The stables: Equerries 1660-1837 | British History Online

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

Citation:

'The stables: Equerries 1660-1837', 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/pp607-611 [accessed 26 November 2024].

Equerries 1660–1837

The chief duty of the equerries was 'to attend the King on Horseback, and on all public Occasions'. In fact, by the reign of George I, they rode in the lead coach. In addition, equerries of the crown stable were 'to superintend the Saddle and Manage Stables;...and to instruct the Pages of Honor in Horsemanship'. (fn. 1) The equerries were appointed by royal warrant. During the reign of Charles II their number was fixed in principle at twelve, eight of whom were designated equerries of the hunting stable and four equerries of the crown, great or courser's stable. (fn. 2) During the reign of James II their number was reduced to six, with no distinction made as to function. The distinction returned under William III, when one was designated of the crown stable (see below). In 1760 the number of regular equerries rose to eight. It was reduced to seven in 1767. (fn. 3) In 1783 the office of chief, or first, equerry was created and united to that of clerk martial. At the same time the number of ordinary equerries was fixed at four. (fn. 4) From 1799 one or two extra equerries served.

In 1664 the remuneration attached to the offices consisted of wages of £20 and board wages of £100 plus diet at the gentlemen waiters' table. (fn. 5) In 1685 the salary was £256. (fn. 6) In 1704 it was increased to £300. (fn. 7) In 1803 it was raised to £445 while in 1812 it was fixed at £322 with an allowance of £250 in lieu of a house. In 1813 the salary was raised to £500 bringing the total remuneration to £750. (fn. 8)

After 1690 there was one equerry of the crown stable. From 1715 two served each with a salary of £256. (fn. 9) In 1765 they were differentiated in rank and designated first and second equerry, with salaries of £256 and £200 respectively. (fn. 10) In 1779 the office of first equerry was abolished. (fn. 11) The salary of the remaining equerry was increased to £322 in 1812 and to £445 in 1823. (fn. 12) Extra equerries of the crown stable were appointed from time to time.

Equerries of the Crown (Great Horse or Coursers') Stable

(1660–?1685; 1690–1837)



1660		Armorer, Sir. W.
1660		Beauclair, J.
1660		Muziene, J., sen.
1660		Slaughter, E.
By 1669		Warner, H.
By 1670		Muziene, J. jun.
By 1670		Porter, J.
By 1674		Watson, F. (later Sir. F)
1677	18 May	Armorer, D.
1677	1 July	Eagle, G.
1678	25 Mar.	Morgan, H.
1682	28 Mar.	Foubert, S. de.
By 1685		Scroope, Sir R. (?Crown)
1685		Office vacant?
1690	19 May	Gramar, P.L.
1694	12 Feb.	Richaussee, P.V.
1702	6 July	Foubert, H.
1715	16 Sept.	Richaussee, P.V.
1742	21 Aug.	Foubert, H.
1743	21 Feb.	Durell, S.
1745	13 Sept.	St. Paul, W.F.
1765	5 Feb.	St. Amour, J.
1771	5 July	Durell, T.
1790	23 Mar.	Montagu, J.
1812	13 Aug.	Quentin, C.
1825		Quentin, Sir G.A.

Extra Equerries of the Crown Stable 1690–1766



1690	6 June	Foubert, S.
1698	24 Mar.	Foubert, H.
1721	5 Oct.	Durell, S.
1766	29 May	Evans, T.

Equerries of the Hunting Stable (from 1685, Equerries)1660–1837



1660		Carleton, T.
1660		Adderley, Sir C.
1660		Armorer, N. (later Sir N.).
1660		Cole, A.
1660		Progers, H. (later Sir. H.)
1660		Pye, Sir R.
1660		Windham, T.
1663	23 May	Strickland, W.
By 1669		Wickliffe, J.
1671	21 Jan.	Fairfax, B.
1675	22 Jan.	Wicherley, W.
1675	5 Apr.	Godfrey, C.
By 1678		Lyndall, W.
1678	20 Apr.	Pope, R.
1678	13 June	Adderley, C.
1679	1 Jan.	Vyner, T.
By 1682		Wyndham, E.
By 1682		Foubert, S.
By 1685		Scroope, Sir R.
By 1685		Turner, C.
By 1685		Carter, R.
By 1685		Oglethorpe, T.
By 1685		Beaumont, J.
By 1688		Sheldon, R.
1689	14 Mar.	Ireton, H.
1689	15 Mar.	Butler, T.
1689	15 Mar.	Latton, J.
1689	15 Mar.	Fairfax, B.
1689	15 Mar.	Hobart, Sir H.
By 1692		Cockayne, J.
By 1693		Dormer, C.
1694	22 July	Pope, R.
By 1699		Lloyd, W.
1699	1 Jan.	Feilding, G.
1702	23 June	Chudleigh, H.
1702	6 July	Lister, T.
1702	6 July	Bulkeley, R.
1702	6 July	Duncombe, W.
1702	6 July	Oglethorpe, L.
1704	11 Nov.	Meredith, T.
1707	7 Nov.	Breton, W.
1708	20 Jan.	Panton, T.
1711	12 June	Wentworth, P.
1714	20 Nov.	Pulteney, H.
1714	20 Nov.	Berkeley, Hon. H.
1714	20 Nov.	Aylmer, H.
1714	20 Nov.	Cecil, W.
1727	7 Aug.	Blomberg, E.C.
1727	7 Aug.	Clayton, C.
1727	7 Aug.	Lumley, Hon. J.
1730	6 Feb.	Lloyd, P.
1737	20 June	Feilding, Hon. C.
1737	20 June	Mordaunt, J.
1743	19 Apr.	Elliot, W.
1743	3 Dec.	Worsley, T.
1747	5 Jan.	Brudenell, G.B.
1758	24 May	Chetwynd, W.
1760	15 Dec.	Carr, T.
1760	16 Dec.	Johnstone, J.
1760	16 Dec.	Carpenter, B.
1760	16 Dec.	Bishop, T.
1760	16 Dec.	Desaguliers, T.
1760	23 Dec.	Keppel, Hon. W.
1760	24 Dec.	Ramsden, F.
1760		Hamilton, W.
1771	17 Apr.	Mathew, E.
1778	29 Mar.	Goldsworthy, P.
1781	5 July	Greville, Hon. R.F.
1782	19 Apr.	Price, W.
1783	19 Mar.	Manners, R.
1787	31 Jan.	Gwynn, F.E.
1788	14 Mar.	Garth, T.
1797	8 Nov.	Cartwright, W.
1801	6 Jan.	Manningham, C.
1809	27 Aug.	Fitzroy, Hon. C.
1811	11 Oct.	Spencer, B.
1812	10 Mar.	Hammond, F.T.
1812	10 Mar.	Congreve, W.
1812	10 Mar.	Bayly, H.
1812	10 Mar.	Howard, Hon. F.
1815		Vivian, Sir R.H.
1817		Seymour, H.H.J.
1821		Bolton, Sir R.
1828	13 June	Barnard, Sir A.F.
1830	16 July	Sidney, Sir P.C.
1830	16 July	FitzClarence, F.
1830	16 July	d'Este, Sir A.F.
1830	16 July	Kennedy Erskine, Hon. J.
1831	6 Mar.	Fox, C.R.
1832	22 May	Bowater, E.
1832	12 Sept.	Seymour, H.B.
1835	17 Jan.	Cavendish, Hon. H.F.C.

Equerries in Extraordinary 1799–1821; 1831–1837



1799	31 July	Manningham, C.
1799	31 July	Disbrowe, E.
1801	5 Jan.	Fitzroy, Hon. C.
1801	3 June	Spencer, B.
1810	31 Jan.	Wynyard, W.
1812	May	Vivian, Sir R.H.
1812	May	Mellish, H.F.
1817		Bolton, Sir R.
1831	9 Sept.	Cavendish, Hon. H.F.C.
1835	10 Jan.	Wemyss, W.