The household below stairs: Poultry 1660-1761

Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837. Originally published by University of London, London, 2006.

'The household below stairs: Poultry 1660-1761', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660-1837, (London, 2006) pp. 558-561. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol11/pp558-561 [accessed 19 April 2024]

Poultry 1660–1761

The poultry provided fruit, greens, butter, eggs and other dairy products for the royal tables. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the poultry consisted of a clerk and a sergeant, appointed by royal warrant, and yeomen and grooms, appointed by lord steward's warrant. In 1662 the remuneration of the clerk was fixed at wages of £6 13s 4d and board wages of £54 15s, in addition to poundage on debentures for goods delivered to the office. He was reduced to supernumerary status in 1664 but restored in ordinary in 1674 with board wages increased to £80 but falling to their previous level in 1680. Between 1685 and 1689 the office was combined with that of clerk of the bakehouse, pastry, scullery and woodyard with a salary of £91 13s 4d. In 1689 the remuneration was fixed at wages of £6 13s 4d and board wages of £73 6s 8d. The office was combined with that of clerk of the bakehouse between 1702 and 1727. (fn. 2)

In 1662 the remuneration of the sergeant was fixed at wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £44 15s. Between 1664 and 1668 the holder of the office was designated sergeant of the poultry and scalding house. The board wages were increased to £54 15s in the former year but reduced to £38 11s 10½d in 1680. In 1673 a supernumerary sergeant was appointed who succeeded to the office shortly afterwards but was reduced to supernumerary status in 1686. The office was abolished in 1689. (fn. 3)

During the early years of Charles II, the number of yeomen fluctuated between the two named in 1660 and the one finally established in 1668. After numerous variations the remuneration was settled at wages of £5 and board wages of £45 in 1689. (fn. 4)

Three grooms were appointed in 1660. After some fluctuations the number was fixed at two in 1680. Wages were set at £2, but board wages fluctuated between £27 6s 8d and £40 under Charles II. The salary was settled at £20 in 1685. In 1689 this was replaced by wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages of £37 6s 8d. Supernumerary grooms were appointed in 1662, 1664 and 1685. (fn. 5)

The poultry was abolished in 1761. (fn. 6)

Clerk 1660–1664



1660	16 Aug.	Manley, J.
1661	27 Nov.	Munger, J.

Supernumerary Clerk 1664–1668



1664	1 Oct.	Munger, J.

Clerk 1674–1761



1674	30 June	Munger, J.
1683	23 July	Bickerstaffe, P.
1685	13 Apr.	Toll, C. (and Bakehouse, Pastry, Scullery and Woodyard)
1689	30 May	Jackson, R.
1691	8 Sept.	Thompson, J.
1702	30 June	Price, J. (and Bakehouse)
1707	20 June	Gretton, A. (and Bakehouse)
1713	18 May	Shaw, J. (and Bakehouse to 1727)
1731	8 Dec.	Skinner, J.
1751	9 Mar.	Hales, J.
1754	9 Apr.	Schutz, C.

Supernumerary Clerk 1685–1699



1686	29 Jan.	Bickerstaffe, P.

Sergeant 1660–1685



1660	29 Aug.	Ager, S. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
By 1674		Mezandier, R.

Supernumerary Sergeant 1673–1674; 1685–1688



1673	26 Aug.	Mezandier, R.
1686	1 Feb.	Mezandier, R.

Yeomen 1660–1761



1660	12 May	Lane, J. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1660	15 Oct.	Clarke, W.
1664	1 Oct.	Winch, J. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1682	8 Feb.	Wheatley, R.
1689	21 Mar.	Whittingham, A.
1691	3 Dec.	Clark, E.
1707	1 Nov.	Scarlett, A.
1721	11 Mar.	Rutter, T.
1726	7 May	Ackres, T.
1727	1 July	Ackres, G.
1750	4 Apr.	Blondeau, L.A.
1750	1 July	Trevor, R.
1760	17 Dec.	Edgar, T.

Supernumerary Yeoman 1664–1668; 1686–1688



1664	1 Oct.	Clarke, W.
1686	1 Feb.	Crookey, J.

Grooms 1660–1761



1660	22 Aug.	Wheatley, R.
1660	31 Aug.	Catline, H. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1660	1 Sept.	Lane, J.
1664	1 Oct.	Weatherhead, S. (and Scalding House 1664–1668)
1668	1 Oct.	Lane, J.
1680	14 Oct.	Crookey, J.
1682	8 Feb.	Clark, E.
1689	10 Mar.	Clark, E.
1689	22 May	Scarlett, A.
1691	3 Dec.	Appleford, W.
1692	26 Feb.	Davis, D.
1707	1 Nov.	Rutter, T.
1716	6 Nov.	Ackres, T.
1721	11 Mar.	Campbell, P.
1721	6 Nov.	Doig, J.
1726	7 May	Bale, S.
1727	1 July	Kilmain, D.
1727	1 July	Grassineau, I.
1728	2 Sept.	Walworth, J.
1740	15 Jan.	Blondeau, L.A.
1743	10 July	Webster, T.
1750	4 Apr.	Revett, J.

Supernumerary Groom 1662–1680; 1685–1688



1662	6 July	Crookey, J.
1662	1 Dec.	[?] (fn. 7)
1664	1 Oct.	Wheatly, R.
1686	1 July	Clark, E.