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 household below stairs: Laundry 1660-89', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006) pp. 513-518. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp513-518 [accessed 30 April 2024]
In this section
Laundry 1660–89
The laundry was responsible for washing the royal table linen. In 1660 the establishment of the laundry consisted of a yeoman, two grooms, four pages and two laundresses, appointed by lord steward's warrant. The yeoman was reduced to supernumerary status in 1662 with wages of £5 and board wages of £18 5s. The office was abolished on the death of its incumbent in 1665. (fn. 1) Two grooms were appointed in 1660. In 1662 these were reduced to supernumerary status with wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £18 5s, temporarily reduced to £15 between 1664 and 1668. They were abolished in 1685. (fn. 2)
Four pages seem to have been appointed in 1660. The Establishment of 1 December 1662 reduced these servants to supernumerary status at £2 in wages and £18 5s in board wages. Board wages were reduced to £10 in 1664, then raised to former levels in 1668. There is a evidence of a page in ordinary 1667–1668. The establishment of 1685 named two supernumerary pages at £16 apiece. The place was finally abolished on the Establishment of 1699. (fn. 3)
At the Restoration there was a laundress for the King's board and a laundress for the Household. The Establishment of 1664 lists two laundresses at £20 wages apiece. By 1674 three laundresses were established, one each for the King's table, the Queen's table and the Household, the first two at £20 per annum each, the last at £18 5s. In 1685 the laundress to the household table received £120 per annum. There was also a supernumerary at £14 per annum. In 1689 the laundress made £20 in wages and £40 in board wages per annum but in 1699 the old stipend of £120 was restored as £20 in wages and £100 in board wages. The laundress of the board to the Queen was abolished in 1685. The laundress of the course linen was appointed by the clerks of the green cloth on rotation. She made £30 per annum. The office was left unfilled at the death of the last holder in 1775. The laundress at Carlton House made £109 per annum. (fn. 4)
Yeoman 1660–1662
Supernumerary Yeomen 1662–1665
Grooms 1660–1662
Supernumerary Groom 1662–1685
Pages 1660–1685; 1686–1699
Supernumerary Pages 1662–1685; 1686–1688
| 1662 | 1 Dec. | Bishop, G. |
| 1662 | 1 Dec. | Draper, R. |
| [1662 | 1 Dec.] | Falkner, W. |
| 1662 | 1 Dec. | Richardson, G., sen. |
| 1668 | 1 Oct. | Richardson, G., jun. |
| 1686 | 1 Feb. | Falkner, W. |
Laundresses to the Table and Household 1660–1837
Joint Table [or Household] Laundress 1760–1770
| 1760 | 15 Dec. | Pavanarious, A. |
| 1760 | 15 Dec. | Redecker, E. |
| 1769 | 1 Apr. | Robinson, A. |
| 1764 | 4 Feb. | Gale, M. |
Laundress of the Household 1770–?1812
| 1770 | 16 Jan. | Gale, M. |
| 1771 | 2 July | Willis, H. |
| By 1810 | Willis, E. | |
| 1810 | 16 Mar. | Willis, E. |
| By 1833 | Harding, S. | |