The bedchamber: Grooms of the Bedchamber 1660-1837

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 bedchamber: Grooms of the Bedchamber 1660-1837', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006), pp. 20-24. British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp20-24 [accessed 24 June 2024].

. "The bedchamber: Grooms of the Bedchamber 1660-1837", in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006) 20-24. British History Online, accessed June 24, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp20-24.

. "The bedchamber: Grooms of the Bedchamber 1660-1837", Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006). 20-24. British History Online. Web. 24 June 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp20-24.

In this section

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.

Footnotes

  • 1. PSBC, pp. 24–5; see also Beattie, pp. 61–2.
  • 2. See above.
  • 3. LC 3/24, f. 3; CTB VIII, 222.
  • 4. Beattie, p. 211.
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