The household below stairs: Scullery 1660-1837

Scullery 1660–1837

The servants of the scullery washed and set out the royal plate and pewter. They also ordered and distributed the court's charcoal. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the scullery consisted of a clerk and a sergeant appointed by royal warrant and yeomen, grooms, pages and children appointed by lord steward's warrant. The fixed remuneration of the clerk, was set at wages of £6 13s 4d and board wages of £54 15s in 1662, rising 1674–80 to £80. In addition, he was allowed poundage on the plate passing into the office. Between 1685 and 1689 the office was combined with that of clerk of the bakehouse, pastry, poultry and woodyard with a salary of £91 13s 4d. In 1689 the remuneration was fixed at wages of £6 13s 3d and board wages of £73 6s 8d. The office was combined with that of clerk of the pastry and woodyard between 1702 and 1761 and was abolished in the latter year. (fn. 2)

The remuneration of the sergeant was fixed at wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £54 15s in 1662. The board wages fell to £38 11s 10½d in 1680. The office was reduced to supernumerary status in 1685. (fn. 3)

Three yeomen were appointed in 1660, with one becoming supernumerary in 1662. In 1664 the wages were fixed at £5 for three yeomen of the woodyard and scullery. The board wages were settled at £40 at the same time but thereafter fluctuated between £26 19s 10 3/4 d in 1668 and £45 12s 3d. in 1674. In 1685 the number of yeomen was reduced to two with salaries of £40, plus lodgings. In 1689 wages of £5 and board wages of £45 were substituted. From 1761 one yeoman served with a salary of £70. In 1812 he was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's with a salary of £120 while a second effective yeoman was appointed at Carlton House at £200. In 1813 the former was granted an addition of £160 in compensation for the abolition of allowances in kind. In 1836 these two officers were replaced by three yeomen, £200, £160 and £125, respectively. (fn. 4)

Three grooms appear to have been appointed in 1660, two from 1661, three again in 1664 (to serve the scullery and woodyard) before settling again at two in 1668. In 1664 the wages were fixed at £2 13s 4d, the board wages at £36 10s. Thereafter board wages fluctuated between £26 13s 3d (by the establishment of 1668) and £40 (by that of 1674). In 1685 the number of grooms was reduced to one with a salary of £30. In 1689 it was increased to two with wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £37 6s 8d. From 1702 to 1719 two joint grooms served, dividing these emoluments. A single groom served from 1719 to 1727 and two from 1727 to 1761. From 1761 one groom served with a salary of £70. In 1812 the salary was reduced to £67, but total emoluments rose in the following year to £122 in compensation for loss of allowances in kind. Supernumerary grooms were appointed in 1664, 1674 and 1686. (fn. 5)

Two pages served from 1660 to 1761, apart from the period 1664–1668, when these places were eliminated from the Household establishment. In 1668 they were allowed wages of £2 and board wages of £26 13s 3d apiece in 1668. These board wages rose to £36 10s in 1674, then fell to £22 6s 8d in 1680. The pages received salaries of £20 each in 1685. This was raised to wages of £2 and board wages of £33 in 1689. This remained the remuneration of the position until its final elimination in 1761. (fn. 6)

Three children were appointed in 1660. Two ordinary and two supernumerary servants were provided for on the Establishment of 1 December 1662. Three supernumeraries only were named in 1664; in 1668 two of these were restored to ordinary status. In 1668 wages were £2 and board wages £15 4s 2d for both ordinary and supernumerary children. The number of ordinary children rose to four by about 1670, then fell to one (with three supernumeraries) in 1685. Board wages rose to £27 7s 8d in 1674, then fell to £22 6s 2 1/2d in 1680. In 1685 the sole remaining child in ordinary received a salary of £20 in 1685, the supernumeraries £15 apiece. Three children in ordinary and two supernumeraries served from 1689 to about 1699 at £2 in wages and £33 in board wages. Two served to 1727, and three again from 1727 until the position's elimination by the Establishment of 1 July 1761. (fn. 7)

The servant of the scullery was appointed by the lord steward. He received £2 in wages and £33 in board wages on the Establishment of 1702. The place was abolished on the Establishment of 1 July 1761. (fn. 8)

The pewter scourer was appointed by the clerks of the green cloth or, from 1782, the clerks of the household [?in rotation]. He received £30 per annum in 1727. The assistant scourers and whitener were appointed by the lord steward. By 1769 there were six assistant scourers at £30 per annum apiece. Their number rose to nine by 1797, then fell to two at £70 in 1815. The two assistant scourers at Carlton House made £40 per annum apiece. From 1830, the assistant scourers at Carlton House were folded into the main Household scullery. The whitener made £30 per annum. By 1803 she was simply listed among the assistant scourers. (fn. 9)

Pankeepers were appointed by the clerks of the green cloth or, after 1782, clerks of the household in rotation. In 1664 two pankeepers received £27 7s 6d apiece in board wages. In 1685 one pankeeper was made supernumerary; the remaining servant in ordinary received £18 5s. The Establishment of 1689 restored the second pankeeper and paid both £30 apiece. Two more pankeepers were added in 1727, and additional pankeepers thereafter, but these positions were retrenched in 1761. The position appears to have been abolished on the death of the last holder in 1812. (fn. 10)

Clerk 1660–1761

Supernumerary Clerk 1686–1688

Clerk Assistant 1689–?1699

Sergeant 1660–1685

Supernumerary Sergeant 1685

Yeomen 1660–1664; 1668–1837

Supernumerary Yeoman 1662–1668

Grooms 1660–1837

Supernumerary Grooms

(1664–1668; 1674–1679; 1686–1699)

Pages 1660–1664; 1668–1761

Children 1660–1664; 1668–1761

Supernumerary Children of the Scullery

(1662–1674; 1675–1699; 1710–1711; 1715)

Servant 1702–1761

Pewter Scourer ?1725–1815

Pankeepers 1664–1812

Supernumerary Pankeeper 1685–1688

Assistant Scourers 1764–1837

Assistant Scourers at Carlton House 1812–1830

Whitener 1761–1803

Note: LS 13/184 seems to exchange P. White for J. Webster in 1810]