Deputy Constable of Dover Castle

Formerly known as the Lieutenant, there have been more than 200 Deputy Constables of Dover Castle since the 12th century.
As the title suggests, the officeholder was appointed to deputize for the Lord Warden and Constable in relation to his military responsibilities.

 

For many years the office of Deputy Constable was held, ex-officio, by the officer commanding the local infantry brigade of the British Army, who has had his official residence at the Constable’s Tower in Dover Castle. Following a major reorganisation of the Army in 2014, there is no longer be an infantry brigade with its headquarters in Kent or Sussex and the office of Deputy Constable is now held by the Commandant of the Royal School of Military Engineering, in Chatham, Kent.

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Deputy-Constable

Formal induction of the 210th Deputy Constable, 2008,
with the coat of arms of the Constables in the background

Photo courtesy of 2 (SE) Brigade.

 

Last Resident Deputy Constable

The last Deputy Constable resident at Dover Castle was Brigadier Christopher Claydon MBE, Commander 2 (South East) Brigade, who held office from 2013 to 2015.

Although the Deputy Constables no longer reside at Dover Castle, they continue to use the Constable’s Tower for a number of ceremonial and social events each year; enabling some historic traditions to be maintained.

List of Deputy Constables

Reign, Year Appointed and Name

King William III and Queen Mary II (1689-1702)

Sir John Beaumont, Bart.
Sir Robert Smith
Sir Basil Dixwell, Bart.

Queen Anne (1702-1714)

Charles Finch, Earl of Winchelsea
Earl of Westmoreland
Viscount Shannon

King George I (1714-1727)

Sir Basil Dixwell, Bart.

King George II (1727-1760)

Sir Thomas Hales, Bart.

King George III (1760-1820)

Sir Thomas Dym Hales, Bart.
Sir James Gray, Bart
Thomas Best
Hon. Frederick North

King George IV (1820-1830)

Thomas Bateman Lane

King William IV (1830-1837)

No record

Queen Victoria (1837-1901)

140 1868 Maj.-Gen. C. H. Ellice
141 1869 Maj.-Gen. D. Russell
142 1872 Maj.-Gen. Sir A. H. Horsford
143 1875 Maj.-Gen. W. Parke
144 1878 Maj.-Gen. Lord A.G. Russell
145 1881 Maj.-Gen. E. Newdigate

146 1886 Maj.-Gen. The Hon. P. R. B. Fielding
147 1888 Maj.-Gen. A. G. Montgomery-Moore
148 1892 Maj.-Gen. Lord W. E. Seymour
149 1897 Maj.-Gen. Sir W. F. Butler
150 1898 Maj.-Gen. Sir H. M. L. Rundle
151 1900 Maj.-Gen. H. H. Parr
152 1901 Maj.-Gen. Sir H. M. L. Rundle

King Edward VII (1901-1910)

153 1901 Maj.-Gen. Sir H. M. L. Rundle
154 1904 Maj.-Gen. H. F. Grant
155 1905 Colonel G. P. Owen
156 1908 Colonel F. A. Curteis
157 1909 Colonel G. H. Biddleston

King George V (1910-1936)

158 1913 Colonel E. F. Nelson
159 1914 Colonel F. H. Crampton
160 1915 Brig.-Gen. E. Bickford
161 1918 Maj.-Gen. Sir W. B. Hickie
162 1918 Maj.-Gen. Sir C. J. Mackenzie
163 1920 Col.Comdt. A. H. Marindin
164 1923 Col.Comdt. N. J. G. Cameron
165 1925 Col.Comdt. E. B. Hankey
166 1929 Brigadier Sir Hereward Wake, Bart.
167 1932 Brigadier C. A. Howard
168 1935 Brigadier M. Kemp-Welch

King Edward VIII (1936)

169 1936 Brigadier M. Kemp-Welch
170 1936 Brigadier The Hon. Gerald Scarlett

King George VI (1936-1952)

171 1936 Brigadier The Hon. Gerald Scarlett
172 1938 Brigadier J. G. W. Clark
173 1939 Colonel A. K. Main
174 1940 Colonel C. H. Gotto
175 1940 Brigadier B. K. Young
176 1941 Brigadier J. C. P. Hughes
177 1941 Brigadier D. C. Bullen-Smith
178 1941 Brigadier G. P. Harding
179 1942 Brigadier A. Low
180 1942 Brigadier A. Cremellan
181 1943 Brigadier A. E. Snow
182 1943 Brigadier C. E. Hudson
183 1944 Brigadier J. S. Nichols
184 1944 Brigadier J. Vicary
185 1944 Brigadier C. W. Raw
186 1945 Brigadier H. E. Pickering
187 1946 Colonel N. F. Somerset
188 1946 Maj.-Gen. H. C. Stockwell
189 1947 Maj.-Gen. P. G. S. Gregson-Ellis
190 1950 Maj.-Gen. B. C. H. Kimmins
191 1952 Maj.-Gen. E. O. Herbert

Queen Elizabeth II (1952 onwards)

192 1954 Maj.-Gen. R. C. M. King
193 1956 Maj.-Gen. W. F. R. Turner
194 1959 Maj.-Gen. P. Gleadell
195 1962 Maj.-Gen. E. H. M. Grimshaw
196 1965 Maj.-Gen. F. B. Wyldbore-Smith
197 1968 Brigadier J. M. W. Badcock
198 1970 Brigadier A. G. Findlay
199 1973 Brigadier B. N. L. Fletcher
200 1976 Brigadier M. A. Atherton
201 1981 Brigadier R. T. P. Hume
202 1984 Brigadier M. R. Lee
203 1987 Brigadier R. S. Webster
204 1989 Brigadier J. C. Holman
205 1992 Brigadier G. de Vere W. Hayes
206 1995 Brigadier D. H. Godsal
207 1998 Brigadier T. J. Minter
208 2001 Brigadier D. M. Santa-Olalla
209 2005 Brigadier J. I. S. Plastow
210 2008 Brigadier I. S. James
211 2010 Brigadier S. P. Wolsey
212 2013 Brigadier C. J. Claydon
213 2015 Brigadier D. W. Southall
214 2016 Brigadier M. T. G Bazeley
215 2019 Brigadier P J Rowell
216 2022 Brigadier Guy Boxall
271 2023 Brigadier J Webster