List of stewards of the Manor of Northstead

The office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead functions as a procedural device to allow a member of Parliament (MP) to resign from the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The House of Commons, by its own resolution, does not allow its members to resign their seats. To leave the House, an MP is instead appointed to an office that disqualifies them from membership; the appointment itself effects the resignation, and the MP does not have to accept the office. Under section 4 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, the stewardships of the Manor of Northstead and of the Chiltern Hundreds are specifically designated as disqualifying offices for this purpose. The appointment is traditionally made by the chancellor of the exchequer.

The office was first used in this way on 20 March 1844 to allow Sir George Henry Rose, MP for Christchurch, to resign his seat. Before the disqualification was placed on its modern statutory footing, it rested on the older rule that appointment to an "office of profit under the Crown" vacated a member's seat, employed as a legal fiction to circumvent the prohibition on resignation; several other such offices were also used historically. The position was reworked in 1861 by William Ewart Gladstone, who was worried about the honour conferred by appointment to people such as Edwin James, who had fled to the United States over £100,000 in debt. As such, the letter by the chancellor was rewritten to omit any references to honour. Appointees to the offices of Steward of the Manor of Northstead and Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds are alternated so that two MPs can resign at once (as happened on 23 January 2017 when Tristram Hunt and Jamie Reed resigned). However, every new appointment revokes the previous one, so there is no difficulty in situations in which more than two resign, such as the 1985 walkout of Ulster Unionist MPs when several separate appointments were made on a single day. If a resigning MP wishes to contest the following by-election, as Douglas Carswell did in 2014, they need to resign the stewardship to avoid further disqualification.

The position of steward of the Manor of Northstead is vacant after Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, was reelected as an MP for Clacton.

Key to party abbreviations PartyAbbreviationAll-for-Ireland LeagueAFILCoalition ConservativeCo ConCoalition LiberalCo LibConservative PartyConDemocratic Unionist PartyDUPHome Rule LeagueHRLIndependentIndIrish National FederationINFPartyAbbreviationIrish Parliamentary PartyIPPUnspecified Irish Nationalist (pre-1922) partyNatIrish Unionist AllianceIUALabour Party (UK)LabLiberal Party (pre-1988)LibLiberal NationalsL NatLiberal Unionist PartyLUNational LabourN LabPartyAbbreviationPlaid CymruPCReform UKRefScottish National PartySNPSinn FéinSFUlster Unionist PartyUUPUnionist PartyUPWhigWhig

Up to 1899

DateMemberConstituencyPartyReason for resignationChristchurchConCork CityWhigEast SuffolkConLisburnConMorpethWhigStamfordConOxford UniversityConCeredigionConPlymouth DevonportWhigBeverleyWhigGloucesterWhigBathWhigNewcastle-upon-TyneWhigWigtownshireWhigLichfieldWhigHerefordWhigGlasgowWhigNorth CheshireConTavistockWhig"The Election For The County Of Middlesex". The Times, 4 September 1857: 9. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 September 2013.East KentWhig"Election Intelligence". The Times, 3 October 1857: 8. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 September 2013.BuckinghamshireWhigDublin UniversityConGreenwichWhig"Greenwich Election". The Times, 15 February 1859: 5. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 September 2013.MaryleboneWhigMidhurstConBodminLibLiskeardLibSligoConMaryleboneLibLongfordLibCity of LondonLibCanterburyConOldhamLibWest SomersetConLisburnConTraleeLibPontefractLibBrightonLibIll-healthLancasterConNorth WiltshireConRiponLibWiganCon"Election Intelligence". The Times, 27 March 1866: 5. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 September 2013.StamfordConEyeConTo allow him to stand for election to one of the East Suffolk parliamentary seats; he resigned again in 1867 becoming a Steward of the Chiltern HundredsColchesterConBostonLibWeymouth and Melcombe RegisLibIll-healthStroudLibStoke-on-TrentConLauncestonConLeominsterConBristolLibGave up his seat after being declared bankrupt; had previously resigned from Norwich in 1854 by becoming Steward of HempholmeCaithnessLibDublin UniversityConRoxburghshireLibCity of YorkLibWick BurghsLibChathamConBerkshireConHuntingdonConLeedsLibLauncestonConLeith BurghsLibCanterburyConMid SomersetConWest KentConHaddington BurghsLibBostonConMaldonConEast SomersetConKilkenny CityHRLSandwichLibCounty LouthHRLBandonConCity of ChesterLibNew RossHRLCambridgeshireConWestminsterConHaddington BurghsLibEnnisHRLNewcastle-upon-TyneLibChipping WycombeLibPeterboroughLibHastingsConEast EssexConWest SomersetCon"Election Intelligence". The Times, 20 November 1883: 9. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 18 March 2014.Cork CityNat"Ireland". The Times, 8 January 1884: 6. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 January 2015.South LincolnshireConSouth HampshireConLeicesterLibRoss and CromartyLibNew RadnorLibGreenockLibGlasgowLibBatterseaLibBurtonLibSt. George's, Hanover SquareConCoventryConBrixtonConGlasgow BridgetonLibSouthwark WestLibEdinburgh WestLibDeptfordConMerthyr TydvilLibMid LanarkshireLibSouth SligoNatLiverpool West DerbyConStocktonLibBarnsleyLibSouth East CorkIPPWest FifeLibMid TipperaryIPPAyr BurghsLibWest DonegalIPPBarrow-in-FurnessLibNorth WexfordIPPGreat GrimsbyLib"Obituary". The Times, 25 July 1893: 10. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 18 March 2014.LinlithgowshireLibWest MayoINFSouth WexfordINFMontgomeryshireLibHackney SouthLibChichesterConLeicesterLibColchesterConEast WicklowIPPInverness-shireLibSouth MayoINFMontrose BurghsLibDublin College GreenIPPThe Times, 31 March 1896.Wick BurghsLU"Death of Sir John Pender". The Times, 8 July 1896: 10. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 18 March 2014.SalisburyConHalifaxLibMaidstoneConNewarkConWest DownIUASouthportConLondonderry CityIPPRotherhamLibNorth AntrimIUAHytheConOldhamConBow and BromleyCon"News in Brief". The Times, 18 October 1899: 10. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.South MayoINFResigned as he opposed the government's South Africa policy

1900 to 1949

DateMemberConstituencyPartyReason for resignationRossendaleLib"... circumstances have arisen that render it impossible for me any longer to retain the trust which you have generously reposed in me ..."PlymouthConRequested to resign by his constituents in a disagreement over his views expressedPortsmouthLibFollowing a judgement against him in the Law CourtsWokinghamConIll-healthDewsburyLibTo concentrate on business interestsNorth KilkennyIPPWest DonegalIPPBuryConIll-healthClevelandLibIll-health East PerthshireLib"wished to be relieved of his Parliamentary duties at the earliest time convenient to the constituency"WoolwichConAppointed Commander of the Channel FleetSouth KildareIPPRossendaleLibHarboroughLibSowerbyLibIll-healthReadingLibApplebyLibChange of his political opinions different from the leadership of the Liberal PartyCity of LondonConTo allow the former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour to stand as a candidate to re-enter parliament after he lost his seat in the 1906 Election.EyeLibOn appointment as the Second Church Estates CommisionerCity of LondonConIll-healthGalway CityIPPIn order to travel to CanadaAberdeen SouthLibAppointed Ambassador to the United StatesWimbledonConTo concentrate on business interestsHornseyConNorth MonaghanIPPColne ValleyLibWest DownIUANorth LeitrimIPPWest DownIUAMontrose BurghsLibPudseyLibSouth East EssexConIll-healthTauntonConIll health.Stratford-on-AvonLibTo seek the decision of his constituents on the question of the adoption of military training.Edinburgh WestLUIlkestonLibIn order to allow J. E. B. Seely to return to ParliamentWestburyLibAppointed Governor of VictoriaBootleConBarnstapleLibGlasgow TradestonLibOn being created 1st Baron RowallanSt Augustine'sConOn being created Viscount ChilstonNorth East CorkAFILObjection to the Parliament BillBethnal Green South WestLibOn appointment as a stipendiary magistrateHerefordConEpsomConIll-healthNottingham EastConHolmfirthLibIll health.TauntonConOn becoming the 2nd Viscount Peel on the death of his father.Londonderry CityIUAOn becoming the 3rd Duke of Abercorn on the death of his fatherAltrinchamConIll health.LeicesterLibOn being divorcedLeith BurghsLibAppointed Governor-General of AustraliaBrightonConIll-healthLiverpool KirkdaleConMilitary commitments in the 1st West Lancs. Brigade Royal Field ArtilleryApplebyConOn appointment as Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature in Calcutta.Newington WestLibOn becoming the 1st Baron Rathcreedan.PortsmouthConOn becoming the 1st Baron Beresford.DroitwichLUCockermouthLibBoltonLibHydeLibBerwick-upon-TweedLibAbingdonConAppointed military secretary to the Duke of Devonshire, who was to become Governor General of Canada in November 1916North FermanaghIUAIll-health"Political Notes". The Times, 19 October 1916: 11. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.Ashton-under-LyneLUDerbyLibOn becoming the 1st Baron Roe."News in Brief". The Times, 23 December 1916: 7. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.WhitechapelLibTamworthConAppointed Governor of TasmaniaAberdeen SouthLibIll health"Mr. G. B. Esslemont". The Times, 4 October 1917: 11. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.Liverpool AbercrombyConOn becoming Baron Gisborough."News in Brief". The Times, 9 June 1917: 3. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.CambridgeConPrestwichLibOn becoming Baron Cawley"News in Brief". The Times, 23 January 1918: 3. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.GravesendConIll-healthSouth ShieldsLibNorth LondonderryIUAWidnesCo ConCroydon SouthCo ConSt AlbansCo ConIll-healthHorncastleCo ConOn appointment as Governor of South Australia"News in Brief". The Times, 24 January 1920: 12. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 September 2013.Birmingham MoseleyCo ConKirkcaldyCo LibBasingstokeCo ConAppointed Ambassador to the United StatesNelson and ColneLabEbbw ValeLabRhondda, WestLabHerefordCo Con"owing to the pressing demands of his own business on the Stock Exchange"