The household below stairs: Cartakers 1660-c. 1829

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

Citation:

'The household below stairs: Cartakers 1660-c. 1829', 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/pp431-435 [accessed 26 November 2024].

Cartakers 1660–c. 1829

Cartakers were responsible for providing wagons, carts, etc. when the court went on progress. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the cartakers consisted of a clerk of the carriages or clerk of the cartakers appointed by royal warrant and yeomen and grooms appointed by lord steward's warrant. There was originally a sole clerk. A second served from 1662 although at times reduced to supernumerary status. The remuneration consisted of wages of £6 13s 4d and board wages of £54 15s, increased to £60 in 1664 but reduced to £43 6s 8d in 1680. The offices were abolished, but for one supernumerary, in 1685. (fn. 2)

A single yeoman served from 1660 to 1689 when there was an increase to three. There was a reduction to two in 1702 and to one in 1761. Remuneration consisted of wages of £5 and board wages varying from £40 in 1664 to £35 in 1680. In 1685 a salary of £40 was provided. In 1689 wages were fixed at £5 and board wages at £45. In 1761 these were consolidated into a salary of £50. (fn. 3)

The number of grooms fluctuated considerably between 1660 and 1668, declining from five to two. Three served from 1668 to 1761 except during the years 1685–8 and 1702–27 when there was again a reduction to two. From 1761 a single groom served. Remuneration consisted of wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages varying from £40 in 1664 to £27 6s 8d in 1680. In 1685 a salary of £30 was provided. In 1689 wages were fixed at £2 13s 4d and board wages at £37 6s 8d. In 1761 these were consolidated into a salary of £40. Supernumerary grooms were appointed between 1661 and 1696. (fn. 4)

In 1782 the office of groom was abolished and that of yeoman, redesignated simply “cartaker”, became the sole officer of the department at £50 a year. In 1812 this officer was made redundant at St. James's at a salary of £39 increased to £45 in the following year. He was still receiving this sum in 1829. (fn. 5)

Tailcartakers “had anciently, when the Court was furnish'd with Provisions by the several Counties, considerable employment; being employ'd for conveying such Provisions to Court.” But when purveyance was abolished at the Restoration they became virtual sinecures. They were appointed by the lord steward. Four “Cartakers of London” were listed in 1660. By 1664 they were established at £2 3s 4d apiece. This remained their number and remuneration until their abolition in 1761. (fn. 6)

The cart-loader made £18 5s in board wages. (fn. 7)

Clerks of the Carriages 1660–1685



1660	16 Aug.	Paine, J.
1662	9 July	Scoresby, W. (to the Queen)
1668	1 Oct.	Scoresby, W. (to the Queen)
1674	16 Mar.	Palmer, C.

Supernumerary Clerk of the Carriages 1662–1668; 1685–1688



1662	1 Dec.	[?] (fn. 8)
1664	1 Oct.	Scoresby, W.
1685	1 July	Scoresby, W.

Yeomen 1660–1782



1660	25 Aug.	Blagrave, W.
1662	21 Apr.	Cotton, D.
1682	12 Feb.	Sizer, R.
1687	24 Mar.	Miller, H.
1689	8 Mar.	Scoresby, C.
1689	10 May	Zevenhoven, J.
1702	3 July	Fielder, R.
1702	3 July	Kilmain, E.
1724	14 Apr.	Kilmain, D.
1727	30 June	Withers, R.
1727	1 July	Whitaker, S.
1729	16 June	May, I.
1735	1 Jan.	Rice, W.
1742	1 Mar.	Meebourn, N.
1752	29 Jan.	Martin, N.
1754	10 Dec.	Hanbury, J.
1761	1 July	Stephenson, B.
1782	1 July	Stephenson, J.

Grooms 1660–1782



1660	25 Aug.	Cotton, D.
1660	30 Aug.	Howse, D.
1660	31 Aug	Hobbs, R.
1660	6 Sept.	Charnock, B.
1662	21 Apr.	Mott, J.
1662	11 Nov.	Sizer, R.
1671	5 Dec.	Mason, R.
1680	17 Sept.	Miller, H.
1682	12 Feb.	Sizer, J.
1684	9 July	Douglas, S.
1687	24 Mar.	Douglas, S.
1689	26 Mar.	Pierman, J.
1689	26 Mar.	Blackwell, R.
1689	1 May Kilmain, E.
1697	9 Sept.	Munden, W.
1702	3 July	Arber, W.
1719	13 Feb.	Clifton, M.
1722	15 Nov.	Handcock, J.
1723	1 Oct.	Withers, R.
1724	18 Mar.	Rice, W.
1727	1 July	Meebourn, N.
1727	1 July	Holbeck, J.
1735	1 Jan.	Mist, J.
1737	18 Apr.	Thorpe, G.
1742	1 Mar.	Thompson, T.
1743	14 Nov.	Martin, N.
1747	1 July	Hanbury, J.
1752	29 Jan.	Johnson, J.
1753	16 Oct.	Keene, J.
1754	10 Dec.	Gwynn, W.
1781	1 Jan.	Huntington, J.

Supernumerary Grooms

(1661–1667; 1669–1671; 1677–1684; 1686–1687; 1696)



1661	11 Oct.	Mott, J.
1662	1 Dec.	[?] (fn. 8)
1662	1 Dec.	[?] (fn. 8)
1664	1 Oct.	House, D.
1669	15 Apr.	Mason, R.
1677	28 June	Miller, H.
1681	18 Feb.	Douglas, S.
1686	1 Feb.	Douglas, S.
1696	20 May	Munden, W.

Cartaker 1783–1829



1783	1 Jan.	Stephenson, J.

Tailcartakers [Groom Purveyors of Long Carts] 1660–c.1761



By 1661		Garnham, R.
By 1661		Wiggan, R., jun.
By 1661		Pryer, J.
By 1661		Eger, T.
1663	12 Feb.	Haynes, T.
1665	23 June	Bray, A.
1668	16 July	Toll, C.
1685	13 July	Halsey, J.
1685	15 Dec.	Haynes, T.
1685	15 Dec.	Toll, C.
1686	2 May	Gascoigne, H.
1689	25 Mar.	Bray, A.
1689	1 Apr.	Garnham, C.
1691	19 Nov.	Perrer, D.
1694	5 Mar.	Abbadie, Jacob
1702	3 July	Spiesmaker, L.
1702	3 July	Parsons, E.
1705	16 Feb.	Lloyd, T.
1705	24 Apr.	Bruce, A.
1706	22 Apr.	Abbadie, J.J.
1707	29 Mar.	Beck, A. von
1707	20 June	Clerk, G.
1721	14 June	Cooke, G.
1722	10 Jan.	Metcalf, P.
1725	28 Oct.	Boswell, S. [sen.]
1727	1 July	Green, F.
1733	25 Aug.	Martin, J.
1737	1 Oct.	Boswell, S., [jun.]
1742	1 Jan.	Green, T.
1748	1 Apr.	Elms, J.
1761	1 July	Coller, E.
1761	1 July	Gotch, E.
1761	1 July	Hill, T.
1761	1 July	Mathews, S.

Cart-Loader c. 1699–1727



By 1699		Trevor, T.
1725	1 Apr.	Wheelwright, H.

Carman 1762–?



1762	1 Jan.	Mears, J.
1770	8 Jan.	Marsh, W.
1784	13 Aug.	Marsh, J.

Carrier at Windsor 1785–?



1785	4 Oct.	Banyard, J.
1792	1 June	Bending, A.