Woolsack
The Woolsack is the seat of the
History
In the 14th century King Edward III (1327–1377) said that his Lord Chancellor whilst in council should sit on a wool bale, now known as "The Woolsack", in order to symbolise the central nature and great importance of the wool trade to the economy of England in the Middle Ages.[1][2] Indeed, it was largely to protect the vital English wool trade routes with continental Europe that the Battle of Crécy was fought with the French in 1346.[3]
In 1938, it was discovered that the Woolsack was, in fact, stuffed with horsehair. When it was remade, it was re-stuffed with wool from all over the British Commonwealth as a symbol of unity.[4]
From the Middle Ages until 2006, the presiding officer in the House of Lords was the Lord Chancellor and the Woolsack was usually mentioned in association with the office of Lord Chancellor. In July of that year, the function of Lord Speaker was split from that of Lord Chancellor under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, with the former now sitting on the Woolsack.[5]
Until 1949, Canada's Senate also had a judges' woolsack. At the behest of Jean-François Pouliot, an MP from Quebec, who decried the use of a cushion on which the Supreme Court of Canada's judges had to sprawl "like urchins," the woolsack was eventually abolished and replaced with conventional chairs. The original woolsack is still extant.[6]
Ceremonial role
The Woolsack is a large, wool-stuffed cushion covered with red cloth; it has neither a back nor arms, though in the centre of the Woolsack there is a back-rest. The Lords' Mace is placed on the rear part of the Woolsack.[1] The Lord Speaker may speak from the Woolsack when speaking in their capacity as Speaker of the House, but must, if seeking to debate, deliver their remarks either from the left side of the Woolsack, or from the normal seats of the Lords.[7]
If a Deputy Speaker presides in the absence of the Lord Speaker, then that individual uses the Woolsack. However, when the House meets in the "
In front of the Woolsack is an even larger cushion known as the Judges' Woolsack.
Mentions in popular culture
In Uncommon Law by A. P. Herbert, the newly-appointed Lady Chancellor finds the Woolsack uncomfortable and orders it to be replaced with a chair. Only after it has been removed does one of her fellow Law Lords mention that when presiding on an appeal, she should not have been sitting on the Woolsack anyway.[11]
Notes
- ^ a b "Glossary: Woolsack". UK Parliament. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ Friar 2004, pp. 480–481
- ^ Sumption 1991, pp. 188–189
- ^ "The Lords Chamber". UK Parliament. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ Gay 2003, p. 16
- ^ "How A Venerable Senate Icon Got The Sack". Senate of Canada. 28 January 2020.
- ^ a b Great Britain Parliament House of Lords 2010, pp. 38–41
- ^ "The Lord Speaker's Role". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
- ^ Great Britain Parliament House of Lords 2013, pp. 30–31 - Plan of the chamber including location of Judges Woolsack
- ^ Great Britain Parliament House of Lords 2013, pp. 17–18
- ISBN 9780413385406.
References
- Friar, Stephen (2004). The Sutton Companion to Local History. Sparkford, England: Sutton. ISBN 0-7509-2723-2.
- "Woolsack contents questioned". Courier Mail, Brisbane. 1938. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
- Great Britain Parliament House of Lords (2013). "Companion to the Standing Orders and Guide to the Proceedings of the House of Lords (House of Lords Papers)" (PDF). London: Stationery Office. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- "The Woolsack". UK Parliament website. Woolsack. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- The Judges' Woolsack at the UK Parliament site. URL accessed 30 April 2011
- The Interior of the House of Lords at an archived version of the Explore Parliament website. URL accessed 28 February 2011. See also the image at full resolution. The woolsacks are the large, low, rectangular objects in front of the throne, surrounded by ropes. *
- Great Britain Parliament House of Lords (2010). Companion to the Standing Orders and Guide to the Proceedings of the House of Lords (House of Lords Papers). London: Stationery Office Books; 25th edition. ISBN 978-0-1084-7241-1.
- Gay, Oonagh (2003). "Roll of the Lord Chancellor. Standard Note: SN/PC/2105" (PDF). Parliament and Constitution Centre. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
- Sumption, Jonathan (1991). The Hundred Years War I: Trial by Battle. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0-8122-1655-5.
External links
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 818. .