Lord President of the Court of Session

(Redirected from Lord justice-general) Most senior judge in Scotland "Lord Justice General" redirects here. For the Lord Justice General of Ireland, see Lords Justices of Ireland.

Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General of Scotland
Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-mhorair Cùirt an t-Seisein

Incumbent Lord Carloway since 18 December 2015
Style	The Right Honourable
Appointer	Monarch on the advice of the First Minister
Term length	Life tenure with compulsory retirement at 75
Inaugural holder	Alexander Mylne, Abbot of Cambuskenneth
Formation	1532
Deputy	Lord Justice Clerk
Salary	£222,862 (Salary Group 1.1)
Website	Roles and Jurisdiction \| Judicial Office for Scotland

The Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General (Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-mhorair Cùirt an t-Seisein) is the most senior judge in Scotland, the head of the judiciary, and the presiding judge of the College of Justice, the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary. The Lord President holds the title of Lord Justice General of Scotland and the head of the High Court of Justiciary ex officio, as the two offices were combined in 1836. The Lord President has authority over any court established under Scots law, except for the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Court of the Lord Lyon.

The current Lord President of the Court of Session is Lord Carloway, who was appointed to the position on 18 December 2015. In June 2024 Lord Carloway announced he would retire from judicial office in early 2025. They are paid according to salary group 1.1 of the Judicial Salaries Scale, which in 2016 was £222,862.

Remit and jurisdiction

Head of the judiciary

As Lord President of the Court of Session and is the most senior judge in Scotland, the head of the judiciary, and the presiding judge of the College of Justice, and the Court of Session. Under Section 2(6) of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, the Lord President has authority over the judiciary of any court established under Scots law, except for the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Court of the Lord Lyon.

References in this section to the Scottish judiciary are references to the judiciary of any court established under the law of Scotland (other than the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom).
— Section 2(5), Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008

The Scottish Land Court, which until 1 April 2017 was administered separately, was transferred to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. The 2008 act states:

The Lord President is the Head of the Scottish Judiciary.
— Section 2(1), Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008

The Lord President is supported by the Judicial Office for Scotland which was established on 1 April 2010 as a result of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, and the Lord President chairs the corporate board of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. The Lord President, and the wider judiciary, is advised on matters relating to the administration of justice by the Judicial Council for Scotland, which is a non-statutory body established in 2007. There had been plans for a statutory judges' council but these plans were abandoned in favour of a non-statutory council convened by the Lord President.

Inner House

The Lord President presides over the 1st Division of the Inner House of the Court of Session. The Inner House is the part of the Court of Session which acts as a court of appeal for cases decided the Outer House and Sheriff Appeal Court, and hearing appeals on questions of law from the Sheriff Appeal Court, Scottish Land Court, Court of the Lord Lyon, and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland.

Official Oath

In Scotland the Official Oath is taken before the Lord President of the Court of Session.

Lord Justice General

The Lord President is also the Lord Justice General of Scotland and the head of the High Court of Justiciary ex officio, with the two offices having been combined in 1836.The office of Lord Justice General is derived from the justiciars who were appointed from at least the twelfth century. From around 1567 onwards it was held heritably by the Earl of Argyll until the heritability was resigned to the Crown in 1607.

Officeholders

Scots law
Part of a series on

Administration Justice and Communities Directorate of the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice Judicial Appointments Board Judicial Complaints Reviewer Parole Board for Scotland Legal Aid Board Courts & Tribunals Service College of Justice Office of the Public Guardian Scottish Sentencing Council Law Commission Criminal Cases Review Commission Prison Service
Civil courts Court of Session Lord President Lord Justice Clerk Lord of Session Office of the Accountant of Court Acts of Sederunt Sheriff Court Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Principal Sheriff Personal Injury Court Sheriff
Criminal courts High Court of Justiciary Lord Justice-General Lord Justice Clerk Lords Commissioner of Justiciary Acts of Adjournal Sheriff courts Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Principal Sheriffs Justice of the peace courts Justices of the peace
Special courts Court of the Lord Lyon Lord Lyon King of Arms Children's Reporter Administration Children's Hearings Land Court Lands Tribunal Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal
Criminal prosecution Lord Advocate Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Advocate Depute Procurator fiscal Fiscal fine Precognition
Legal profession Judiciary Faculty of Advocates Advocate Law Society Solicitor-Advocate Solicitor Association of Commercial Attorneys Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
v t e

Justiciars

See also: Justiciar of Scotia and Justiciar of Lothian

(called Lord Chief Justices by Scot of Scotstarvet).

Argadus, Captain of Argyll, in the reign of Ethodius
Comes Dunetus; in the reign of King William the Lion. (Donnchad II, Earl of Fife)
William Comyn
Richard Comyn
David, Earl of Huntingdon (died 1219)
Walter Clifford, Justiciary of the Lothians
1216: Allan, Justiciary to King Alexander II
1224: William Cumin, Earl of Buchan
Walter (died 1241), son of Allan High Steward of Scotland
1239: William, Earl of Ross, "Lord Chief Justice of Scotland"
Alexander (d.1283), High Steward of Scotland to King Alexander II
1253: Alexander Cumin, Earl of Buchan
1366: Robert de Erskine, Justiciary South of the Forth for King David II
bef 1372: Alan de Lawedre of The Bass, Whitslaid, & Haltoun, Justiciary South of the Forth, (he received a pension for holding this post in 1374).
1437: James Douglas, Earl of Avondale and Lord Balveny
1446: Patrick de Ogilvy, Justiciary South of the Forth
1457: John, Lord Lindsay of the Byres, Justiciary South of the Forth
William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney & Caithness (d.1480), Justiciary North of the Forth for King James II
1477: John Haldane of Gleneagles, Justiciary North of the Forth
Patrick Hepburn, 1st Lord Hailes (died after 1482), and Robert, 2nd Lord Lyle, Justiciaries South of the Forth
Andrew, Earl of Crawfurd, and George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly, Justiciaries North of the Forth
1488: Robert Lyle, 2nd Lord Lyle (died c. 1497), "Lord Chief Justice"
1489: John Lyon, 3rd Lord Glamis (died 1 April 1497), and John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond: "Justice-General"
1492: Robert Lyle, 2nd Lord Lyle, and John Lyon, 3rd Lord Glamis
1494: John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond (died c1519)
1504: Andrew Gray, 2nd Lord Gray, and John Kennedy, 2nd Lord Kennedy
1514: Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll
1526: Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie
1532: Alexander Mylne, Abbot of Cambuskenneth
1537: Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll
1567: Sir Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll, (d.1584) (heritably)
1578: Sir Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll, (re-appointment?)
1589: Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll, (who exchanged the heritable office of Lord Chief Justice in 1607, for the heritable Lieutenancy of Argyll and Lorn, and most of The Isles).

Lord Justice-General

	From	Until
The 7th Earl of Menteith and 1st Earl of Airth	11 July 1628	8 November 1633
Sir William Elphinstone	23 December 1635	13 November 1641
Sir Thomas Hope, younger of Kerse	18 November 1641	23 August 1643
The 8th Earl of Glencairn	13 November 1646	15 February 1649
The 6th Earl of Cassilis	15 March 1649	9 August 1651
The 2nd Earl of Atholl	16 August 1661	21 May 1675
The 5th Earl of Moray	21 May 1675	5 May 1676
The Lord Carrington	5 May 1676	30 September 1678
The Lord Tarbat	30 September 1678	1 June 1680
The 3rd Earl of Queensberry	1 June 1680	1 March 1682
The 4th Earl of Perth	1 March 1682	13 June 1684
The 3rd Earl of Linlithgow	13 June 1684	3 August 1689
The 4th Earl of Lothian	3 August 1689	15 February 1703
The 1st Earl of Cromartie	17 October 1704	23 October 1710
The 3rd Duke of Argyll and 1st Earl of Ilay	23 October 1710	15 April 1761
The 4th Marquess of Tweeddale	27 June 1761	9 December 1762
The 3rd Duke of Queensberry	15 April 1763	22 October 1778
The 2nd Earl of Mansfield	23 October 1778	1794
The 3rd Duke of Montrose	14 January 1795	30 December 1836

Lord President

	From	Until	Remarks
Alexander Mylne, Abbot of Cambuskenneth	1532	1543	Abbot of Cambuskenneth (1519–1548)
Robert Reid, Bishop of Orkney	1543	1558	Abbot of Kinloss (1528–1553); Commendator of Beauly (1531–1553); Bishop of Orkney (1541–1558)
Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross	1558	1565	Commendator of Kilwinning (1541–1550); Dean of Glasgow (1550–1561); Bishop of Ross (1558–1565)
John Sinclair, Bishop of Brechin	1565	1566	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1540; Bishop of Brechin (1565–1566)
The Lord Provand	1566	1567
The Lord Pittendreich	1567	1593	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1561
The Lord Fyvie	1593	1604	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1586; Provost of Edinburgh (1598–1608); Lord Chancellor of Scotland (1604–1622); Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland (1612–1621)
The 1st Lord Balmerino	1605	1609	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1587; Secretary of State (1598–1609)
The Lord Fentonbarns	1609	1616	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1595
The 1st Earl of Melrose	1616	1625	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1592; Lord Advocate (1595–1596 and 1596–1612); Lord Clerk Register (1612)
Sir James Skene of Curriehill	1626	1633	Lord Clerk Register (1594–1612); Appointed a Lord of Session, 1594
The Lord Newabbey	1633	1646	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1622
Sir John Gilmour of Craigmillar	1661	1671	Commissioner for Edinburghshire (1661–1671)
The 1st Viscount Stair	1671	1681	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1661; Commissioner for Wigtownshire (1672–1674, 1678 and 1681–1682)
The 1st Earl of Aberdeen	1681	1682	Commissioner for Aberdeenshire (1669–1674, 1678 and 1681–1682); Appointed a Lord of Session, 1680; Lord Chancellor of Scotland (1682–1684)
Sir David Falconer of Newton	1682	1685	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1676; Commissioner for Forfarshire (1685)
Sir George Lockhart of Carnwath	1685	31 March 1689	Appointed Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, 1672; Commissioner for Lanarkshire (1681–1682 and 1685–1686)
The 1st Viscount Stair	28 October 1689	25 November 1695	Appointed a Lord of Session, 1661; Commissioner for Wigtownshire (1672–1674, 1678 and 1681–1682)
The Lord North Berwick	17 March 1698	20 June 1737	Commissioner for New Galloway (1690–1702); Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (1695–1698); Commissioner for North Berwick (1702–1707)
The Lord Culloden	20 June 1737	4 June 1748	MP for Ayr Burghs (1721–1722); MP for Inverness Burghs (1722–1737); Lord Advocate (1725–1737)
The Lord Arniston, the Elder	4 June 1748	26 August 1753	Solicitor General for Scotland (1717–1720); Lord Advocate (1720–1725); MP for Midlothian (1722–1737); Senator of the College of Justice (1737–1753)
The Lord Craigie	22 January 1754	10 March 1760	MP for Tain Burghs (1742–1747); Lord Advocate (1742–1746)
The Lord Arniston, the Younger	30 April 1760	13 December 1787	Solicitor General for Scotland (1742–1746); Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (1746–1760) Lord Advocate (1754–1760); MP for Midlothian (1754–1760)
The Lord Glenlee	22 December 1787	27 September 1789	MP for Dumfries Burghs (1761–1766); Solicitor General for Scotland (1759–1760); Lord Advocate (1760–1766); Lord Justice Clerk (1766–1787)
The Lord Succoth	26 October 1789	31 August 1808	Solicitor General for Scotland (1783–1784); MP for Clyde Burghs (1784–1790); Lord Advocate (1784–1789)
The Lord Avontoun	31 August 1808	20 May 1811	Solicitor General for Scotland (1789–1806); Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (1801–1808)
The Lord Granton	10 October 1811	20 July 1841	Lord Advocate (1801–1804); MP for Dumfries Burghs (1802); MP for Edinburgh (1803–1805); Lord Justice Clerk (1804–1811)
The Lord Boyle	7 October 1841	5 May 1852	MP for Ayrshire (1807–1811); Solicitor General for Scotland (1807–1811); Lord Justice Clerk (1811–1841)
The Lord Colonsay	14 May 1852	25 February 1867	MP for Argyllshire (1843–1851); Solicitor General for Scotland (1834–1835 & 1841–1842); Lord Advocate (1842–1846)
The Lord Glencorse	25 February 1867	20 August 1891	MP for Stamford (1858); Solicitor General for Scotland (1852); Lord Advocate (1852 & 1858); Lord Justice Clerk (1858–1867)
The Lord Robertson	21 September 1891	21 November 1899	MP for Buteshire (1885–1891); Solicitor General for Scotland (1885–1886 & 1886–1888); Lord Advocate (1888–1891); Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (1899–1909)
The 1st Baron Kinross	21 November 1899	22 January 1905	MP for Clackmannan and Kinross (1880–1899); Solicitor General for Scotland (1880–1881); Lord Advocate (1881–1885, 1886 & 1892–1895)
1st Baron Dunedin	4 February 1905	14 October 1913	MP for Buteshire (1891–1905); Solicitor General for Scotland (1905–1909); Lord Advocate (1909–1913); Secretary for Scotland (1903–1905); Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (1913–1932)
The 1st Baron Strathclyde	14 October 1913	1 April 1920	MP for Linlithgowshire (1895–1913); Solicitor General for Scotland (1891–1892 & 1895–1896); Lord Advocate (1896–1903)
The Lord Clyde	1 April 1920	1 April 1935	Solicitor General for Scotland (1905); MP for Edinburgh West (1909–1918) and Edinburgh North (1918–1920); Lord Advocate (1916–1920)
The Lord Normand	1 April 1935	6 January 1947	MP for Edinburgh West (1931–1935); Solicitor General for Scotland (1929 & 1931–1933); Lord Advocate (1933–1935); Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (1947–1953)
The Lord Cooper	6 January 1947	23 December 1954	MP for Edinburgh West (1935–1941); Solicitor General for Scotland (1935); Lord Advocate (1935–1941); Senator of the College of Justice (1941–1954); Lord Justice Clerk (1941-1947); Lord President of the Court of Session (1947–1954)
The Lord Clyde	23 December 1954	25 April 1972	MP for Edinburgh North (1950–1954); Lord Advocate (1951–1954); Senator of the College of Justice (1954–1972)
The Baron Emslie	25 April 1972	27 September 1989	Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (1965–1970); Senator of the College of Justice (1970–1989)
The Baron Hope of Craighead	27 September 1989	1 October 1996	Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (1986–1989); Senator of the College of Justice (1989–1996); Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (1996–2009); Second Senior Law Lord (2009); Deputy President of the Supreme Court (2009–2013)
The Baron Rodger of Earlsferry	1 October 1996	13 November 2002	Solicitor General for Scotland (1989–1992); Lord Advocate (1992–1995); Senator of the College of Justice (1995–2001); Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (2001–2009); Justice of the Supreme Court (2009–2011)
The Baron Cullen of Whitekirk	13 November 2002	2 December 2005	Chairman of the Medical Appeals Tribunals (1977–1986); Senator of the College of Justice (1986–2005); Lord Justice Clerk (1997–2002)
The Lord Hamilton	2 December 2005	8 June 2012	Chairman of the Medical Appeals Tribunals (1989–1992); President of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in Scotland (1992–1995); Senator of the College of Justice (1995–2012)
The Lord Gill	8 June 2012	31 May 2015	Senator of the College of Justice (1994–2015); Lord Justice Clerk (2001–2012)
The Lord Carloway	18 December 2015	present (early 2025)	Senator of the College of Justice (2000–present); Lord Justice Clerk (2012–2015)

References

^ "Lord President announces his intention to retire in 2025". scts_judiciary. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
^ Scottish Parliament. Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 as amended (see also enacted form), from legislation.gov.uk.
Scottish Parliament. The Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 (Scottish Land Court) Order 2017 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
"Strengthening Judicial Independence in a Modern Scotland – Chapter 4 – Judges' Council". www.gov.scot. The Scottish Government. 8 February 2006. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
"Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Bill – Policy Memorandum" (PDF). parliament.scot. The Scottish Parliament. 30 January 2008. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
"Constitution of the Judicial Council for Scotland" (PDF). judiciary-scotland.org.uk. Judicial Office for Scotland. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2017. The Judicial Council for Scotland ("the Council") is a body constituted for the purpose of providing information and advice to— (a) the Lord President of the Court of Session ("the Lord President"); and (b) the judiciary of Scotland, on matters relevant to the administration of justice in Scotland.
"About the Court of Session". www.scotcourts.gov.uk. Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017. The Inner House is in essence the appeal court, though it has a small range of first instance business. It is divided into the First and the Second Divisions, of equal authority, and presided over by the Lord President and the Lord Justice Clerk respectively.
"Court of Session Act 1988". Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. 1988 (36). The National Archives: V. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
Scottish Government (6 February 2014). Policy Memorandum, Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill (PDF) (Report). Scottish Parliament. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
"Schedule, Promissory Oaths Act 1868". Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. 72. The National Archives: Schedule. 1868. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017. The oath as to England is to be tendered by the Clerk of the Council, and taken in presence of Her Majesty in Council, or otherwise as Her Majesty shall direct. The oath as to Scotland is to be tendered by the Lord President of the Court of Session at a sitting of the Court.
"Section 18, Court of Session Act 1830", Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, vol. 69, p. 18, 23 July 1830, Office of lord justice general to devolve on lord president.
"The Scots peerage : Founded on Wood's ed. Of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom". archive.org. Archived from the original on 11 April 2016.
"No. 16401". The Edinburgh Gazette. 7 January 1947. p. 7.
"No. 17246". The Edinburgh Gazette. 28 December 1954. p. 687.
"No. 19080". The Edinburgh Gazette. 17 March 1972. p. 241.

v t e Court of Session
Head of the judiciary	Lord President of the Court of Session
Other judges	Lord Justice Clerk Senators of the College of Justice (Women • Historic) Lord Ordinary
Divisions	Inner House Outer House
Administration	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Office of the Accountant of Court Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary Faculty of Advocates
Officers of Court	Advocates Solicitor-advocates Writers to the Signet Messengers-at-Arms
Officers of Court	Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland Society of Writers to His Majesty's Signet
Buildings	Parliament House, Edinburgh

v t e High Court of Justiciary
Chief justice	Lord Justice General
Other judges	Lord Justice Clerk Lords Commissioners of Justiciary
Administration	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary
Other Officers	Advocates Solicitor-advocates Writers to the Signet Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland
Buildings	Justiciary Building, Edinburgh Justiciary Buildings, Glasgow

v t e Courts of Scotland
Administration (Executive)	Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice Judicial Appointments Board Scottish Children's Reporter Administration Crown Office Lord Advocate Solicitor General for Scotland Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
Administration (Judicial)	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Judicial Office for Scotland College of Justice Act of Sederunt Scottish Civil Justice Council Act of Adjournal Criminal Courts Rules Council Office of the Public Guardian Scottish Sentencing Council
Judiciary	Lord President Lord Justice Clerk Senator of the College of Justice Lord Lyon King of Arms Sheriff principal Appeal Sheriff Sheriff Justice of the peace
Civil courts	Supreme Court Court of Session Office of the Accountant of Court Auditor of the Court of Session Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Personal Injury Court Sheriff court
Criminal courts	High Court of Justiciary Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff court Justice of the peace court
Specialist courts	Court of the Lord Lyon Scottish Land Court Lands Tribunal for Scotland Children's hearing
Legal profession	Faculty of Advocates Advocate Law Society of Scotland Solicitor Solicitor advocate Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal
Historical courts	Admiralty Court District courts Court of Exchequer High Court of Constabulary

Great Officers of State of England and Scotland

Great Officers of State
of England

Lord High Steward	Vacant
Lord High Chancellor	Shabana Mahmood MP (as Secretary of State for Justice)
Lord High Treasurer	Vacant
Lord President of the Council	Lucy Powell MP (also Leader of the House of Commons)
Lord Privy Seal	Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon (also Leader of the House of Lords)
Lord Great Chamberlain	In gross: Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington
Lord High Constable	Vacant
Earl Marshal	Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk
Lord High Admiral	Charles III (in right of the Crown)

Officers of State
of Scotland

Greater

Lord High Chancellor	Abolished in 1707 (see Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain)
Lord High Treasurer	Abolished in 1707 (see Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain)
Lord Privy Seal	Vacant since 1921
Lord Secretary	Abolished in 1709

Lesser

Lord Clerk Register	Lady Elish Angiolini
Lord Advocate	Dorothy Bain
Lord Treasurer-depute	Abolished in 1707
Lord Justice Clerk	Leeona Dorrian, Lady Dorrian

Officers of the Crown
of Scotland

Lord President of the Council	Privy Council abolished in 1708
Lord High Chamberlain	Resigned to the Crown in 1703
Lord High Steward	William, Duke of Rothesay (as Prince and Great Steward of Scotland)
Lord High Constable	Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll
Knight Marischal	Vacant since 1863
Earl Marischal	Forfeit in 1716
Lord High Admiral	Abolished in 1707
Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland	John Swinney MSP (as First Minister of Scotland)

Office is either vested in the Crown, or vacant. Status is currently debated.
There is debate around whether these offices constitute Officers of the Crown.

Scotland articles

Outline of Scotland

Languages	Highland English Scottish English Scottish Gaelic Scots British Sign Language
People (list)	Actors Artists Inventors Musicians Scientists Writers

Religion

Outline

Chief justices of the territories of the British Empire and the United Kingdom

Legend: Current territory; Former territory; * Now a Commonwealth realm; Now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations

Europe
Since 1234 England and Wales Since c.1200 Scotland 1175-1921 Ireland 1708–1757 Menorca Since 1713 Gibraltar 1763–1782 Menorca 1798–1802 Menorca 1800–1813 Malta (Protectorate) 1813–1964 Malta (Colony) 1807–1890 Heligoland 1809–1864 Ionian Islands 1878–1960 Cyprus 1921–1937 Irish Free State Since 1922 Northern Ireland

Americas

17th century and before		18th century	19th and 20th century
1579 New Albion 1583–1907 Newfoundland 1605–1979 *Saint Lucia 1607–1776 Virginia Since 1619 Bermuda 1620–1691 Plymouth Colony 1623–1883 Saint Kitts *(Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1624–1966 *Barbados 1625–1650 Saint Croix 1627–1979 *Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1628–1883 Nevis *(Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1629–1691 Massachusetts Bay Colony 1632–1776 Maryland since 1632 Montserrat 1632–1860 Antigua *(Antigua & Barbuda) 1636–1776 Connecticut 1636–1776 Rhode Island 1637–1662 New Haven Colony	1643–1860 Bay Islands Since 1650 Anguilla 1651–1667 Willoughbyland (Suriname) 1655–1850 Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 1655–1962 *Jamaica 1663–1712 Carolina 1664–1776 New York 1665–1674 and 1702–1776 New Jersey Since 1666 British Virgin Islands Since 1670 Cayman Islands 1670–1973 *Bahamas 1670–1870 Rupert's Land 1670–1688 Saint Andrew and Providence Islands 1671–1816 Leeward Islands 1674–1702 East Jersey 1674–1702 West Jersey 1680–1776 New Hampshire 1681–1776 Pennsylvania 1686–1689 Dominion of New England 1691–1776 Massachusetts	1701–1776 Delaware 1712–1776 North Carolina 1712–1776 South Carolina 1713–1867 Nova Scotia 1733–1776 Georgia 1754–1820 Cape Breton Island 1762–1974 *Grenada 1763–1978 Dominica 1763–1873 Prince Edward Island 1763–1791 Quebec 1763–1783 East Florida 1763–1783 West Florida 1784–1867 New Brunswick 1791–1841 Lower Canada 1791–1841 Upper Canada Since 1799 Turks and Caicos Islands	1818–1846 Columbia District/Oregon Country 1831–1966 British Guiana (Guyana) Since 1833 Falkland Islands 1833–1960 Windward Islands 1833–1960 Leeward Islands 1841–1867 Province of Canada 1849–1866 Vancouver Island 1853–1863 Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands 1858–1866 British Columbia 1859–1870 North-Western Territory 1860–1981 *British Antigua and Barbuda 1862–1863 Stikine Territory 1866–1871 Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1867–1931 *Dominion of Canada 1871–1964 British Honduras (*Belize) 1882–1983 *Saint Kitts and Nevis 1889–1962 Trinidad and Tobago 1907–1949 Dominion of Newfoundland Since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 1958–1962 West Indies Federation

1. Now the San Andrés y Providencia Department of Colombia.
2. Occupied jointly with the United States.
3. Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982.
4. In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. See Canada's name.
5. Gave up self-rule in 1934, but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949.

Africa

17th and 18th centuries	19th century		20th century
Since 1658 Saint Helena 1792–1961 Sierra Leone 1795–1803 Cape Colony	Since 1815 Ascension Island Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha 1806–1910 Cape Colony 1807–1808 Madeira 1810–1968 Mauritius 1816–1965 The Gambia 1856–1910 Natal 1868–1966 Basutoland (Lesotho) 1874–1957 Gold Coast (Ghana) 1882–1922 Egypt	1884–1966 Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884–1960 British Somaliland 1887–1897 Zululand 1890–1962 Uganda 1890–1963 Zanzibar (Tanzania) 1891–1964 Nyasaland (Malawi) 1891–1907 British Central Africa Protectorate 1893–1968 Swaziland 1895–1920 East Africa Protectorate 1899–1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan	1900–1914 Northern Nigeria 1900–1914 Southern Nigeria 1900–1910 Orange River Colony 1900–1910 Transvaal Colony 1903–1976 Seychelles 1906–1954 Nigeria Colony 1910–1931 South Africa 1914–1954 Nigeria Colony and Protectorate 1915–1931 South West Africa (Namibia) 1919–1960 Cameroons (Cameroon) 1920–1963 Kenya 1922–1961 Tanganyika (Tanzania) 1923–1965 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 1924–1964 Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 1953–1963 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1954–1960 Nigeria 1979–1980 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)

6. League of Nations mandate.
7. Self-governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003.

Asia

17th and 18th century	19th century		20th century
1685–1824 Bencoolen (Sumatra) 1702–1705 Pulo Condore 1757-1862 Bengal (to 1862) 1862–1947 Bengal (from 1862) (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 1762–1764 Manila and Cavite 1786–1946 Penang (Malaysia) 1795–1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1796–1965 Maldives	1812–1824 Banka (Sumatra) and Billiton (Sumatra) 1819–1826 British Malaya (West Malaysia and Singapore) 1826–1946 Straits Settlements (Malaysia and Singapore) 1839–1967 Colony of Aden 1839–1842 Afghanistan 1841–1997 Hong Kong 1841–1946 Kingdom of Sarawak (Malaysia) 1848–1946 Labuan (Malaysia) 1858–1947 British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Burma) • Bombay • Calcutta • Madras • North-Western Provinces/Allahabad) 1874–1963 British Borneo (East Malaysia and Brunei)	1879–1919 Afghanistan (protectorate) 1882–1963 British North Borneo (Malaysia) 1885–1946 Unfederated Malay States 1888–1984 Sultanate of Brunei 1891–1971 Muscat and Oman protectorate 1892–1971 Trucial States 1895–1946 Federated Malay States 1898–1930 Weihai Garrison	1907–1949 Bhutan (protectorate) 1918–1961 Kuwait protectorate 1920–1932 Iraq 1921–1946 Transjordan 1923–1948 Palestine 1945–1946 South Vietnam 1946–1963 North Borneo (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Sarawak (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Singapore 1946–1948 Malayan Union 1948–1957 Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) Since 1960 Akrotiri and Dhekelia (before as part of Cyprus) Since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory (before as part of Mauritius and the Seychelles)

League of Nations mandate. Iraq's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty

Oceania

18th and 19th centuries		20th century
1788–1901 New South Wales 1803–1901 Tasmania 1807–1863 Auckland Islands 1824–1980 New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 1824–1901 Queensland 1829–1901 Western Australia 1836–1901 South Australia since 1838 Pitcairn Islands	1841–1907 Colony of New Zealand 1851–1901 Victoria 1874–1970 Fiji 1877–1976 British Western Pacific Territories 1884–1949 Territory of Papua 1888–1901 Cook Islands 1889–1948 Union Islands (Tokelau) 1892–1979 Gilbert and Ellice Islands 1893–1978 British Solomon Islands	1900–1970 Tonga (protected state) 1900–1974 Niue 1901–1942 Commonwealth of AustraliaNorthern Territory 1907–1953 *Dominion of New Zealand 1919–1942 Nauru 1945–1968 Nauru 1919–1949 Territory of New Guinea 1949–1975 Territory of Papua and New Guinea

9. Now part of the *Realm of New Zealand.
10. Suspended member.
11. Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu.
12. Now the *Solomon Islands.
13. Now *Papua New Guinea.

Antarctica and South Atlantic
Since 1658 Saint Helena Since 1815 Ascension Island Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha Since 1908 British Antarctic Territory 1841–1933 Australian Antarctic Territory (transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia) 1841–1947 Ross Dependency (transferred to the Realm of New Zealand)
14. Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922–) and Tristan da Cunha (1938–) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena. 15. Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands).

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