<P> Over 150 individuals have served as Speaker of the House of Commons . Their names are inscribed in gold leaf around the upper walls of Room C of the House of Commons Library . The three most recent Speakers have been notable for a series of firsts . Betty Boothroyd, elected in 1992, was the first woman Speaker . Michael Martin, elected in 2000, was the first Roman Catholic Speaker since the Reformation . John Bercow, elected in 2009, is the first Jewish Speaker . </P> <P> By convention, Speakers have traditionally been addressed in Parliament as "Mr Speaker", and their deputies as "Mr Deputy Speaker", regardless of their gender or their usual title . Betty Boothroyd was, at her request, addressed as "Madam Speaker". When Betty Harvie Anderson served in the 1970s as a Deputy Speaker, on the other hand, she was addressed as "Mr Deputy Speaker". Eleanor Laing, a Deputy Speaker since 2013, is addressed as "Madam Deputy Speaker". </P> <P> MPs elect the Speaker from amongst their own ranks . The House must elect a Speaker at the beginning of each new parliamentary term after a general election, or after the death or resignation of the incumbent . Once elected, a Speaker continues in office until the dissolution of Parliament, unless he or she resigns prior to this . Customarily, the House re-elects Speakers who desire to continue in office for more than one term . Theoretically, the House could vote against re-electing a Speaker, but such an event is extremely unlikely . </P> <P> The procedure for electing a Speaker has changed in recent years . Until 1971, the Clerk of the House of Commons became temporary Chairman of the House . As the Clerk is never a Member, and therefore is not permitted to speak, he would silently stand and point at the Member who was to speak . However, this procedure broke down at the election of a new Speaker in 1971 (see below) and had to be changed . Since that time, as recommended by a Select Committee, the Father of the House (the member of the House with the longest period of unbroken service who is not a Minister) becomes the presiding officer . </P>

Where does the speaker of the house sit