Extra Clerks 1795-1854

Because of the confidential nature of the business in the Foreign Office, most Secretaries of State were unwilling to employ Extra Clerks or Copyists. Certain Extra Clerks, however, were drawn into the substantial work of the office and are listed below.

One Extra Clerk was employed in the years 1795-1822. The salary, payable out of the contingent fund, was fixed at £70 in 1795 and increased to £80 in 1800 and to £100 in 1801. (fn. 1) Bartlett, who was appointed an Extra Clerk in 1806, was attached to the Second Chief Clerk and became known in the course of time as 'Entering and Dispatch Clerk'. (fn. 2) His salary was increased to £150 in 1809. (fn. 3) In 1811 he was allowed to share in the benefits of the order in council of May 1809 which provided increases of £80, £200, £300 and £400 after successive periods of five years' service. (fn. 4) As it was thought that the designation 'Extra Clerk' implied that Bartlett was 'removeable at pleasure', the Treasury approved in 1819 the Foreign Office's suggestion that Bartlett should be considered as 'permanently attached', and that his salary should be increased to £200. (fn. 5) On Bartlett's appointment to a consulship in 1822 the office of Entering and Dispatch Clerk was discontinued and its duties transferred to the Sub-Librarian. (fn. 6)

An unsalaried Extra Clerk was employed in the years 1828-31. (fn. 7) In 1837 a salary of £100, payable out of the contingent fund, was again made available to an Extra Clerk. (fn. 8) The number of such Clerks was increased to two in 1840. (fn. 9) On the reorganisation of the office in 1841 the two Extra Clerks were appointed to the establishment and not replaced. In the years 1850-1 and in April 1854 an Extra, or Probationary, Clerk was employed at a salary of £100. (fn. 10)

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