Groom Porter
The Groom-Porter was an office at the royal court of the kings of England, who had 'the Inspection of the King's Lodgings, and takes care that they are provided with Tables, Chairs, Firing, &c. As also to provide Cards, Dice, &c. when there is playing at Court: To decide Disputes which arise in Gaming'. He was also responsible for 'oversight of common Billiards Tables, common Bowling Grounds, Dicing Houses, Gaming Houses and Common tennis Courts and power of Licensing the same within the Citys of London and Westminster or Borough of Southwark.[1] Eventually, the term became used for the owner, or operator of a gaming hall.[2]
The title may originally have referred to the keeper of the king's furnishings in his bedchamber. It was a position in the royal household, and therefore had certain privileges associated with it.[3]
In 1702 the remuneration was raised to £680 per year, which it remained until it was abolished with other sinecure offices at court in 1782.[1]
List of Groom Porters
Before 1660
 |
c.1556 Edward Lewknor
- 1563 Nicholas Fortescue, esqr.[4]
1660-1782
- 1660–1665: Sir Richard Hubbert
- 1665–1678: Thomas Offley
- 1678–1699: Thomas Neale
- 1700–1705: William Rowley
- 1705–1743: Thomas Archer
- 1743–1763: Charles FitzRoy (FitzRoy-Scudamore from 1749)
- 1763–1764: Francis Buller
- 1764–1765: Robert Wood
- 1765–1782: George Paulet[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c 'Hunting, sporting and gaming: Groom Porters and Masters of the Tennis Courts', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660-1837 (2006), pp. 224-225. porter. Date accessed: 7 November 2008.
- ^ Aske the "Groom Porter"
- ^ Thefreedictionary.com: Definition of Groom porter
- ^ Visitacon [Visitation] of the County of Warwick Taken 1619 by Samson Lennard, Augustine Vincent