Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Originally published by University of London, London, 2006.
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'Independent Sub-departments: Jewel Office 1660-1782', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006) pp. 141-146. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp141-146 [accessed 25 April 2024]
In this section
Jewel Office 1660–1782
The jewel office fashioned, kept and weighed the King's plate and provided gifts of plate to foreign dignitaries. The master of the jewel office was appointed by royal warrant. (fn. 1) As a general rule appointments were embodied in letters patent under the great seal but this course was not followed during the reign of Anne. Talbot was appointed for life. (fn. 2) Lawley was appointed for the life of Talbot and during pleasure thereafter. All remaining grants were during pleasure. The master enjoyed a patent fee of £50 transferred in 1685 from the Exchequer to the treasurer of the chamber. In 1686 he was granted a salary of £400 from the cofferer in lieu of a number of earlier allowances. He was also entitled to lodgings or £80 in lieu thereof. In 1730 he was granted £700 a year at the Exchequer making a total of £1,150. (fn. 3)
The clerk, yeomen and groom of the office were appointed by lord chamberlain's warrant, the clerk's appointment being embodied in letters patent under the great seal. The offices of clerk and groom were held singly. Two yeomen were appointed except during the years 1702–41 when only one served. The salary of the clerk was £13 6s 8d, of the yeomen £106 15s and of the groom £105 8s 4d. In addition, the yeoman made £182 in office fees by 1782. All were entitled to riding wages (fn. 4)
The goldsmith supplied plate to the jewel office and was paid directly out of the Exchequer. The jeweler and silversmith performed work for the office as well. Prior to 1782, the offices of goldsmith and jeweler were in the gift of the master of the jewel office, who wrote to the lord chamberlain to order the gentlemen ushers, quarter waiters to swear them in. For most of Charles II's reign there were three goldsmiths at £10 per annum, two jewelers at £100 per annum, several subordinate jewelers at £10 apiece and a working jeweler (?with no fixed salary) attached to the jewel office. Subsequently one goldsmith, one jeweler and (under William III) a silversmith served with no fixed salary until 1782. (fn. 5)
After the abolition of the jewel office in 1782, (fn. 6) the goldsmiths, jewelers and silversmiths were appointed by lord chamberlain's warrant to the gentlemen usher's daily waiters. These offices were often combined and the number of their holders varied considerably.
Master 1660–1782
Clerk 1661–1782
| 1661 | 8 Apr. | Briddall, W. |
| 1688 | 14 May | Briddall, J. |
| 1695 | 28 Jan. | Sedgwick, R. |
| 1719 | 14 May | Sedgwick, R. |
| 1744 | 19 Apr. | Mathew, R. |
| 1760 | 3 Apr. | Egerton, W. |
Yeomen 1660–1782
Groom 1660–1782
Goldsmiths 1660–1837
Goldsmith in Ordinary [?w/o fee] 1683–?
Goldsmith in Extraordinary 1663–1685
| 1663 | 20 Jan. | Le Roux, C. |
| 1672 | 26 Mar. | Grimes, J. (and Jeweler) |
| 1672 | 26 Mar. | Meynell, I. (and Jeweler) |
| 1676 | 14 June | Rollos, P. |
| 1683 | 27 July | Beare, G. |