The bedchamber: Grooms of the Bedchamber 1660-1837

Pages 20-24

Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Originally published by University of London, London, 2006.

Citation:

Grooms of the Bedchamber 1660–1837

The grooms of the bedchamber

wait in the King's Chamber during his Majesty's Dressing, and wait at Dinner [when he dines privately], take Wine, &c. from the Servants, and give it to the Lords, to serve his Majesty. When the Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber are not there, they perform the Office [of dressing the Sovereign], and have their waiting Weekly, two and two, by turns. (fn. 1)

These offices were in the gift of the Crown. The procedures for swearing and admitting them into waiting were the same as those for the gentlemen of the bedchamber. (fn. 2) The number of grooms fluctuated considerably. Under Charles II there were usually 12. Under James II and William III the number varied between eight and nine; under George I and George II between eight and ten. George III appointed 15 on his accession but this fell to 12 in 1764. In 1783 there was an increase to 13 and this was the usual number until 1837. Extra grooms were regularly appointed under Charles II and occasionally thereafter. No grooms were appointed during the reign of Anne.

The salary attached to the offices, payable at the exchequer, was £500 except during the reign of James II when it was reduced to £400. (fn. 3) They also received lodgings and diet when the court was on progress. (fn. 4)

Grooms 1661–1837



1661	1 Feb.	Ashburnham, J.
1661	1 Feb.	O'Neill, D.
1661	1 Feb.	Seymour, H.
1661	2 Feb.	Elliot, T.
1661	2 Feb.	Killigrew, T.
1661	2 Feb.	Lane, R.
1661	2 Feb.	Phillips, R.
1661	2 Feb.	Titus, S.
1661	2 Feb.	Walter, D.
1661	3 Feb.	Progers, E.
1661	6 Feb.	Legge, W.
1662	1 Jan.	Coventry, Hon. H.
1664	28 Oct.	Hamilton, J.
1670	1 Oct.	Godolphin, S.
1671	16 June	Felton, T.
1672	21 June	Granville, B.
1673	7 June	Savile, H.
1675	8 July	Guy, H.
1677	Aug.	Porter, G.
1678	18 July	Bridges, G.R.
1679	Apr.	Wyndham, T.
1679	16 May	Lee, T.
1679	26 Nov.	Neale, T.
1683	Mar.	Skelton, B.
1683	15 May	Gwyn, F.
1683	19 Dec.	Killigrew, H.
1685	2 May	Fortrey, J.
1685	2 May	Nicholas, O.
1685	2 May	Slingsby, H.
1685	2 May	Finch, Hon. H.
1685	2 May	Leveson, R.
1685	2 May	Griffin, J.
1685	2 May	Russell, F.
1685	2 May	Lloyd, D.
1686		Porter, J.
1687	9 Mar.	Bagot, R.
1689	6 June	Kirke, P.
1689	6 June	Compton, H.
1689	6 June	Trelawny, C.
1689	6 June	Howe, E.S.
1689	6 June	Sayers, J.
1689	6 June	van Borselen, A.
1689	6 June	Stanley, Hon. J.
1690	Mar.	Keppel, A.J.
1691	29 Apr.	Windsor, Hon. T.
1692	Jan.	Cholmondeley, G.
1695	6 May	Wentworth, T.
1702	8 Mar.	Offices vacant
1714	20 Sept.	Ker, Hon. W.
1714	20 Sept.	Tyrrell, J.
1714	16 Oct.	Dormer, J.
1714	16 Oct.	Howard, Hon. C.
1714	16 Oct.	Breton, W.
1714	16 Oct.	Feilding, G.
1714	16 Oct.	Cornewall, H.
1714	21 Oct.	Honeywood, P.
1715	15 June	Hume, Sir G.
1719	13 May	Finch, Hon. W.
1720	11 June	Lawson, Sir W.
1721	10 Aug.	Cornwallis, Hon. C.
1723	25 May	Herbert, Hon. R.S.
1727	21 Aug.	Rich, Sir R.
1727	14 Sept.	Paget, T.
1727	14 Sept.	Lumley, Hon. C.
1727	14 Sept.	Selwyn, J.
1727	14 Sept.	Churchill, C.
1727	14 Sept.	Cathcart, Hon. C.
1727	14 Sept.	Campbell, J.
1727	14 Sept.	Campbell, Hon. J.
1727	14 Sept.	Hotham, Sir C.
1731	7 May	Clavering, J.
1733	7 May	Brudenell, Hon. J.
1740	22 Apr.	Herbert, Hon. W.
1742	14 July	Finch, Hon. E.
1746	20 Jan.	Mostyn, J.
1747	22 Jan.	Cornwallis, Hon. E.
1747	22 Jan.	Waldegrave, Hon. J.
1757	5 Apr.	Seymour Conway, Hon. H.
1757	4 June	Offley, J.
1760	16 Jan.	Fitzroy, C.
1760	19 Jan.	Nassau, Hon. R.S.
1760	27 Nov.	Schutz, G.
1760	27 Nov.	Peachey, J.
1760	27 Nov.	Nugent, E.
1760	27 Nov.	Breton, Sir W.
1760	10 Dec.	Compton, S.
1760	11 Dec.	Pitt, G.
1760	11 Dec.	Berkeley, N.
1760	11 Dec.	Northey, W.
1761	17 Feb.	Keppel, Hon. A.
1762	21 Dec.	Wright, J.
1763	19 Jan.	Mordaunt, J.
1763	16 Feb.	Seymour, H.
1763	5 May	Hotham, C.
1763	5 Nov.	Hervey, Hon. A.J.
1765	24 Aug.	Wallop, Hon. H.
1766	3 Dec.	Harcourt, Hon. W.
1770	23 Apr.	Vernon, Hon. H.
1770	16 May	Osborn, Sir G.
1771	10 May	de Grey, T.
1771	17 May	St. John, Hon. H.
1771	3 Dec.	Hales, P.
1775	28 Mar.	Gordon, Hon. W.
1777	18 June	Herbert, C.
1779	22 Feb.	Lascelles, F.
1783	17 Jan.	Villiers, Hon. G.
1784	19 Aug.	Waller, R.
1788	20 Jan.	Adeane, J.W.
1791	3 June	Digby, Hon. R.
1793	26 Jan.	Fane, Hon. T.
1800	29 Mar.	Greville, Hon. R.F.
1801	30 May	Legge, Hon. A.K.
1801	30 May	Burrard Neale, Sir H.
1802	27 Apr.	Finch, Hon. E.
1804	24 May	Verney, Hon. H.
1808	31 Oct.	Capel, Hon. E.
1808	1 Nov.	Buckley, E.P.
1809	4 Mar.	Campbell, H.F.
1809	2 June	West, Hon. F.
1812	10 Mar.	Keppel, Hon. W.
1812	10 Mar.	Stanwix, T.S.
1812	10 Mar.	Stevens, E.
1812	10 Mar.	Braddyll, W.
1812	10 Mar.	Lumley, Hon. W.
1812	10 Mar.	Thomas, C.N.
1812	10 Mar.	Stanhope, Hon. H.F.
1812	10 Mar.	Leigh, C.
1812	10 Apr.	Cradock, Sir J.F.
1812	28 July	Cavendish Bradshaw, Hon. A.
1812	28 July	Stewart, Hon. C.W.
1812	28 July	Turner, T.H.
1816	6 June	Paget, Hon. Sir E.
1816	6 Sept.	Campbell, Sir G.
1817	5 Jan.	King, Hon. H.
1818	21 Nov.	Whatley, J.
1819	19 Oct.	Nagle, Sir E.
1820	4 Apr.	Conyngham, Lord F.N.
1821	24 Jan.	Barnard, Sir A.F.
1821	11 Oct.	Paget, Hon. Sir C.
1825	7 Sept.	Houston, Sir W.
1828	27 May	Armstrong, T.
1828	24 Sept.	Townshend, Hon. J.R.
1830	14 Feb.	Weld Forester, Hon. G.C.
1830	15 Mar.	Hope, H.
1830	17 July	Vivian, Sir R.H.
1830	24 July	Spencer, Hon. Sir R.C.
1830	30 Nov.	Blackwood, Hon. Sir H.
1830	23 Dec.	Otway, Sir R.W.
1831	31 Jan.	Reynett, Sir J.
1831	24 Feb.	Campbell, Hon. G.P.
1832	12 Nov.	Rowley, Sir C.
1832	15 Dec.	Taylor, T.W.

Grooms in Extraordinary 1673–1837



n.d.		Gwyn, F.
1673	22 May	Savile, H.
1673	16 June	Porter, G.
1673	23 Oct.	Wyndham, T.
1673	27 Oct.	Skelton, B.
1674	31 Oct.	Killigrew, H.
1676	12 Apr.	Legge, W.
1677	4 Aug.	Berkeley, J.
1679	23 Apr.	Howard, T.
1680	18 Apr.	Hamilton, J.
1683	12 Dec.	Bulkeley, Hon. H.
1684	Aug.	Kirke, P.
1698	12 Jan.	Jennings, R.
1699	31 May	Dormer, C.
1784	20 Aug.	Adeane, J.W.
1831	14 Oct.	Waller, Sir J.W.