The household below stairs: Poultry 1660-1761

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

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Citation:

'The household below stairs: Poultry 1660-1761', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, ed. R O Bucholz( London, 2006), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp558-561 [accessed 26 November 2024].

'The household below stairs: Poultry 1660-1761', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Edited by R O Bucholz( London, 2006), British History Online, accessed November 26, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp558-561.

"The household below stairs: Poultry 1660-1761". Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Ed. R O Bucholz(London, 2006), , British History Online. Web. 26 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp558-561.

In this section

Poultry 1660–1761

The poultry provided fruit, greens, butter, eggs and other dairy products for the royal tables. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the poultry consisted of a clerk and a sergeant, appointed by royal warrant, and yeomen and grooms, appointed by lord steward's warrant. In 1662 the remuneration of the clerk was fixed at wages of £6 13s 4d and board wages of £54 15s, in addition to poundage on debentures for goods delivered to the office. He was reduced to supernumerary status in 1664 but restored in ordinary in 1674 with board wages increased to £80 but falling to their previous level in 1680. Between 1685 and 1689 the office was combined with that of clerk of the bakehouse, pastry, scullery and woodyard with a salary of £91 13s 4d. In 1689 the remuneration was fixed at wages of £6 13s 4d and board wages of £73 6s 8d. The office was combined with that of clerk of the bakehouse between 1702 and 1727. (fn. 2)

In 1662 the remuneration of the sergeant was fixed at wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £44 15s. Between 1664 and 1668 the holder of the office was designated sergeant of the poultry and scalding house. The board wages were increased to £54 15s in the former year but reduced to £38 11s 10½d in 1680. In 1673 a supernumerary sergeant was appointed who succeeded to the office shortly afterwards but was reduced to supernumerary status in 1686. The office was abolished in 1689. (fn. 3)

During the early years of Charles II, the number of yeomen fluctuated between the two named in 1660 and the one finally established in 1668. After numerous variations the remuneration was settled at wages of £5 and board wages of £45 in 1689. (fn. 4)

Three grooms were appointed in 1660. After some fluctuations the number was fixed at two in 1680. Wages were set at £2, but board wages fluctuated between £27 6s 8d and £40 under Charles II. The salary was settled at £20 in 1685. In 1689 this was replaced by wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £37 6s 8d. Supernumerary grooms were appointed in 1662, 1664 and 1685. (fn. 5)

The poultry was abolished in 1761. (fn. 6)

Clerk 1660–1664

1660 16 Aug. Manley, J.
1661 27 Nov. Munger, J.

Supernumerary Clerk 1664–1668

1664 1 Oct. Munger, J.

Clerk 1674–1761

1674 30 June Munger, J.
1683 23 July Bickerstaffe, P.
1685 13 Apr. Toll, C. (and Bakehouse, Pastry, Scullery and Woodyard)
1689 30 May Jackson, R.
1691 8 Sept. Thompson, J.
1702 30 June Price, J. (and Bakehouse)
1707 20 June Gretton, A. (and Bakehouse)
1713 18 May Shaw, J. (and Bakehouse to 1727)
1731 8 Dec. Skinner, J.
1751 9 Mar. Hales, J.
1754 9 Apr. Schutz, C.

Supernumerary Clerk 1685–1699

1686 29 Jan. Bickerstaffe, P.

Sergeant 1660–1685

1660 29 Aug. Ager, S. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
By 1674 Mezandier, R.

Supernumerary Sergeant 1673–1674; 1685–1688

1673 26 Aug. Mezandier, R.
1686 1 Feb. Mezandier, R.

Yeomen 1660–1761

1660 12 May Lane, J. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1660 15 Oct. Clarke, W.
1664 1 Oct. Winch, J. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1682 8 Feb. Wheatley, R.
1689 21 Mar. Whittingham, A.
1691 3 Dec. Clark, E.
1707 1 Nov. Scarlett, A.
1721 11 Mar. Rutter, T.
1726 7 May Ackres, T.
1727 1 July Ackres, G.
1750 4 Apr. Blondeau, L.A.
1750 1 July Trevor, R.
1760 17 Dec. Edgar, T.

Supernumerary Yeoman 1664–1668; 1686–1688

1664 1 Oct. Clarke, W.
1686 1 Feb. Crookey, J.

Grooms 1660–1761

1660 22 Aug. Wheatley, R.
1660 31 Aug. Catline, H. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1660 1 Sept. Lane, J.
1664 1 Oct. Weatherhead, S. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1668 1 Oct. Lane, J.
1680 14 Oct. Crookey, J.
1682 8 Feb. Clark, E.
1689 10 Mar. Clark, E.
1689 22 May Scarlett, A.
1691 3 Dec. Appleford, W.
1692 26 Feb. Davis, D.
1707 1 Nov. Rutter, T.
1716 6 Nov. Ackres, T.
1721 11 Mar. Campbell, P.
1721 6 Nov. Doig, J.
1726 7 May Bale, S.
1727 1 July Kilmain, D.
1727 1 July Grassineau, I.
1728 2 Sept. Walworth, J.
1740 15 Jan. Blondeau, L.A.
1743 10 July Webster, T.
1750 4 Apr. Revett, J.

Supernumerary Groom 1662–1680; 1685–1688

1662 6 July Crookey, J.
1662 1 Dec. [?] (fn. 7)
1664 1 Oct. Wheatly, R.
1686 1 July Clark, E.

Footnotes

  • 1. See PSBC, p. 13; Beattie, p. 90.
  • 2. LS 13/31, f. 12v; LS 13/34, f. 25v; LS 13/35; LS 13/36, f. 14; LS 13/37, f. 11v; LS 13/49.
  • 3. LS 13/31, f. 12v; LS 13/34, f. 12v; LS 13/37, f. 11v; LS 13/38, f. 11; LS 13/39.
  • 4. LS 13/31, f. 12v; LS 13/34, ff. 12v, 25v; LS 13/35, f. 12v; LS 13/252, f. 195; LS 13/36, f. 14; LS 13/37, f. 11v; LS 13/39, p. 22.
  • 5. LS 13/31, ff. 12v, 16v; LS 13/34, f. 12v; LS 13/35, f. 12v; LS 13/36, f. 14; LS 13/37, f. 11v; LS 13/38, f. 11; LS 13/39, p. 22.
  • 6. LS 13/55.
  • 7. The Establishment of 1 Dec. 1662 lists, but does not name, a supernumerary groom of the Poultry: LS 13/31, f. 16v.