Talk:Lord of the Bedchamber

What is a "Lord of the Bedchamber" and what are the charactersitics of this noblemen's status? As a non-british european it sounds like the title of a cheap porn movie to me. ;-)

Kirkcudbright connection?

According to family lore, one of my ancestors, one of the Lords Kirkcudbright, served as Lord of the Bedchamber under one of the Stuart Kings. Unfortunately, that's all family lore had to say on the matter, As yet, I haven't even found which one it was. As I hope to update this article, as well as the Kirkcudbright page, with this information, (once we can cite it,of course) I was wondering if anyone had any information on the matter.76.179.230.4 (talk) 08:15, 24 August 2008 (UTC)

Probably Robert Maclellan, 1st Lord Kirkcudbright. The article says "Gentleman of the Bedchamber", but this is just how the office was known before the Hanoverian monarchs, yet more so because he wasn't ennobled until 1633. Craigy (talk) 12:04, 24 August 2008 (UTC)

Ah, my thanks.76.179.230.4 (talk) 07:01, 25 August 2008 (UTC)

All the King's Night Gear: » See a manuscript in the Herald's Office, M. 7, entitled " The Services of Divers Officers of the Courte," one part of which was writtea in the time of King Henry VII. another in the 15th year of Henry VIII. " As for the Squyers of the body, they ought to aray the kyng and unaray, and no man else to sett hand on the kyng,, and the yeman or grome of the robes to take to the Squyer for the body all the kyngs stuffe, as well his shone as his other gere. And the Squyer for the body to draw theym on. And the Squyer for the body aught to take the charge of the cupbprde for all nyght; and if please the kyng to have a palett abowt hjs traverse for all night, there must be two Squyers for the body, or ells one knyght for the body; or els to lye in their owne chambers. And the usher must kepe the chamber dore untill the kyng be in bedd : and to be thereat on the morowe at the kyngs uprysyng: and the usher must see that the watche be sett, and to know of the kyng where they shall watche." " Item, a Squyer for the body or gentleman huisher owght to sett the kyngs sworde at his bedd hed. " Item, a Squyer for the body owght to charge a secret grome or page to have the kepyng of the said bedd, with a light until the tyme the kyng be disposed to go unto hit." " At dinner (says a late writer on the nature and duty of this office-), there was another office to be performed by the esquire; for the ordinances of King Henry VII. tell us, that one of the esquires of the body is to be ready and obedient at dinner and supper, to serve the king of his pottage at such time as he shall be commanded by the sewer and gentleman usher. " Though we have now left the king in his privy chamber, and in the hands of the servants of that department, yet we must notentirely dismiss the esquire ; for Sir H. Spelman says, that when the king Went out, the office of the esquire was to follow him and carry the cldaV. ' ' " "»'-,; '";i ','"' i."-'-iir«l^TWtt-tfriifcVfBrfhe office of the esquire of the body by day { but the principal, most essential, and most honourable part of his duty was at night ; for when the king retired to bed, the esquire bad the concentrated power of the gentleman ushers, the vice chamberlain, and lord chamberlain, in himself; having the absolute command of the house both above and below stairs. At this period [the reign of King Henry VIII.], and till the close of the last century, the royal apartments, from the bedchamber to the guard-chamber inclusively, were occupied in the night by one or more of the servants belonging to each chamber respectively. The principal officer, then the gentleman, now

the lord of the bedchamber,

slept in a pallet bed in the same room with the king; and in the ante-room between the privy chamber and the bedchamber (in the reign of King Charles II. at least) slept the groom of the bedchamber. In the privy chamber next adjoining, slept two of the six gentlemen of the privy chamber in waiting ; and in the presence chamber, the esquire of the body on a pallet bed, upon the haut pas, under the cloth of estate ; while one of the pages of the presence chamber slept in the same room, without the verge of the canopy, not far from the door. All these temporary beds were put up at night, and displaced in the morning, by the officers of a particular branch of the wardrobe, called the wardrobe of beds.

" After supper, previous to the king's retiring to his bedchamber, the proper officers were to see all things furnished for the night, some for the king's bedchamber, and others for the king's cup-board, which was sometimes in the privy chamber, and sometimes in the presence chamber, at the royal pleasure, and furnished with refections for the king's refreshment, if called for. After this, the officers of the day retired, and committed all to the charge of the esquire of the body. This dome-stick ceremony was called the Order of All Night ; the nature of which I shall now give at large from an account preserved in the Lord " The Rome and service belonging to a Page of the kyngs Chamber to doo. " Item, the said Pageis at nyght, at season convenyent, must make the payletts for knyghts and squyers for the body, in suche a chamber as they shalbe appoynted unto. " Item, the said pageis shall doo make redy the'said knyghts and Squyers for the body, and bere theyr gere to the kyngs great chamber at the instaunce of the said knyghts and squyers to their servaunts: And the said pageis to receive of the said knyghts and squyers servaunts such nyght gere as they shall delyver theym for their said maistres. Thus don, the said pageis to make sure the fyere and lights in every chamber, and so to make their paylet at the chamber dore where the said knyghts and Squyen do lye."Eddaido (talk) 00:29, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

When did the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber become Lord of the Bedchamber?

Just wondering out of curiosity. I can't seem to find any info on when the position's name changed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.231.109.104 (talk) 02:53, 3 August 2014 (UTC)