Gentlemen Pensioners (Gentlemen at Arms) 1660-1837
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Military Establishment: Gentlemen Pensioners (Gentlemen at Arms) 1660-1837 The principal officers of the band of gentlemen pensioners, whose title was changed to that of gentlemen at arms in 1834, were the captain, lieutenant, standard bearer and clerk of the cheque, all appointed by royal warrant.1 Their salaries were ,1,000, ,500, ,310 and ,120 respectively. The captain carried a gold or gold-tipped staff, the lieutenant and standard bearer black staffs with silver heads.2 The paymaster was appointed by the Crown by letters patent under the great seal. Sir Lewis Kirke was appointed for life.3 His successor, John Kirke, was originally appointed during pleasure in 1664 but subsequently received a grant for life in 1676 together with a reversion to his son John who did not live to succeed.4 All subsequent appointments were during pleasure. The office was granted in survivorship in 1718 and 1728.5 The gentleman harbinger of the gentleman pensioners was appointed and sworn in by the captain.6 His salary was ,70 per annum.7 The band of gentleman pensioners stood guard with their axes in the presence chamber. They also attended the monarch from that room to the chapel royal on Sundays and Collar Days; to the House of Lords and St. Paul=s on ceremonial occasions; and at drawing rooms. Twenty were supposed to be in waiting by quarter, the whole band giving its attendance at Christmas, Easter and other festivals.8 By 1735, the Duke of Montagu, captain of the band, >observed this material part of their Duty of daily attendance in the Presence Chamber has been of late years neglected.= He attempted to restore it, but dispensed with the special attendance at Christmas. By the time of George IV, attendance was again neglected, leading to reform (and a new name) under his successor.9 The size of the band was reduced from 50 to 40 in March 1671, the remaining ten officers being reduced to half-pay and the right to succeed to subsequent vacancies.10 During the later Stuart period there was some controversy as to whether the King or the captain had the right of appointment; however, the latter seems to have been the usual appointing officer in practice. From 1689, that right was explicitly and finally vested in the captain, but appointees were subject to royal approval. Thus gentlemen were usually appointed by the captain and sworn in by the clerk of the cheque. Their salary was ,100 per annum apiece.11 1. LC 3/24, f. 6; LG (1834), p. 480. For the band, see PSBC, p. 61; Pegge, pt. ii; J.B. Curling, Some Account of the Gentlemen at Arms (1850); Beattie, pp. 44-5. 2. CTB XVII, 984; Bucholz, pp. 317-18 n. 94. 3. Letters patent 30 Oct. 1660 (C 66/2939). 4. Letters patent 1 Sept. 1664 (C 66/3061), 11 Aug. 1676 (C 66/3186). 5. Letters patent to William Smith and James and Arthur Moore 31 May 1718 (C 66/3526), to James and Arthur Moore 8 Feb. 1728 (C 66/3569). 6. BL Stowe MS 194, f. 38. 7. Chamberlayne [1694] II, 249. 8. Household Ordinances, pp. 355-57; PSBC, pp. 61-62; see also Beattie, p. 44. 9. Pegge, pp. 91-92; Curling, 230-31. According to ibid., pp. 193-98 five such gentleman pensioners attended daily; for additional duties, see pp. 217-19. 10. Badminton MSS Fm H 2/4/1, f. 51; CTB III, 853. 11. Pegge, pt. ii, p. 124; Badminton MSS. Fm H 2/4/1. Captain 1660-1837 1660 20 July Cleveland, 1st Earl of 1667 29 Mar. Belasyse, 1st Lord 1672 10 Mar. Fauconberg, 2nd Viscount 1676 9 May Roscommon, 4th Earl of 1677 24 Apr. Deincourt, Lord 1682 26 June Huntingdon, 7th Earl of 1689 28 Feb. Lovelace, 3rd Lord 1693 29 Nov. St. Albans, 1st Duke of 1712 13 Jan. Beaufort, 2nd Duke of 1714 22 Sept. St. Albans, 1st Duke of 1726 21 May Hartington, Marquess of 1731 11 June Burlington, 3rd Earl of 1734 11 June Montagu, 2nd Duke of 1740 8 May Bolton, 3rd Duke of 1742 12 July Bathurst, 1st Lord 1744 24 Dec. Hobart, 1st Lord 1756 16 Nov. Berkeley of Stratton, 5th Lord 1762 12 July Lichfield, 3rd Earl of 1772 28 Dec. Edgcumbe, 3rd Lord 1782 29 Mar. Ferrers, 10th Lord 1783 17 May Jersey, 4th Earl of 1783 31 Dec Ferrers, 10th Lord 1790 5 Mar. Falmouth, 3rd Viscount 1806 12 Feb. St. John of Bletso, 14th Lord 1808 2 Mar. Mount Edgcumbe, 2nd Earl of 1812 26 Mar. Courtown, 3rd Earl of 1827 1 Sept. Hereford, 14th Viscount 1830 9 Dec. Foley, 3rd Lord 1833 16 Aug. Foley, 4th Lord 1834 29 Dec. Hereford, 14th Viscount 1835 6 May Foley, 4th Lord Lieutenant 1660-1837 1660 28 June Grandison, G., 4th Visct. 1662 22 Nov. Bennett, Sir J. 1676 12 Nov. Villiers, Hon. F. 1689 15 Mar. Heveningham, H. 1700 23 Nov. Seymour, W. 1728 16 Feb. Beauclerk, Lord H. 1735 6 June Garrard, Sir S. 1740 12 May Wynn, Sir W. 1749 11 Apr. Grimston, Hon. H. 1756 30 July Powell, H. 1762 8 Jan. Goodere, R. 1772 26 June Becher, W. 1775 25 Feb. Prentice, J. 1777 18 Dec. Lewis, V.W. 1782 13 Dec. Esdaile, J. 1800 10 May Roberts, R.E. 1806 28 Aug. Godsal, P.L. 1814 9 June Henderson, W. 1823 23 Dec. Hinrich, H.B. 1831 9 Dec. Spry, S.T. Standard Bearer 1660-1837 1660 28 June Skrimshere, J. By 1663 Kirke, Sir L. 1663 2 Oct. Walpole, Sir J. 1672 19 Aug. Villiers, Hon. F. 1676 12 Nov. Slanning, Sir N. By 1681 Sturt, Sir H. 1684 21 June Bludworth, Sir T. 1689 10 Apr. Fane, H.B. 1696 20 Apr. Fane, C. 1712 31 Mar. West, Hon. J. 1715 12 May Wynn, W. 1740 12 May Grimston, Hon. H. 1749 11 Apr. Powell, H. 1756 30 July Mitchell, K. 1758 17 Mar. Bridger, J. 1764 1 June Warner, J.L. 1787 11 Apr. Greene, W. 1790 6 Mar. Frederick, E.B. 1806 14 Oct. Dawson, E. By 1818 Nicholl, T. 1818 2 Jan. Stockdale, J. 1820 27 Aug. Pocock, G.B. 1836 14 May Reeve, T.N. Clerk of the Cheque 1660-1837 1660 28 June Wynne, T. 1673 9 May Thomas, W. 1676 23 Oct. Fairfax, W. 1677 May Thomas, W. 1689 21 Mar. Manley, R. 1712 9 Feb. Pendock, P. 1723 12 Apr. Turner, G. 1752 25 Mar. Smith, J.N. 1757 21 Dec. Calvert, C.C. 1766 7 Aug. Desse, W. 1773 30 Mar. Hayward, T. 1799 6 May Powys, P.L. 1813 10 Feb. Powys, H.P. 1815 28 Sept. Wells, J. 1821 13 Mar. Glossop, J. 1823 24 Jan. Stephen, J. 1824 6 June Hancock, T. 1835 29 June Beetham, A.W. Paymaster 1660-1837 1660 30 Oct. Kirke, Sir L. 1664 1 Sept. Kirke, J. 1685 1 Dec. Thomas, W. 1689 4 Apr. Smith, W. 1718 31 May Smith, W. (joint) 1718 31 May Moore, J. (joint) 1718 31 May Moore, A. (joint) 1735 1 May Cade, S. 1761 12 Mar. Lloyd, C. 1765 29 June Cade, P. 1799 17 June Hunn, R. 1803 21 Dec. Gifford, W. 1827 2 May Boothby, Sir W. Gentleman Harbinger c. 1668-1837 1660 28 June Adeane, S. 1662 13 Feb. Childe, R. By 1690 Shipway, G. By 1693 Russell, G. By 1696 Busby, R. By 1700 Nash, T. By 1702 Reeves, R. 1718 16 May Gossett, M. By 1727 Potter, H. 1730 1 Dec. Bap. J. By 1749 Snee(ze), P. By 1749 Chauvel, G. By 1766 Spering, T. By 1767 Friday, C. By 1784 Webb, J. By 1789 Boulding, S. By 1800 Oliver, J. A. By 1820 Thiselton, W.M. By 1823 Grosso, R.F. By 1832 Wilson, S. Gentleman Harbinger in Reversion 1680-? 1680 4 Mar. Child, R. Axe Keeper and (from 1743) Messenger c. 1721-1837 By 1721 Hayes, C. By 1726 Baldwin, W. By 1748 Duncomb, W. By 1750 Hodgson, T. By 1752 Higgs, T. By 1761 Clarke, J. By 1762 Walker, J. By 1785 Scafe, R. By 1806 Thorp, R. By 1817 Coles, B. By 1820 Hill, M. By 1826 Hill, R. By 1827 Howe, R. By 1831 Howe, J. By 1832 Whiteman, T. Gentlemen Pensioners (from 1834 Gentlemen at Arms) 1660-1837 1660 28 June Hickes, Sir E. 1660 28 June Theobalds, Sir G. 1660 28 June Baker, G. 1660 28 June Tirwhytt, E. 1660 28 June Gibbons, H. 1660 28 June Dayroll, Sir T. 1660 28 June Whitfield, H. 1660 28 June Wroth, Sir H. 1660 28 June Carey, Sir W. 1660 28 June Matthews, M. 1660 28 June Harbart, E. 1660 28 June Hales, T. 1660 28 June Walpole, Sir J. 1660 28 June Smith, E. 1660 28 June Sheldon, W. 1660 28 June Rowe, Sir T. 1660 28 June Kirke, Sir L. 1660 28 June Cranfield, J. 1660 28 June Clapham, Sir R. 1660 28 June Jewkes, B. 1660 28 June Brooke, E. 1660 28 June Forster, R. 1660 28 June Crompton, C. 1660 28 June Bennett, J. 1660 28 June Brittridge, R. 1660 28 June Raymond, J. 1660 28 June Brett, Sir E. 1660 28 June Balls, T. 1660 28 June Martyn, C. 1660 28 June Gery, G. 1660 28 June Harrison, R. 1660 28 June Dacres, T. 1660 28 June Blundell, G. 1660 28 June Rootes, J. 1660 28 June Courthope, G. 1660 28 June Zouch, Sir A. 1660 28 June Honywood, P. 1660 28 June Hopton, Sir E.