The Clerk Marshal (also spelled Clerk Martial) was an official of the
British Royal Household in the department of the
Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today.
(ancient Rome)
The original Master of the Horse () in the Roman Rep ...
.
From the Restoration the office was held with that of
Avenor until the latter post was abolished in 1793. The office of Clerk Marshal was then combined with that of First or Chief
Equerry
An equerry (; from French language, French 'stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attend ...
until 1874. From 1841 the holder was a member of the Government, but the office ceased to be a political one from 1866.
[Chris Cook and Brendan Keith, ''British Historical Facts 1830–1900'', Macmillan 1975, p. 27]
The duties of the Clerk Marshal were to
swear in the officers of the Master of the Horse's department, and for the payment of all officers and servants.
He was also responsible for submitting the accounts of the department to the
Board of Green Cloth
The Board of Green Cloth was a board of officials belonging to the Royal Household of England and Great Britain. It took its name from the tablecloth of green baize that covered the table at which its members sat.
It audited the accounts of the ...
.
Clerks Marshal were appointed in the households of other members of the Royal Family as well.
List of Clerks Marshal
to Charles II
* 8 June 1660: George Barker
* 18 August 1660: Richard Mason
* 10 September 1671: Joseph Cragg
to James II
* 21 April 1685: Thomas Morley
to William III and
Mary II
Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England, List of Scottish monarchs, Scotland, and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. Sh ...
* 10 April 1688: William Ryder
* 12 March 1689: Anthony Rowe
* 27 April 1694: John Latton
to
Anne
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...
* 23 June 1702: Hugh Chudleigh
* 6 November 1707: Thomas Lister
* 12 June 1711:
Conyers Darcy
to George I
* 29 September 1714: Conyers Darcy
* 10 June 1717:
Francis Negus
to George II
* 20 June 1727: Francis Negus
* 9 September 1732: ''vacant''
* 22 April 1734:
James Lumley
* 11 March 1741: Edmund Charles Blomberg
* 8 November 1757:
Courthorpe Clayton
to
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
* 15 December 1760: Timothy Carr
* 6 April 1771:
Benjamin Carpenter (Chief Equerry from 1 January 1783)
* 9 March 1788:
Philip Goldsworthy
* 6 January 1801:
Robert Manners
to the Prince Regent, later
George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
* 24 March 1812:
Benjamin Bloomfield (knighted 1815)
* 25 August 1817: Francis Thomas Hammond
(knighted 1819)
to
William IV
William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...
* 16 July 1830: Sir
Andrew Francis Barnard
to Queen
Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
* 2 January 1846: Sir Andrew Francis Barnard
to
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
* 20 July 1837:
Henry Frederick Compton Cavendish
* 10 September 1841:
Lord Charles Wellesley
* 7 July 1846:
Lord Alfred Paget
Lord Alfred Henry Paget (26 June 1816 – 24 August 1888) was a British soldier, courtier and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1837 and 1865.
Early life
Paget was the sixth son of William Paget, the 1st Marquess of ...
* 28 February 1852:
Charles John Colville, 1st Viscount Colville of Culross
* 30 December 1852: Lord Alfred Paget
* 26 February 1858: Lord Colville of Culross
* 1 July 1859: Lord Alfred Paget (held office until 1892)
to
Prince Albert
Prince Albert most commonly refers to:
*Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria
*Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco
Prince Albert may also refer to:
Royalty
* Alb ...
* 2 January 1842: William Wemyss
* 8 March 1853:
Alexander Nelson Hood
to
Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910.
The second child ...
* 1 January 1904: Sir
Stanley Calvert Clarke (also Chief Equerry until 9 October 1908
)
References
* {{cite web , url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43904 , title=The stables: Avenor, Chief Equerry and Clerk Martial 1660–1837 , author=R.O. Bucholz , publisher=Institute of Historical Research , year=2006 , work=Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660–1837 , accessdate=20 August 2011
Positions within the British Royal Household