The Riddell Collection of Wax Seals:
Seal Life Stories: the remarkable careers of 23 individuals from the Riddell Collection of Wax Seals
5: John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland (1759-1841)
John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland in characteristic pose
Born in 1759 to John Fane, 9th Earl of Westmorland and Augusta Bertie. He married Sarah Anne Child in 1782 and Jane Huck-Saunders in 1800.
After succeeding to the Earldom on the death of his father, Fane persued a lifelong career as a Tory politician. Becoming Lord Privy Seal in 1798. He held this position for 35 years under five Prime Ministers.
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) was the minister responsible for authorising the use of the Privy Seal (the monarch’s ‘personal’ seal). Originally, all Royal communications would be authenticated using the Great Seal, with the Monarch having a personal seal. By the C13 control of the Privy Seal no longer resided solely with the Monarch, and the Signet became Monarch’s private seal.
By 1798 the office was that of a cabinet minister with very few duties relating to the Privy Seal and after the Great Seal Act of 1884, the Privy Seal was no longer necessary.