Council of trade and plantations 1696-1782

COUNCIL OF TRADE AND PLANTATIONS 1696-1782

Commissioners 1696-1782

The Council of Trade and Foreign Plantations of 1696 was appointed by the crown by commission under the great seal. It was composed of various unsalaried ex officio Commissioners who were not expected to attend the Board regularly and a certain number of paid Commissioners to whom the conduct of business was entrusted. Originally the ex officio Commissioners consisted of the holders of the offices of Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper, Lord President of the Council, Lord Privy Seal, Lord Treasurer or First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Admiral or First Lord of the Admiralty, Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Exchequer. To these were added the Bishop of London in 1702 and the Surveyor and Auditor General of Plantations in 1721. (fn. 1)

The number of paid Commissioners was fixed in principle at eight although it fell to seven between 1707 and 1712 and between 1768 and 1779. The senior such Commissioner, usually known as the First Lord, presided. This office was discontinued between 1768 and 1779 when the Secretary of State for the Colonies, an ex officio Commissioner, presided. (fn. 2) The Council was dismissed by the King on 2 May 1782, being abolished by act later in the same year. (fn. 3)

The salaries of the Commissioners were fixed at £1000 each payable at the Exchequer. (fn. 4) Under an arrangement which cannot be dated precisely the First Lord was accorded an additional salary from the secret service money. The earliest First Lord who is known to have enjoyed such a salary was Monson (1737-48) who received £500 a year. His successor, Halifax, received the same until about 1752 when the amount was raised to £1500. (fn. 5) In 1761 regular provision was made for the First Lord to be paid an additional salary of £1000 at the Exchequer. Payment of this salary was suspended between 1768 and 1779 during the period when the Board was presided over by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, who received no remuneration for his services in this respect. (fn. 6)

In the following list ex officio Commissioners are omitted.

Secretary 1696-1782

Although the appointment of the Secretary in 1696 was recorded as an act of the Board, it seems clear that the individual in question had already been nominated by the crown. (fn. 8) From 1707 the position of the crown was overtly recognised and the Secretary was admitted to office by the Board on the receipt of a letter from a Secretary of State signifying the royal nomination. (fn. 9) In 1722 the Board made an unsuccessful attempt to secure the right of appointment. (fn. 10) The office was held singly throughout the period except for the years 1753-8 when it was filled by two Secretaries acting jointly. (fn. 1) The salary, originally £500, was increased to £700 in 1764. (fn. 12)

Deputy Secretary 1696-1782

The office of Deputy Secretary, or Chief Clerk, was created in 1696 with a salary of £100. (fn. 13) In 1712 the Deputy Secretary was granted an additional allowance of £100 from the contingency account of the office. (fn. 14) In 1764 the salary was fixed at £300. (fn. 15)

Solicitor and Clerk of Reports 1730-82

This office was created in 1730. (fn. 16) It was granted to joint holders in 1779. (fn. 17) The salary, which formed part of the contingent expenses of the Board, was fixed at £200 in 1730. (fn. 18) J. Pownall received an additional allowance of £100 from 1752 to 1753 as did Sedgwick and Bradbury from 1758 to 1764. (fn. 19) In 1764 the salary was fixed at £150. (fn. 20)

Clerks 1696-1782

In 1696 provision was made for four Clerks, three with salaries of £80 and one with a salary of £60. (fn. 22) The total number of Clerks was raised to five in 1700 and to six in 1701, slight alterations being made in their salaries from time to time. (fn. 23) In 1708 the establishment was fixed at seven Clerks, one at £80, one at £70, one at £60, two at £50 and two at £40. (fn. 24) This arrangement remained unaltered until 1764 when a new establishment was authorised consisting of nine Clerks with salaries of £100, £90, £80, £70, £60, £55, £50, £45 and £40. (fn. 25) At the time of the suppression of the Board in 1782 the number of Clerks had fallen to seven due to the fact that the vacancies which had occurred in 1777 and 1781 had not been filled. (fn. 26)

Office Keepers 1696-1782

In 1696 provision was made for two Office or Chamber Keepers, sometimes known as Doorkeepers, each with a salary of £40. (fn. 27) On the abolition of the office of second Messenger in 1701 the salary of Child, one of the Office Keepers, was raised to £45 and he was given the additional title of Assistant Messenger. (fn. 28) On the death of Clarke in 1728 his office was abolished and all the duties were entrusted to Tregonning who had succeeded Child as Office Keeper and Assistant Messenger in 1721. (fn. 29) Thereafter the Board was served by one Office Keeper with a salary of £45.

Messengers 1696-1782

In 1696 provision was made for two Messengers, each with a salary of £40. (fn. 30) On the death of How in 1701 one of the offices was abolished and all the duties were entrusted to the remaining Messenger, Gray, who was given the additional title of Assistant Chamber Keeper and an increased salary of £45. (fn. 31) In 1756 the then Messenger was appointed Porter and held the two offices concurrently until the suppression of the Board. (fn. 32)

Necessary Woman 1696-1782

In 1696 provision was made for a Necessary Woman with a salary of £30. (fn. 33)

Porter 1724-82

This office was created in 1724. The salary of £40, which originally formed part of the contingent expenses of the office, was made a charge on the establishment in 1728. (fn. 34) In 1756 the then Messenger was appointed Porter and held the two offices concurrently until the suppression of the Board. (fn. 35)

Counsel 1718-82

The 1696 commission empowered the Board to call upon the Attorney or Solicitor General or any of the King's Counsel for advice on legal matters. (fn. 36) From 1704 the Attorney and Solicitor General each received a standing allowance of 100 guineas in respect of their services in this connection. (fn. 37) In 1718 the Board was accorded the services of a permanent Counsel whose function was to report on all matters of law which were not considered to be of sufficient importance to require the opinion of the Attorney or Solicitor General. (fn. 38) West, the first holder of the office, was selected from amongst the King's Counsel. In 1725 his successor, Fane, was appointed Counsel specifically for the affairs of the Board of Trade. (fn. 39) In 1727, however, he was appointed a King's Counsel at large, a course that was followed in the cases of Lamb and Jackson. Having received their appointments from the crown by letters patent under the great seal, the Counsel were assigned to the service of the Board by means of a letter from one of the Secretaries of State. (fn. 40) In 1782 the function of reporting on colonial acts, which had previously been carried out by the Board's Counsel, was entrusted to a Counsel attached to the office of the Secretary of State who had charge of colonial business. (fn. 41)

In 1718 a salary of £300, payable at the Exchequer, was attached to the office. (fn. 42) In 1721 this salary was discontinued and a new arrangement was made whereby the Counsel was paid by the Treasury Solicitor. Thereafter his remuneration consisted of a fixed allowance calculated on the basis of twice weekly attendances at the Board at three guineas a time and a further fee of three guineas for each report on cases or colonial acts submitted to him by the Board. (fn. 43)

In the following list the dates are, except in the case of West, those of the letters patent.

(Oxford 1970), 21-32; PRO 30/8/184 f. 54). I am grateful to Mr. Michael Collinge for the last reference.