Usher of the Black Rod

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The Usher of the Black Rod is a senior ceremonial officer in the United Kingdom responsible for maintaining order and performing formal duties in the House of Lords and at state occasions.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf ceremonial officer
parliamentary office
position in the House of Lords
appointedBy Crown
monarch of the United Kingdom
associatedWith British constitutional ceremonies
State Opening of Parliament
authorityOver access to the House of Lords and its precincts
basedIn London
canBeHeldBy man
woman
ceremonialRole leading processions in the House of Lords
participating in the introduction of new peers
participating in the presentation of addresses to the monarch
country United Kingdom
employer House of Lords
Parliamentary authorities
fieldOfWork ceremonial protocol
parliamentary procedure
genderNeutralTitle Usher of the Black Rod
hasAlternativeName Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
Lady Usher of the Black Rod
hasDuties acting as the monarch’s representative in the House of Lords for certain ceremonial matters
controlling access to the House of Lords chamber
maintaining order in the House of Lords
organising ceremonial aspects of the State Opening of Parliament
performing ceremonial functions at state occasions
summoning the House of Commons to the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament
hasJurisdictionOver House of Lords chamber and associated areas
hasRank senior officer of the House of Lords
historicalOrigin medieval royal household offices
jurisdiction United Kingdom
legalStatus officer of the House of Lords
notableCustom having the door of the House of Commons slammed in their face during the State Opening of Parliament
knocking three times on the door of the House of Commons with the black rod
partOf House of Lords
Parliament of the United Kingdom
predecessorRole Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
reportsTo Lord Speaker of the House of Lords
residence Palace of Westminster
responsibleFor security arrangements within the House of Lords chamber
symbol black rod
tradition Westminster parliamentary tradition
usedBy House of Lords
wears ceremonial uniform
court dress
workLocation Palace of Westminster

Referenced by (8)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Usher of the Black Rod ("Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod")
Usher of the Black Rod ("Lady Usher of the Black Rod")
Usher of the Order of the Garter ("Usher of the Black Rod in the Order of the Garter")
hasAlternativeName
Usher of the Black Rod
genderNeutralTitle
Order of the Garter
hasOffice
Sovereign of the Garter
hasOfficerSubordinate
Usher of the Black Rod ("Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod")
predecessorRole
Usher of the Order of the Garter ("Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod")
relatedPosition

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