The household below stairs: Cellar 1660-1837

Cellar 1660–1837

The cellar had the custody of the king's wine. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the cellar consisted of a sergeant and a gentleman, appointed by royal warrant; yeomen, a yeoman keeper of ice and snow, grooms and pages, appointed by lord steward's warrant; and eight wine porters appointed by the clerks of the green cloth in rotation. In 1662 the remuneration of the sergeant was fixed at wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £127 15s. After some variations the board wages were reduced to £42 11s 8d in 1680. The office was reduced to supernumerary status under James II, returned to ordinary status in 1689 and was finally abolished in 1702. A supernumerary sergeant was also appointed in 1684. (fn. 2)

The office of gentleman was united with that of first yeoman of the cellar 1660–4, 1668–1702, 1714 and 1727–60 and with that of yeoman of ice and snow 1702–14. In 1662 he was reduced to supernumerary status with wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £45 12s 6d. He was demoted to yeoman of the buttery and cellar at £5 and £45 in 1664 but restored as gentleman and first yeoman at the previous rates in 1668. There were further variations in board wages during the reign of Charles II. In 1685 his salary was fixed at £60 which was divided into wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £48 11 10½d in 1689. In 1761 the salary was raised to £300. In 1812 the gentleman was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's at £277 rising to £497 in 1813. The office was left vacant on the death of its holder in 1818. In 1812 an effective gentleman of the cellar was established at Carlton House with a salary of £200 raised to £300 in the following year. This office was absorbed into the main Household in 1820. (fn. 3)

Three yeomen were appointed in 1660; one was made supernumerary in 1662. In 1664 their remuneration was fixed at wages of £5 and board wages of £50. After much fluctuation in both number and pay provision was made in 1689 for two yeomen with wages of £5 and board wages of £45. Until 1702 one of these offices was held jointly by two officers. The number rose to four in 1702 but fell to three in 1715. In 1761 a single yeoman was appointed at £120. In 1812 he was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's at £107 raised to £172 in 1813. This office was left vacant on the departure of its incumbent in 1816. In 1812 an effective yeoman was established at Carlton House with a salary of £150. This office was absorbed into the main Household in 1820. (fn. 4)

The yeomen of the field were appointed by lord steward's warrant. Two such yeomen first appear as supernumeraries (implying previous ordinary status) on the Establishment of 1 Oct. 1664. Each received £5 wages and £36 10s board wages. In 1668 they were raised to ordinary status and emoluments of £5 wages and £41 1s 3d per annum. Their board wages were raised to £45 12s 6d in 1674, then lowered to £35 per annum in 1680. The yeoman of the field to the Queen was made supernumerary in 1685; the yeoman to the King received £50 per annum. Both were restored to ordinary status at £5 wages and £45 board wages apiece in 1689. The office was finally abolished in 1702. (fn. 5)

The office of yeoman keeper of ice and snow probably existed at the Restoration although its occupants can be identified only from 1665. At first his emoluments varied considerably. In 1685 he was granted a salary of £60 divided in 1689 into wages of £5 and board wages of £55. A salary of £100 was attached to the office in 1761. Although proposed for abolition in 1782 the office continued at least to 1812 when it was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's with a salary of £31, increased to £40 in 1813. (fn. 6)

A single groom served from 1660 to 1702 being reduced to supernumerary status 1664–8 and 1685–9. Three served 1702–14 and two 1714–61. In 1689 the remuneration was fixed at wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £37 6s 8d. In 1761 the number of grooms was reduced to one with a salary of £100. In 1812 he was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's with a salary of £98 increased to £158 in 1813. This office was left vacant on the departure of its occupant in 1826. In 1812 an effective groom was established at Carlton House with a salary of £60. The assistant to the yeoman and groom, created in 1764 and appointed by the lord steward, made £30 per annum. His position was abolished 1815. (fn. 7)

Two pages were appointed in 1660. One was named supernumerary in 1662, both in 1664 at £2 wages plus £10 board wages apiece. A single page was appointed in ordinary in 1670, a second in 1671. The office was again reduced to supernumerary status in 1674 (at £2 and £21 5s 10d), made ordinary again in 1677, again reduced to supernumerary status in 1680 (at £2 and £18 5s), and abolished in 1685. (fn. 8)

In 1662 the office of keeper of wines, sometimes specified as French or Champagne wines, was created. Appointments were made by lord steward's warrant. The office lapsed in 1685 but was revived in 1695 with a salary of £75, raised in 1761 to £100. It was abolished in 1783. (fn. 9)

Eight wine porters were named in 1660. Their number fell to four, plus a number of supernumeraries, on the Establishment of 1664. The Establishment of 1685 reduced their number to two in ordinary at £2 apiece. The office was abolished in 1782. (fn. 10)

The porter of the cellar made £30 per annum. (fn. 11)

Sergeant 1660–1685; 1689–1702

Supernumerary Sergeant 1684–1699

Gentleman 1660–1662

Supernumerary Gentleman 1662–1664

Gentleman 1668–1837

Yeomen 1660–1837

Supernumerary Yeoman of the Cellar 1662–1668; 1685–1691

Yeoman of the Mouth to the Queen 1689–1694

Yeoman Keeper of the Bottles c. 1661–?1664

Supernumerary Yeomen of the Field 1664–1668

First Yeoman of the Field [to the King] 1668–88

Second Yeoman of the Field [to the Queen] 1668–85

Supernumerary Yeoman of the Field 1672–1674; 1685–1688

Yeoman of the Field to the King 1689–1702

Yeoman of the Field to the Queen 1689–1694

Yeoman Keeper of Ice and Snow 1665–1829

Yeoman of the Cellar at Brighton 1812–?

Grooms 1660–1664

Supernumerary Groom 1664–1668

Groom 1668–1685

Supernumerary Groom 1686–1688

Grooms 1689–1837

Assistant to the Yeoman and Groom 1764–1815

Pages 1600–1685

Supernumerary Page of the Cellar 1662–c. 1670

Pages of the Cellar c. 1670–1674

Supernumerary Page of the Cellar 1674–c. 1677

Page of the Cellar c. 1677–1679

Supernumerary (or Extraordinary) Page of the Cellar 1671–1685

Keeper of Wines 1662–1783

Wine Porters 1660–1782

Supernumerary Wine Porters 1664–1668

Porter 1762–1812

Wine Cooper at Carlton House 1814–?

Wine Chest Maker 1777–?1782

The Establishment of 1 Dec. 1662 lists but does not name a supernumerary gentleman, yeoman and page: LS 13/31, f. 16.