Independent Sub-departments: Robes 1660-1837

Robes 1660–1837

The duty of the office of the robes was to `order all his majesty's Robes; as those of his Coronation, of St. George's Feast, and parliament also, of all his majesty's wearing Apparel, of his Collar of SS's, George and Garter, beset with Diamonds and Pearls.' The office accounted separately to the Treasury. (fn. 1)

At the beginning of the period the salaried officers of the robes consisted of a master, a clerk of the robes and wardrobes, a yeoman, three grooms, a page, a brusher, and a taylor in addition to about twenty tradesmen paid via bills for goods and services. The office of master, or gentleman and master, was in the gift of the Crown. The master was admitted in pursuance of a warrant issued for that purpose. In 1662 this warrant was directed to the groom of the stole; subsequent warrants were directed to the lord chamberlain until 1830 when Seymour was appointed directly by royal warrant. (fn. 2) Until 1809, except for those made during the reign of Anne, appointments were embodied in letters patent under the great seal which granted the office for life until 1679 and during pleasure thereafter. The salary was originally £500. During the reign of Anne it was increased to £600. In 1716 it was £1,240. From 1727 it was fixed at £800. (fn. 3)

The yeoman was appointed by lord chamberlain's warrant. Under George I his salary was £380; by 1761 it had fallen to £255. Early in the period he was also entitled to fees of honour worth about £15 under George I. The office was abolished in 1782. (fn. 4) The grooms were appointed in the same manner. They numbered three except during the reigns of James II and Anne when they were reduced to one. Three served from 1715 to 1783–4 when they were again reduced to one. In 1761 the first and second grooms received £80 and the third £60 a year. Under William III the page of the robes made £20. This rose to £58 by 1782. Early in the period, the yeoman, grooms and page all received riding wages and livery worth £40 per annum apiece. The yeoman and grooms were also entitled to fees of honour, which averaged about £16 a year under Queen Anne. (fn. 5) The brusher of the robes made £40 plus livery money of £20 per annum. By 1782 his total emoluments had risen to £80 per annum. Early in the period, the tailor of the robes was the only paid tradesman: he made £83 5s in livery money under William III. This payment appears to have been abolished by 1714. However, by 1763 the furrier was paid £20 per annum. By 1782 the waiters made £90 and £50 respectively. (fn. 6)

All subordinate trades positions were appointed by the master, who requested the lord chamberlain to order that the gentleman usher, daily waiter swear them in. At the accession of Queen Anne her mistress of the robes, Sarah, Countess of Marlborough, refused to designate any tradesmen in ordinary in an attempt to leave the Crown free to contract on an individual basis with the least expensive supplier. (fn. 7)

Master 1660–1837

Yeoman 1660–1782

Grooms 1660–1837

Supernumerary Groom 1660–?

Groom in Reversion 1675–1679

Page 1663–1685; 1689–1702; 1714–1782

Waiters 1702–c. 1790

Brusher 1660–1782

Tailor 1660–1702; 1723; c. 1738–1764; c. 1769–?1805

Furrier 1670–?1685; 1727–c. 1822

Messenger by 1707–c. 1832