Pages 90-91
Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 1, Treasury Officials 1660-1870. Originally published by University of London, London, 1972.
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Messenger of the Chamber 1660-1870 and City Messenger 1827-35
The Messenger of the Chamber was in origin one of the corps of such Messengers which formed part of the Royal Household. From the Restoration the Messenger in question was attached to the Treasury on a permanent basis. The right of appointment rested with the Treasury (fn. 1) although until 1702 the connection with the Household was maintained to the extent that, on entering office, successive messengers were sworn in by the Lord Chamberlain in pursuance of a Treasury Warrant. (fn. 2) During the later seventeenth century the Messenger of the Chamber employed a deputy but for most of the eighteenth century he appears to have been a working official. (fn. 3) In 1827 part of the duties of the office were assigned to a distinct City Messenger. (fn. 4) At the time of the reorganisation of the Messengers in 1835 the latter office was abolished and the Messenger of the Chamber was placed in the first class, ranking after the Messenger of the Registry. (fn. 5) In 1865 he was promoted to first place and in 1868 the office was made distinct from the messengerial structure. (fn. 6)
The remuneration originally attached to the office of Messenger of the Chamber amounted to £121 13s 4d a year composed of two separate salaries of 3s 4d a day, one paid out of the customs and the other out of the civil list. From 1721 a further salary was paid from the civil list and carried on the Office Keeper's bill. This was at first £20 but was raised to £30 in 1780. (fn. 7) In 1793 the payments from the civil list ceased and a salary of £60 from the fee fund was substituted. (fn. 8) In 1827 the payment from the customs was discontinued and the Messenger of the Chamber was accorded a single salary of £100 paid wholly by the Treasury. (fn. 9) This was raised to £120 in 1835. In 1865 a progressive scale was established beginning at £120 and rising by annual increments of £5 to £150. In 1868 the starting level was increased to £130. (fn. 10) The salary of the City Messenger was fixed at £100 in 1827. (fn. 11)
LISTS OF APPOINTMENTS
Messenger Of The Chamber
City Messenger