Royal household staff and royal warrant holders

The two main household departments were the Lord Chamberlain´s Department and the Lord Steward´s Department. The Lord Chamberlain´s Department was responsible for staff above stairs, court ceremonies and the rooms. The Lord Steward´s Department was responsible for below stairs, the kitchen staff and foodstuffs, also wood and coal supplies, the gardens and stables.

The Lord Steward´s Department was abolished in 1854 and its functions taken over by the Master of the Royal Household, whose records are in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle. The Royal Archives also has a comprehensive card index of persons employed in the Lord Chamberlain´s and Lord Steward´s Departments. Names of court officials and household staff can be found in the Royal Kalendar 1767-1849 and the Court & City Register 1742-1808. Also, J C Sainty and R O Bucholz, Officials of the Royal Household, 1660-1837, 2 vols (Institute of Historical Research, 1997-98) and the data base of office holders at www.history.ac.uk/office/index.html.

Lord Chamberlain´s Department

Appointments of officers and servants are to be found in the Appointment Books, Series II in LC 3/61-71, covering 1660 to 1851 and later Appointments in LC 5/237-241 from 1851 to 1901. There are also Appointment Books, Series I in LC 3/56-60, which cover various dates between 1685 and 1838, but these are less complete. Established servants are named in LC 3/1-23 for various dates between 1641 and 1849.

Salary, Livery and Pension Books, LC 3/37-52 from 1667 to 1857 do not usually name individuals, but include pensioners, holders of offices about to be abolished and widows. Warrants, including appointments, payments, general instructions etc, can be found in series LC 5.

Lord Steward´s Department

Certificate Books of Admission including the Steward´s department, stables, chapels, and Secretaries of State are in LS 13/197-204 from 1672 to 1820. Warrants of appointment of servants and officers are in series LS 13/246-267 from 1660 to 1820 and there is an entry book for 1627 to 1641 in LS 13/251.

Royal Warrant Holders

From 1900 lists of royal warrant holders are published annually in the London Gazette. Grants of the right to display the royal arms are recorded in the records of the Lord Chamberlain´s Department in LC 5/243-246 from 1837 to 1901. Earlier tradesmen´s appointments appear in the Appointment Books, Series II in LC 3/61-70 from 1660 to 1837.