career
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191:Rear-Admiral
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161:World War II
157:Battles/wars
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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::
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668:.
648:.
581:^
552:.
528:^
508:.
481:^
431:.
350:.
261:.
210:CB
200:"
702:.
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196:"
23:.
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