Messengers, Extra Messengers and Board Room Messengers c. 1694-1870

Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870. Originally published by University of London, London, 1975.

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'Messengers, Extra Messengers and Board Room Messengers c. 1694-1870', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870, (London, 1975) pp. 70-71. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol4/pp70-71 [accessed 7 May 2024]

Messengers, Extra Messengers and Board Room Messengers c. 1694-1870

Provision was made for two Servants to the Head Messenger, each with a salary of £25, in the establishment of 1694. (fn. 1) In the course of time they came to be known as Assistant Messengers or simply as Messengers. One of the offices was left vacant between 1698 and 1710. In 1711 a distinction was made between the First and Second Messengers, the latter usually being promoted to the senior post when it fell vacant. The salary of the First Messenger was then fixed at £30; that of the Second at £20. In 1717 these sums were raised to £40 and £30 respectively. (fn. 2) Between 1756 and 1760 there was an additional Messenger with a salary of £30. (fn. 3) In 1800 the salaries of the two Messengers were fixed at £60 and £50. (fn. 4) That of the First Messenger was raised to £80 in 1804; that of the Second to £70 in April 1806. (fn. 5)

In 1795 two Extra Messengers were appointed with salaries of £30 which were raised to £40 in 1800. (fn. 6) In September 1806 the four offices were consolidated into a single class and designated Board Room Messengers to distinguish them from the distinct class of Hall Messengers. (fn. 7) One of the offices was left vacant between 1816 and 1827. The salary provided in 1806 was £100 which was raised to £150 in 1811. (fn. 8) In 1831 the Messengers were placed on a daily pay of 9s 7d. In 1840 they were once again given salaries of £150. In 1859 it was provided that the two senior Messengers should receive £150 and the two junior £120. (fn. 9) A fifth Board Room Messenger was appointed in 1868. (fn. 10)

LISTS OF APPOINTMENTS
MESSENGERS
By 1694 Burrows, J.
Claridge, T.
1696 Golding, E.
1697 Thompson, W.
1705 Bennet, L.
1708 Wright, G.
1709-10 Owen, P.
1711 Elliston, R.
1714 17 Sept. Nicholls, T.
1715 9 Nov. Gould, J.
1716 7 June Pell, W.
1717 26 July Rogers, J.
1729 3 Oct. Woolley, J.
1734 25 Feb. Gough, J.
1738 8 Dec. Gough, B.
1748 5 Aug. Collett, J.
1751 31 July Tranter, T.
1756 5 June Cooke, W.
1756 5 June Hutchinson, R.
1763 30 Sept. Butler, T.
1768 26 April Haysom, J.
1777 27 March Downing, W.
1778 4 July Man, J.
1781 7 Nov. Hill, J.
1788 24 June Potts, R.
1792 6 Aug. Powell, J.
1798 20 Feb. Eastwood, J.
1799 26 Nov. Klyne, J.
1806 26 April Woolley, J.
EXTRA MESSENGERS
1795 13 Aug. Winchester, J.
1795 13 Aug. Evans, E.
1800 11 April Woolley, J.
1804 28 Jan. Nye, J. J.
1806 26 April Lilburn, G.
BOARD ROOM MESSENGERS
1806 24 Sept. Klyne, J.
1806 24 Sept. Woolley, J.
1806 24 Sept. Nye, J. J.
1806 24 Sept. Lilburn, G.
1813 19 May Heald, W.
1820 24 Jan. Metcalf, J.
1820 1 April Laplume, G. P.
1820 27 May Christie, J.
1827 27 April Haynes, J.
1828 25 March Powell, C.
1833 15 Jan. Sivewright, C.
1841 24 Aug. Chown, W.
1845 7 April Groves, J.
1846 28 Aug. Giles, J.
1850 19 June Priest, C.
1854 Winter, N.
1860 23 Sept. Ives, G.
1864 17 Feb. Styan, W.
1864 23 April Wild, A.
1867 28 Oct. Ansell, J.
1868 29 July Weaver, J. F.
1868 5 Aug. Roberts, J.

Footnotes

  • 1. SPB, ii ff. 20, 50-1.
  • 2. SPB, i f. 20.
  • 3. SPB, vii f. 22.
  • 4. Order in council 15 Jan. 1800 (HC 138 p. 4 (1816) xiii, 172).
  • 5. SPB, iii f. 17.
  • 6. SPB, viii f. 43; order in council 15 Jan. 1800 (HC 138 p. 4 (1816) xiii, 172).
  • 7. SPB, iii f. 18; Adm. 12/160, 18 May 1813. Information about Hall Messengers is not sufficient to make their listing possible.
  • 8. SPB, iii f. 17; SPB, xii f. 64.
  • 9. Orders in council 10 Nov. 1840 (PC 2/222 pp. 543-6), 12 April 1859 (PC 2/249 pp. 264-6).
  • 10. Adm. 12/810, 28 May and 5 Aug. 1868; order in council 29 April 1869 (PC 2/269 pp. 526-7).