Sir Stephen Fox worked at the Clerk of the Green Cloth for almost 30 years, his last 18 as First Clerk.

The Clerk of the Green Cloth was a position in the British Royal Household. The clerk acted as secretary of the Board of Green Cloth, and was therefore responsible for organising royal journeys and assisting in the administration of the Royal Household. From the Restoration, there were four clerks (two clerks and two clerks comptrollers). Two additional clerks comptrollers were added in 1761, but one of these was redesignated a clerk in 1762.

Remuneration

Each clerk had a salary of £500, with lodgings, diet, fees on the signing of contracts and ancient rights of 'Wast, Command and Remaines', i.e., leftover provisions, which was replaced with an allowance of £438 in 1701, increased to £518 in 1761 (making a total of £1018). Each clerk had a clerk or writer, who was paid £50 with other fees and allowances, fixed at £150 in 1761 and converted to a salary of £180 in 1769.[1] The offices were all abolished by statute in 1782.[2]

Duties

'All Bills of Comptrolments, &c. relating to the Office, are allotted and allow'd by the Clerks Comptrollers, and summ'd up and Audited by the Clerks of the Green-Cloth'. They also sat with the other officers as part of the board.[1]

List of Clerks

Data from 'The household below stairs: Clerks of the Green Cloth 1660-1782', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660-1837 (2006), pp. 403–40.British History online.

The position was held by a number of people[3] including George Stonhouse during the 16th century, though it later became disused.

1660–1761

DateFirst ClerkSecond ClerkFirst Clerk ComptrollerSecond Clerk Comptroller
25 June 1660Sir Robert FennJohn CraneSir Henry WoodSir Stephen Fox
22 August 1660John CraneSir Henry WoodSir Stephen FoxGeorge Barker
14 January 1661Sir Henry WoodSir Stephen FoxGeorge BarkerWilliam Boreman
13 September 1664William BoremanSir Winston Churchill
26 May 1671Sir Stephen FoxSir William BoremanSir Winston ChurchillJohn Trethewy
26 June 1671Sir Richard Mason
14 March 1685Sir Henry Firebrace
12 July 1686Sir Winston ChurchillSir Henry FirebraceSir John Sparrow
10 April 1688Sir Henry FirebraceSir John SparrowThomas Morley
21 February 1689William ForesterJames ForbesPeter Isaac
12/13 April 1689Sir William ForesterSir James ForbesPeter IsaacJohn Fox
22 January 1690Thomas Vivian
September 1691Charles Issac
1 April 1693Charles IssacAnthony Rowe
16/20 April 1702Anthony RoweCharles ScarburghEdward Griffith
25 September 1704Charles ScarburghEdward Griffithvacant
1 October 1704Charles Godfrey
18 February 1711Charles GodfreySir John Walter
21 October 1714Charles GodfreySir John WalterJohn Charlton
1 March 1715Sir John WalterJohn CharltonRobert Wroth
17 February 1716John CharltonRobert WrothWilliam Feilding
15 April 1717John CharltonRobert WrothWilliam FeildingWilliam Coventry
20 February 1720William FeildingSir Robert Corbet
17 March 1720William FeildingSir Robert CorbetGiles EarleRobert Bristow
10 April 1724Sir Robert CorbetGiles EarleRobert BristowRichard Sutton
26 July 1727Sir Thomas ReadeSir Thomas WynnSir Thomas HalesRobert Bristow
1738Robert Bristow jnr
1740Walter Carey
8 June 1749Sir Thomas HalesWalter CareySir Richard Wrottesley
20 November 1752Sir Thomas HalesWalter CareySir Richard WrottesleySir Francis Henry Drake
2 April 1754Sir Francis Henry DrakeJohn Grey
6 May 1757Sir Francis Henry DrakeJohn GreyHumphry Morice

1761–1782

DateFirst ClerkSecond ClerkFirst Clerk ComptrollerSecond Clerk ComptrollerThird Clerk ComptrollerFourth Clerk Comptroller
17 March 1761Thomas TownshendJohn EvelynHenry BridgemanSimon FanshaweSir Francis Henry DrakeJohn Grey
DateFirst ClerkSecond ClerkThird ClerkFirst Clerk ComptrollerSecond Clerk ComptrollerThird Clerk Comptroller
24 December 1762Sir John EvelynHenry BridgemanSimon FanshaweSir Francis Henry DrakeJohn GreyHenry Frederick Thynne
18 April 1764Simon FanshaweSir Francis Henry DrakeJohn GreyHenry Frederick ThynneRichard Vernon
1 August 1765George Bridges BrudenellSir Alexander Gilmour
13 August 1767Simon FanshaweSir Francis Henry DrakeJohn GreyGeorge Bridges BrudenellSir Alexander GilmourRichard Hopkins
15 January 1768Sir Francis Henry DrakeJohn GreyGeorge Bridges BrudenellSir Alexander GilmourRichard HopkinsRichard Vernon
20 January 1771John GreyGeorge Bridges BrudenellSir Alexander GilmourRichard HopkinsRichard VernonRichard Savage Nassau
6 June 1777George Bridges BrudenellSir Alexander GilmourRichard HopkinsRichard VernonRichard Savage NassauSir Ralph Payne
10 December 1777Richard VernonRichard Savage NassauSir Ralph PayneSir Richard Worsley
1 July 1779Richard VernonRichard Savage NassauSir Ralph PayneSir Richard WorsleySir William Cunynghame
5 September 1780Sir Ralph PayneSir William CunynghameSir William GordonLovell Stanhope

In addition, several supernumerary clerks comptrollers were appointed in the 17th century:

  • 31 August 1660: William Boreman
  • 22 November 1670: John Trethewy
  • 23 March 1674: Henry Firebrace
  • 11 April 1688: John Fox
  • 28 April 1691: Charles Isaac

In 1988, David Becket of Radley, Oxfordshire obtained Royal consent to revive the title as an honorary post.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 'The household below stairs: Clerks of the Green Cloth 1660-1782', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660-1837 (2006), pp. 403–40.British History online, accessed: 9 August 2008.
  2. ↑ Statute, 22 Geo. III, c. 82.
  3. ↑ "Officers of the Green Cloth: Clerks and Clerk Comptrollers". Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "Radley Village: Clerk of the Green Cloth". Retrieved 16 July 2007.
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