The Chapel Royal at St James's

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 Chapel Royal at St James's', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006) pp. 304-315. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp304-315 [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

Chapel Royal at St. James's (from 1704, Whitehall) 1689–1829; 1837

The chapel royal at St. James's was established in 1689. By January 1704, in the aftermath of the burning of Whitehall, it was removed to the Banqueting House of that palace. (fn. 1) Its officers were appointed by warrant from the dean of the chapel royal to the sub-dean. There were two reading chaplains attached to the chapel `whose duty is to read Prayers twice a day in their respective waitings, on Sundays more particularly at Eight of the Clock in the morning, when the Sacrament is always administred throughout the whole Year; and after it at Ten of the Clock' at £10 in wages and £70 per annum apiece. (fn. 2) In addition, there were six preaching chaplains, appointed by the dean of the chapel royal, in attendance for two months at a time between at least 1692 and 1724. Early editions of Chamberlayne list a salary of £80 per annum, apiece, but by the reign of George I they received no salary. (fn. 3) Late in the reign of William III these six chaplains were designated `The Princess's Chaplains'. (fn. 4)

From 1724 the six preaching chaplains were increased to twenty-four, `being Fellows of Colleges in the two Universities' at £30 per annum apiece `for preaching one Month in the Year.' (fn. 5) These positions ceased in 1829 when the Whitehall chapel was closed for renovations. When it was reopened in April 1837 it was staffed by just two preachers. (fn. 6)

The closet keeper at St. James's, transferred to Whitehall about 1704, made £50 per annum plus £40 as chapel keeper. The chapel keeper at St. James's (later Whitehall), sometimes called the yeoman of the chapel (and therefore not to be confused with the yeoman of the vestry: see RK [1797], p. 94), was paid £50 plus £50 per annum for providing surplices. Under George I, his wages were reduced to £41 10s but he made an additional £31 5s by providing table-linnen for the chaplains. This was in addition to the £50 for surplices. (fn. 7)

Reading Chaplains at St. James's (from c. 1704, Whitehall)1689–1837

1689 4 Oct. Smith, J.
1689 4 Oct. Pullein, J.
1691 23 Dec. Harper, T.
1697 29 Sept. Palmer, B.
1708 28 Oct. Case, T.
1710 6 Mar. Key, F.
1715 8 Aug. Mingy, T.
1719 9 July Flintoft, L.
1727 8 Nov. Carleton, G.
1732 29 Dec. Richardson, J.
1748 6 June Evans, J.
1761 23 Feb. Cowley, F.L.
1777 6 Nov. Evans, D.
1778 3 Dec. Este, C.
1781 28 Apr. Morel, W.
1808 24 Nov. Howlett, J.H.
1813 23 Oct. Jones, T.

Afternoon Reader c. 1805–1837

By 1805 Clark, J.
1805 2 Dec. Caddick, R.
By 1816 Hesketh, T.
By 1827 Owen, W.

[Preaching] Chaplains at St. James's (From 1704, Whitehall)1692–1829

By 1692 Newton, -
By 1692 Athur, -
By 1692 Chettwood, -
By 1692 Doughty, -
By 1692 Appleford, -
By 1692 Green, -
By 1694 Penton, S.
By 1694 Felstead, T.
By 1694 Bedford, -
By 1694 Atterbury, L.
By 1700 Groves, W.
By 1700 Swinfin, J.
By 1704 Ovington, J.
By 1704 Brown, F.
By 1707 Marshall, T.
By 1715 Marshall, [?T], jun.
By 1715 Willis, -
By 1715 Ramsey, -
By 1718 Bridger, -
By 1718 Hill, -
By 1718 Worcester, -
By 1720 Flintoff, L.
By 1723 Richardson, J.
By 1723 Carleton, G.
By 1727 Speke, P.
By 1727 Wilcox, J.
By 1727 Cary, J.
By 1727 Nicholls, W.
By 1727 Holmes, G.
By 1727 Allen, F.
By 1727 Meadowcourt, R.
By 1727 Castle, E.
By 1727 Cartwright, T.
1727 1 Jan. Reynolds, -
1727 15 Jan. Haynes, -
1727 5 Feb. Stillingfleet, -
1727 19 Feb. Hildesley, M.
1727 6 Mar. Williams, P.
1727 19 Mar. Peisley, -
1727 2 Apr. Reynell,
C.1727 16 Apr. Fortin, -
1727 7 May Streat, -
1727 21 May Adams, J.
1727 4 June Washington, G.
1727 18 June Thomas, J.
1727 2 July Vernon, E.
1728 21 Jan. Sedgewick, W.
1728 4 Feb. Conybeare, J.
1728 17 Mar. Brown, J.
1728 21 Apr. Le Hunt, A.
1728 16 June Ratcliff, J.
1728 7 July Greene, S.
1728 16 Nov. Clarkson, C.
1729 21 Sept. Prescott, K.
1730 1 Mar. Low, W.
1730 19 Apr. Marriott, R.
1730 7 June Brotherton, T.
1730 21 June Lawson, J.
1730 1 Nov. Edgecumbe, J.
1730 20 Dec. Bradshaw, W.
1731 16 May Heyrick, N.
1731 18 July Chapman, J.
1732 2 Jan. Thornborough, E.
1732 20 Feb. Trevigar, L.
1732 16 Apr. Bernard, J.
1732 2 July Wightwick, W.
1732 20 July Johnson, T.
1732 17 Sept. Garnett, J.
1732 5 Nov. Rooke, G. H.
1732 3 Dec. Tilson, R.
1733 20 May Cannon, C.
1733 17 June Smyth, T.
1734 15 Dec. Tottie, J.
1735 18 May Stedman, S.
1736 4 Feb. Jackson, L.
1736 1 Aug. Bentham, E.
1736 15 Aug. Caryl, L.
1737 18 Sept. Prescott, K.
1737 23 Oct. Hole, W.
1737 20 Nov. Burton, D.
1738 19 Mar. Wolley, S.
1738 4 June Keene, E.
1738 20 Aug. Plumptre, C.
1738 19 Nov. Green, J.
1739 22 July Woodward, J.
1739 17 Aug. Payne, G.
1739 21 Oct. Aylmer, F.
1740 20 July Thicknesse, T.
1740 17 Aug. Goddard, P.
1740 2 Nov. Brown, R.
1740 14 Dec. Gilbert, W.
1741 4 Jan. Higgate, J.
1741 18 Oct. Nourse, P.
1742 17 Jan. Berdmore, T.
1742 20 June Forster, T.
1742 18 July Bennet, P.
1742 19 Sept. Heaton, H.
1742 19 Dec. Costard, G.
1743 5 June Yonge, P.
1743 3 July Fothergill, W.
1743 20 Nov. Thomson, J.
1743 4 Dec. Belham, E.
1744 15 Jan. Wigley, J.
1744 4 Mar. Wilson, C.
1744 17 June Lowth, R.
1744 16 Sept. Ibbetson, J.
1745 2 June Stebbing, H.
1745 20 Oct. Saunders, E.
1745 17 Nov. Hughes, D.
1746 20 Apr. Rothery, W.
1746 15 June Wells, C.
1747 16 Aug. Barnard, T.
1748 17 Apr. Buxton, J.
1748 1 May Parker, W.
1748 19 June Hind, R.
1749 5 Nov. Green, R.
1750 7 Jan. Amphlett, J.
1750 3 June Ross, J.
1751 3 Mar. Hurd, R.
1751 21 Apr. Newton, B.
1751 2 June Duquesne, V.R.
1751 16 June Teritt, J.
1751 15 sept. Barton, H.
1751 6 Oct. Hobson, T.
1751 15 Dec. Sharp, W.
1752 19 Jan. Hall, C.
1752 17 Dec. Twynihoe, C.
1753 18 Feb. Thorpe, J.
1753 18 Mar. Neve, T.
1753 15 July Davy, J.
1754 2 June Backhouse, J.
1754 16 June Kennecott, B.
1754 1 Sept. Eliot, L.
1755 6 July Fothergill, T.
1755 7 Sept. E. Betham
1755 4 May Blencowe, W.
1755 3 Aug. Nash, T.
1756 3 Oct. Cotes, R.
1756 7 Nov. Tutté, F.
1758 5 Mar. Porteus, B.
1758 4 June Richardson, R.
1758 15 Oct. Longmire, D.
1759 16 Sept. Holwall, W.
By 1760 Hitchcock, T.
1760 1 June Barford, W.
1760 21 Sept. Lynch, J.
1760 5 Oct. Newcome, W.
1761 1 Feb. Edwards, E.
1761 19 Apr. Halifax, S.
1761 17 May Gunning, S.
1762 3 Jan. Hubbard, H.
1763 16 Jan. Smallwell, E.
1763 20 Mar. Rowden, F.
1763 3 Apr. Rotherham, J.
1763 18 Sept. Kent, A.
1764 4 Mar. Beadon, R.
1764 17 June Mortimer, C.
By 1765 Easton, T.
1765 5 May Shinton, G.
1765 4 Aug. Evens, -
1765 17 Aug. Backhouse, W.
1765 17 Nov. Talbot, W.
1766 3 Aug. Ellison, N.
1766 5 Oct. Wheeler, B.
1767 5 Apr. Thomson, S.
1767 3 May Cleaver, J.
1767 17 May Colman, W.
1767 20 Sept. Nicholls, J.
1767 15 Nov. Berdmore, S.
1768 3 Jan. Hay, J.
1768 3 July Nicolson, T.
1769 19 Nov. Farmor, R.
1770 1 Apr. Blaney, B.
1770 6 May Chelsum, J.
1770 3 June Thackeray, E.
1770 15 July Wright, B.
1770 18 Nov. Lort, M.
1770 2 Dec. Purkiss, W.
1770 16 Dec. Griffith, T.
1771 21 Apr. Paley, W.
1771 4 Aug. Saintsbury, T.
1772 19 Jan. Lucas, J.
1772 16 Aug. Collier, W.
1772 22 Nov. Pearce, W.
1773 18 July Stevens, T.
1773 19 Sept. Campbell, C.
1773 7 Dec. Bond, W.
1773 5 Dec. Arnald, W.
1773 19 Dec. Hele, R.
1774 7 Aug. Turner, G.
1775 Stinton, T.
1775 3 Sept. Yates, L.
1775 16 July Boyce, T.
1775 19 Nov. Norris, C.
1775 17 Dec. Burrough, J.
1775 3 Dec. Blackhall, S.
1777 16 Mar. White, J.
1777 20 Apr. Tyson, M.
1777 1 June Stephenson, M. A.
1777 20 July Hayter, T.
1777 7 Sept. Borlase, G.
1777 15 Oct. Randolph, H.
1777 19 Oct. Mapletoft, E.
1780 16 Apr. Kipling, T.
1780 21 May Walsby, E.
1780 20 Aug. Cranke, J.
1780 1 Oct. Holmes, R.
1780 5 Nov. Pettingal, T.
1781 18 Feb. Cooke, W.
1782 Berkely, J.
1782 5 May Sergrove, W.
1782 2 June Waterhouse, J.
1782 16 June Wintour, T.
1782 7 July Fisher, P.
1783 21 Sept. Collinson, S.
1784 18 Jan. Bentham, T.
1784 15 Aug. Atkinson,C.
1784 3 Oct. White, J.
1785 Sarraude, J.
1785 17 Apr. Bennet, W.
1785 21 Aug. Seale, J. B.
1785 6 Oct. Parkinson, T.
1785 11 Dec. Plampin, J.
By 1786 Hamanacke, -
1786 19 Feb. Cockshute, T.
1786 2 Apr. Flamank, W.
1786 4 June Buckland, J.
1786 20 Aug. Hodson, W.
1787 Richards, H.
1787 4 Nov. Griffin, -
1787 9 Dec. Warburton, W.
1788 Pett, P.
1788 16 Mar. Inge, W.
1788 19 Oct. Parke, B.
1788 Churton, R.
1789 20 Dec. Griffith, G.
1790 7 Mar. Fawcett, J.
1790 15 Mar. Prosser, R.
1790 18 Apr. Kerrick, F.
1790 Coulthorst, W.H.
1790 15 Aug. Webster, R.
1790 5 Sept. Cooper, W.
1791 Riley, R.
1791 2 Jan. Hopkins, J.
1791 4 Sept. Douglas, P.
1791 20 Nov. Cautley, T.
1791 Veysie, D.
1792 Metcalfe, J.
1792 18 Mar. Pye, H.A..
1792 4 Nov. Harpur, G.
1794 16 Feb. Brown, T.
1794 16 Mar. Barker, C.
1794 6 July Demainbray, S.
1794 21 Sept. Simpson, F.
1794 3 Oct. Morel, W.
1795 15 Feb. Vickers, J.
1795 23 Aug. Hardy, R.
1795 6 Sept. Mitford Peacock, D.
1795 15 Nov. Creswell, F.
1796 Illingworth, G. S.
1796 24 Jan. Wintle, H.
1796 3 Apr. Kett, H.
1796 17 July Curry, J.
1796 4 Sept. Cannon, E.
1796 18 Dec. Neve, E R.
1797 3 Sept. Mitchell, J.H.
1798 11 Feb. Parsons, G.
1798 4 Mar. Bridge, B.
1798 3 June Guard, J.
1798 5 Aug. Sawkins, C.
1798 23 Sept. Davis, H.
1799 21 Apr. Farish, W.
1799 7 July Heyes, J. L.
1799 19 Aug. Polhill, J. B.
1799 4 Oct. Mayo, C.
1800 21 Dec. Vaughan, P.
By 1801 Carey, W.
1801 18 Jan. Hooper, W.
1801 9 Aug. Porteus, -
1801 20 Sept. Vincicomb, J.
1801 1 Nov. Cholmondeley, H.
1802 17 Feb. Wood, W.
1802 16 May Chapman, B.
1802 18 Apr. Holden, J.
1802 1 Aug. Pearson, T.
1802 15 Aug. Scott, E.
1802 22 Aug. Agutter, W.
1802 29 Aug. Pearce, T.
1803 3 Sept. Hodgson, E.
1803 26 Sept. Wheeler, W.
1803 20 Mar. Thomas, V.
1803 5 June Michell, R.
1803 21 Aug. Blackhall, S.
1803 3 Sept. Hodgson, E.
1804 4 Mar. Brown, G. A.
1804 19 Aug. Butler, W.
1804 2 Sept. Doncaster, J.
1804 16 Sept. Warrington, W.
1804 18 Nov. Jackson, T.
1804 2 Dec. Hornbuckle, T. W.
1805 20 Jan. Shepherd, G.
1805 4 Aug. Dickenson, R.
1805 18 Aug. Walker, J.
1806 22 Mar. Darnell, W. N.
1806 17 Aug. Chevalier, C.
1806 19 Oct. Rogers, E.
1806 9 Nov. Barnes, F.
1806 7 Dec. Ellis, F.
1807 6 Sept. Hoskins, T.
By 1808 Bandinel, B.
1808 1 May Rowley, G.
By 1811 Wintle, T.
1811 Hollingsworth, J. B.
1811 17 Mar. Griffith, E.
1811 21 Apr. D'Oyley, G.
1811 22 Sept. Tench, J.
1811 3 Nov. Goldesborough, J.
1811 1 Dec. Cumming, J.
1811 22 Dec. Jenkyns, R.
1812 9 Feb. Chafey, W.
1812 5 May Webber, J.
1812 7 June Copplestone, E.
1812 19 July Monk, J. H.
1812 18 Oct. Dickes, T.
1812 Gardiner, R.B.
1813 2 Aug. Pemberton, W.A.
1813 19 Sept. Bridges, T. E.
1813 3 Oct. Spencer, J.
1814 2 Jan. Kaye, J.
1814 6 Feb. Corne, W.
1814 1 May Tarpley, K.M.R.
1815 1 Jan. Jephson, S.T.
1815 16 July French, W.
1815 20 Aug. Jefferson, R.
1815 3 Sept. Markby, W.H.
1815 1 Oct. Phillips, C.
1815 5 Nov. Davison, J.
1815 19 Nov. Vince, S. B.
1815 17 Dec. Parker, C. F.
By 1817 Hughes, T.J.S.
1817 2 Nov. Shuttleworth, P.N.
1818 1 Feb. Page, J.
1818 7 June Goodenough, E.
1819 18 Apr. Calvert, T.
1819 2 May Lloyd, C.
1819 3 Oct. Cardwell, E.
1820 6 Aug. Russell, W.
1820 3 Dec. Turton, T.
1821 9 July Benson, C.
1821 5 Aug. Short, T.V.
1821 17 Sept. Stevens, R.S.
1822 2 Sept. Bridge, B.
1822 2 Feb. Bull, J.
1821 4 Nov. Beale, J.
1822 3 Nov. Keble, J.
1822 1 Dec. Hustler, J.D.
1823 Symons, B.P.
1823 20 Apr. Graham, J.
1823 8 June Knatchbull, W.
1823 3 Aug. Dixson, R.
1823 7 Sept. Musgrave, T.
1823 2 Nov. Lipscomb, C.
1824 Lonsdale, J.
1824 6 Jan. Ellison, N. T.
1824 18 July Robinson, H.
1824 19 Sept. Rose, C.
1824 7 Nov. Watts, J.
1825 8 May Tyler, J. E.
1825 18 Dec. Streatfield, W.
By 1825 Griffith, J.
1825 15 Oct. Shelford, T.
1826 2 July Ogilvie, C. A.
1827 6 May Longley, C. T.
1827 5 Aug. Jackson, W.
1827 19 Aug. Byam, R.B.
1827 2 Sept. Skinner, G.
1827 4 Nov. Hawkins, E.
1827 18 Nov. Kirby, H.
1828 5 Oct. Churton, T.T.
1828 2 Nov. Richards, J.L.
1828 21 Dec. Newman, J.H.
1829 4 Jan. Crick, T.
1829 3 May Tilbrooke, S.
1829 2 July Crawley, R.
1837 Apr. Oakely, F.
1837 Apr. Philpot, H.

Closet Keeper at St. James's [from c. 1704 at Whitehall] 1685–1837

1685 29 Dec. Booth, D.
1690 12 Feb. Phipps, N.
1704 28 Jan. Farmer, D.
1718 12 June Bennett, P.
1768 15 Mar. Richardson, T.
1785 2 Dec. Miles, J.
1829 Feb. Lingard, F.
1830 6 Jan. Style, W.

Chapel Keeper [later Yeoman] at St. James's [later Whitehall] 1685–1837

1685 29 Dec. Richardson, J.
1743 30 Mar. Martin, J.
1772 16 July Chamberlain, B.
1803 20 Jan. Provis, T.
1821 Dec. Filor, J.
1829 26 Dec. Lingard, F.

Cleaner 1830–?

1830 6 May Filor, M.
1832 3 July Lingard, F.

Footnotes

  • 1. See LS 13/199, f. 38v; but cf. f. 53 for a St. James's designation as late as 1708.
  • 2. LS 13/39, p. 35; Lovegrove MS., p. 27.
  • 3. Ibid. (1692), p. 175; PSBC, p. 53.
  • 4. Chamberlayne (1700) III, 485.
  • 5. Ibid. (1726), p. 228.
  • 6. Lovegrove MS., p. 304; Wh Pbk 1–2.
  • 7. Chamberlayne [1692] II, 175; [1694] II, 216; LS 13/44, f. 20v; Chamberlayne [1704] III, 512; [1716] II iii, 553.