Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Originally published by University of London, London, 2006.
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'The household below stairs: Spicery 1660-1818', 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/pp574-576 [accessed 26 November 2024].
'The household below stairs: Spicery 1660-1818', 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/pp574-576.
"The household below stairs: Spicery 1660-1818". 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/pp574-576.
In this section
Spicery 1660–1818
The spicery was responsible for the delivery of spices, goods supplied by the grocer and oylman (`including Westphalia hams, olives, pickled cucumbers, mangoes, caviar, parmesan cheese, oysters, truffles, asparagus and ketchup') and, after the abolition of the chandry in 1702, wax candles. (fn. 1) Clerks of the spicery were appointed by royal warrant. Originally three in number, they were reduced to two in 1671 and to one in 1685. Two joint clerks served from 1689 to 1706. Thereafter there was one clerk. Under Charles II the first clerk received wages of £32 and board wages which fluctuated between £219 in 1662, down to just £80 in 1680. In addition, he was allowed a proportion of the goods delivered out of his office, as well as fees on new linen, groceries and wax candles, which were calculated to be worth more than £1,000 per annum. The second clerk made wages of £11 8s 1 1/2d and board wages which fluctuated between £164 (by the establishment of 1674) and £68 11s 10 1/2d (by that of 1680). In 1685 the sole clerk received £80. In 1689 the joint clerks divided wages of £32 and board wages of £168. In 1706 this was reduced to £16 and £84 for the sole clerk. In 1761 a salary of £200 was provided. By this time the office was recognised as a sinecure, the work being undertaken by the assistant clerk. In 1812 the clerk was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's with a salary of £145, increased to £170 in 1813 in compensation for loss of allowances in kind. The office was left unfilled on the death of its incumbent in 1818. (fn. 2)
The office of assistant clerk of the spicery, to which appointments were made by lord steward's warrant, was created in 1761 with a salary of £100. It was made redundant at St. James's in 1812 with a salary of £78 increased to £152 in 1813 in compensation for loss of allowances in kind. The office was left unfilled on the death of its incumbent in 1813. (fn. 3)
The porter, first established in 1761, was appointed by the lord steward and made £43 per annum. (fn. 4)
Clerks 1660–1818
Supernumerary Clerk 1660–1668
Deputy Clerk ?1693–?1702
Assistant Clerk 1761–1813
| 1761 | 1 July | Stephens, E. |
| 1762 | 1 Jan. | Tarris, J. |
| 1764 | 14 June | Willis, H.N. |
| 1765 | 25 May | Gale, J. |
| 1768 | 1 July | White, J. |
| 1773 | 1 Jan. | Ramus, J. |
| 1777 | 1 Jan. | Wall, J. |
| 1795 | 19 Mar. | Mulliner, T. |