The household below stairs: Woodyard and Coalyard 1660-1837

Woodyard and Coalyard 1660–1837

The woodyard, redesignated the coalyard in 1761, provided fuel for the royal Household. (fn. 1) In 1660 the establishment of the woodyard consisted of a clerk and a sergeant appointed by royal warrant and yeomen, grooms and pages, 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. The position was supernumerary 1664–68. Between 1685 and 1689 the office was combined with that of clerk of the bakehouse, pastry, poultry and scullery 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. Between 1702 and 1761 the office was combined with that of clerk of the pastry and scullery. During this period, the officer was entitled to lodgings at Whitehall and poundage on the business done in these departments. The clerk of the coalyard received £171 in 1761. The office became a sinecure at St. James's in 1812 at £183. This was increased to £200 in 1813 in compensation for the loss of allowances in kind. In 1820 the office was re-established as part of the main Household. (fn. 2)

The remuneration of the sergeant was fixed at wages of £11 8s 1½d and board wages of £24 6s 8d in 1662. The office was reduced to supernumerary status in 1664 and restored in ordinary by 1670 as that of sergeant and first yeoman. The board wages were fixed at £54 15s in 1674 but reduced to £38 11s 10½d in 1680. The office was abolished in 1685. (fn. 3)

Three yeomen were appointed in 1660. The number was reduced to two 1662–64 and again in 1668, then to one in 1673. During the reign of Anne the office was held by a woman with the designation `first servant'. Remuneration consisted of wages of £5 and board wages fluctuating between £26 13s 3d and £45 12s 6d under Charles II before being fixed at £45 in 1689. In 1761 a salary of £120 was provided. In 1812 this officer was transferred to the establishment at St. James's with a salary of £87 increased in the following year to £163 to compensate him for the loss of allowances in kind. (fn. 4)

Three grooms were appointed in 1660. The number was reduced to one in 1662, raised to three (serving the woodyard and scullery) 1664–68, then reduced to two in 1668 and to one in 1685. Two grooms served from 1689. Remuneration consisted of wages of £2 13s 4d and board wages which fluctuated under Charles II between £26 13s 3d and £40. In 1685 a salary of £30 was provided. In 1689 wages of £2 13s 4s and board wages of £37 6s 8d were substituted. The offices were abolished in 1761. Supernumerary grooms were appointed in 1662, 1664, 1680, 1685 and 1697. (fn. 5)

Two pages were appointed in 1660. The Establishment of 1 December 1662 reduced one of these to supernumerary status. The Establishment of 1664 abolished the ordinary page, and allowed for a single supernumerary page at £2 in wages and £10 in board wages. The position was finally abolished by the Establishment of 1 October 1668. (fn. 6)

The Establishments of 1662 and 1664 list two woodbearers at £1 10s 8d apiece. By 1674 one woodbearer made £2 in wages and £6 1s in board wages. (fn. 7)

The porters of the coalyard were appointed by the clerks of the green cloth or, from 1782, the clerks of the household in rotation. As established in 1761, there were six coal porters at £40 apiece. Two porters of the coal yard at Carlton House were established in 1812 at £50 per annum apiece. In 1815 the number of coal porters to the main court was reduced to two at £61 per annum apiece. In 1830, the coal porters at Carlton House were absorbed into the main court. (fn. 8)

Clerk 1660–1664; 1668–1837

Supernumerary Clerk 1664–1668; 1686–1688

Sergeant 1660–1685

Supernumerary Sergeant 1664–1668; 1686–1699

Yeomen 1660–1837

Supernumerary Yeoman 1662–1664

Grooms 1660–1761

Supernumerary Grooms

(1662–1668; 1680–1688; 1697–1701)

Pages 1660–1668

Supernumerary Page of the Woodyard 1664–1668

Woodbearer 1662–1664; c. 1665–1685

Coal Porters 1761–1837

Coal Porter at Carlton House 1812–1830