Cofferer of the Household

Former office in the English and British Royal Household From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The cofferer of the Household was formerly an office in the English and British Royal Household. Next in rank to the Comptroller, the holder paid the wages of some of the servants above and below stairs, was a member of the Board of Green Cloth, and sat with the Lord Steward in the Court of the Verge.[1][2] The cofferer was usually of political rank and always a member of the Privy Council.[3]

Henry Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle served Cofferer of the Household between 1747 and 1754.

The office dates from the 13th century, when it was known as Cofferer of the Wardrobe. The Keeper of the Wardrobe was at this time increasingly occupied with matters of state, and so his chief clerk gradually took on additional responsibilities for accounting and bookkeeping, and came to be referred to as the Cofferer.[4] As such, he became in effect the working head of the Wardrobe, and acted when required as locum tenens to the Keeper. The Cofferer had his own staff of clerks, who later came to be known as the Clerks of the Green Cloth (after the green cloth covering of the table in the accounting office).[4]

By the end of the 14th century the Wardrobe had ceased to be an independent office of influence at Court; its officers were made subsidiary to the Lord Steward and duly re-designated as being 'of the Household' (rather than 'of the Wardrobe').[5] The Cofferer retained his role as principal accounting officer under the Lord Steward.[6]

The office of Cofferer was abolished by the Civil List and Secret Service Money Act 1782.[7] By the same means 'provision was made for more economical methods of keeping the accounts of Civil List expenditure under the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury':[6] thenceforward the accounts of the Lord Steward's Department were included in the Estimates.

List of incumbents

More information Name, Entered office ...
NameEntered officeLeft officeNotesReference
Roger RepingtonIn office during the reign of Empress Matilda in the 12th century[8]
William Louth12741280[9]
William March12801284[9]
Henry Wheatley12841287[9]
Walter Langton12871290Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1290[9]
John Droxford12901290Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1295[9]
Philip Everdon12901295[9]
Walter Barton12951297[9]
Ralph Manton12971303[9]
Walter Bedwyn13031307[9]
Peter Collingbourn13071308Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1312[9]
John Ockham13081309[9]
Robert Wodehouse13091311Controller of the Wardrobe, 1314[9]
John Ockham13111314[9]
Nicholas Huggate13141315Controller of the Wardrobe, 1326[9]
Henry Hale13161316[9]
Robert Wodehouse13171318[9]
Unknown(1318–1320)[9]
Richard Ferriby13201323Controller of the Wardrobe, 1331[9]
Unknown(1323–1327)[9]
Richard Bury13271328Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1328[9]
John Houton13281331[9]
William Norwell13311334Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1335[9]
John Cokham13341335[9]
John Houton13351337[9]
Richard Nateby13371338Controller of the Wardrobe, 1338[9]
William Dalton13381344Controller of the Wardrobe, 1344[9]
Richard Eccleshall13341349 or 1350[9]
Unknown(1350–1359)[9]
Thomas Brantingham13591361Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1368[9]
Unknown(1361–1369)[9]
Richard Beverley13691376Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1376[9]
John Carp13761390Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1390[9]
John Stacy13901395[9]
Thomas More13951399Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1401[9]
Unknown
John Spencer14131413Keeper of the Great Wardrobe, 1413[10][11]
William KinwolmarshIn office during the reign of Henry V[12]
Unknown
John Kendale14611470[13]
John Elrington14711474Keeper of the Wardrobe, 1474[13]
Richard Jeny1479[13]
James Blundell14791481[13]
John Belle14831485[13]
Laurence WarhamIn office in 1485[14]
John Payne14861492[14]
William Fisher14921494[14]
William Cope14941505[14]
Edward Chesemanby 1508[14]
John Shurley15091527[14]
Sir Edmund Peckham1524 or 15271547[14][15]
John Ryther15471552[14][16]
Thomas Weldon15521553[14][17]
Sir Richard Freeston15531557[14]
Michael Wentworth15581558[14][18]
Thomas Weldon and Richard Ward15581559[14][17][19]
Thomas Weldon15591567[14][17]
Richard Ward15671578[14][19]
Anthony Crane15781580[14]
John Abingdon15801582[14]
Gregory Lovell15821597[14]
Sir Henry Cocke15971610[14][20]
Sir Robert Vernon16101615[14][20]
Sir Arthur Ingram16151615Suspended[14][20]
Sir Marmaduke Dayrell1615cont.[14][20]
Sir Marmaduke Dayrell and Sir Henry Vane16251632[14][20]
Sir Henry Vane and Sir Roger Palmer16321632[14][20]
Sir Roger Palmer16321643[14]
William Ashburnham16421646[3][21]
Commonwealth(1649–1660)[21]
William Ashburnham16601679[7]
Henry Brouncker, 3rd Viscount Brouncker, from 1684 Viscount Brouncker16791685[7]
Sir Peter Apsley16851689[7]
Francis Newport, 1st Viscount Newport, from 1694 Earl of Bradford16891702[7]
Sir Benjamin Bathurst17021704[7]
Francis Godolphin, from 1706 Viscount Rialton17041711First period in office; succeeded as Earl of Godolphin in 1712[7]
Samuel Masham, from 1712 Baron Masham17111714[7]
Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin17141723Second period in office[7]
William Pulteney17231725Created Earl of Bath in 1742[7]
Henry Clinton, 7th Earl of Lincoln17251728[7]
Vacant(1728–1730)[7]
Horatio Walpole17301741Created Baron Walpole in 1756[7]
Thomas Winnington17411744[7]
Samuel Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys17441744[7]
Edmund Waller17441747[7]
Henry Pelham-Clinton, 9th Earl of Lincoln17471754Succeeded as Duke of Newcastle in 1768[7]
Sir George Lyttelton, 5th Baronet17541756Created Baron Lyttelton in 1756[7]
Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds17561761[7]
James Grenville17611761[7]
Percy Wyndham-O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond17611765[7]
Richard Lumley-Saunderson, 4th Earl of Scarbrough17651766[7]
Hans Stanley17661774[7]
Jeremiah Dyson17741776[7]
Hans Stanley17761780[7]
Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Viscount Beauchamp17801782Succeeded as Marquess of Hertford in 1794[7]
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