The household below stairs: Pantry 1660-1821

Pantry 1660–1821

The pantry delivered bread from the bakehouse to the royal tables and those allowed a daily ration. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the pantry consisted of a sergeant, appointed by royal warrant, and yeomen, grooms and pages, appointed by lord steward's warrant. In 1685 a gentleman was added, appointed by royal warrant.

The remuneration of the sergeant was fixed at wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £60 in 1662. In 1664 he was given responsibility for the ewry as well, but his board wages were reduced to £54 15s. The sergeant was reduced to supernumerary status in 1668. Board wages rose to £60 16s 8d in 1668 but fell to £38 11s 10½d in 1680. The office was abolished in 1685. (fn. 2)

The office of gentleman was combined with that of yeoman from 1685 to 1727. The remuneration originally amounted to £60, divided in 1689 into wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £48 11s 10½d. In 1761 a salary of £200 was provided. By 1783 there was an additional allowance of £60 in compensation for the loss of dining rights. In 1812 the office was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's at a salary of £247. It was left unfilled on the death of its incumbent in 1813. (fn. 3)

Four yeomen were appointed in 1660. Their number was reduced to three in 1662 (with two supernumeraries), raised back to four with responsibility for the pantry and ewry in 1664, then gradually reduced again to three in 1670, two by 1678 and one (plus a supernumerary) in 1685. The office was abolished in 1702. The remuneration was fixed at wages of £5 and board wages of £50 in 1664. Between that date and the death of Charles II board wages fluctuated between £31 18s 9d and £45 12s 6d. In 1685 a salary of £40 was provided. In 1689 this was replaced by wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £48 11s 10½d. The yeoman was also allowed diet and fees of honour. A separate yeoman of the mouth to the queen served in the pantry 1662–64, 1689–99 and 1727–37 at the same wages as the regular yeomen. (fn. 4)

Three grooms were appointed in 1660. In 1662 one was eliminated outright and a second became a supernumerary. Between 1664 and 1668 two grooms became responsible for the pantry and ewry. A single groom served from 1668 to 1689. In the latter year, provision was made for one groom and two joint grooms. In 1697 the surviving joint groom became the second groom. In 1761 the number of grooms was reduced to one. Remuneration was fixed in 1664 at wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £40. On subsequent establishments of Charles II, board wages fluctuated between this amount and £27 6s 8d. Under James II remuneration totaled £40. In 1689 the grooms were established at wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £37 6s 8d apiece. The grooms were also allowed diet and fees of honour. In 1761 a salary of £60 was substituted. In 1812 the groom was reduced to sinecure status at St. James's with a salary of £67. This was increased in 1813 to £85 in compensation for the loss of allowances in kind. The office was left unfilled on the death of its incumbent in 1821 which brought the existence of the department to a close. (fn. 5)

Two pages were appointed by early 1661. The Establishment of 1 Dec. 1662 rendered one of them supernumerary. Both became supernumerary in 1664. A single page in ordinary was revived in 1676. He was reduced to supernumerary status in at £16 per annum in 1685. The post was finally abolished in 1689. (fn. 6)

The Establishment of 1 December 1662 assigned the two breadbearers wages of £1 10 s 5d and board wages of £4 11s 3d. These two servants were made supernumerary in 1664 but restored to ordinary status at their previous wages, sans board wages, in 1668. Their remuneration rose to board wages of £9 2s 6d in 1674. To this was added £2 in wages in 1680. In 1685 they received £18 5s apiece. From 1689 the first breadbearer was paid wages of £2 and board wages of £18 7s, the second breadbearer £2 and £7 2s 6d. A single breadbearer served at the higher remuneration from 1714 until 1761, when his title changed to porter of the bread pantry and his pay rose to £30 per annum. This acknowledged the fact that these servants had always kept the doors to the office. (fn. 7)

Sergeant 1660–1668

Supernumerary Sergeant 1664–1685

Gentleman 1685–1813

Yeomen 1660–1702

Yeoman of the Mouth to the Queen 1689–1699; 1727–?1737

Supernumerary Yeomen 1662–1678; 1686–1688

Grooms 1660–1821

Supernumerary Grooms 1662–1679

Pages 1660–1688

Supernumerary Pages of the Pantry 1664–1685; 1686–1688

Breadbearers (Porters of the Bread Pantry) 1660–1664

Supernumerary Breadbearers 1664–1668

First Breadbearer 1665–1714

Second Breadbearer 1665–1714

Breadbearer (from 1761 Porter of the Bread Pantry) 1714–1815