The Comptroller of the Household is a historical position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ex officio member of the Board of Green Cloth, until that body was abolished in the reform of local government licensing in 2004. In recent times, a senior government whip has invariably occupied the office. On state occasions the Comptroller (in common with certain other senior officers of the Household) carries a white staff of office, as often seen in portraits.
"Comptroller" is an alternative spelling of "controller", recorded since around 1500 in a number of British titles, and later also in the United States. The variant in spelling results from the influence of French compte "account".
Contents
History
The office of Comptroller of the Household derives from the medieval Household office of Controller of the Wardrobe, who was deputy to the Keeper (or Treasurer) of the Wardrobe, as well as an important official in his own right as keeper of the Privy Seal. Later, both these offices became high-ranking political appointments.
Modern role
In modern times, the Comptroller has become a less prominent position in British politics. The holder is the third-most senior Government whips in the House of Commons and is responsible for the day-to-day activity in the House. Their responsibilities for the Royal Household are now largely ceremonial, such as serving as an usher at royal garden parties.
Known incumbents
15th century
1399–1400: Sir Robert Lytton
1402–1413: John Spencer
after 1413: Sir Robert Babthorpe
1432–c1450: Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley
1460: Thomas Charlton
1461–?1470: Sir John Scott
1471–1475: Sir William Parr
1475–1481: Sir Robert Wingfield
1481–1483: Sir William Parr
1483–1485: Sir Robert Percy of Scotton
1485–1489: Sir Richard Edgecumbe
1489?–1492: Sir Roger Tocotes
1492–1494: vacant
1494–1506: Sir Richard Guildford
16th century
1507–1509: Sir John Hussey
1509–1519: Sir Edward Poynings
Sir Thomas Parr
1519–1521: Sir Thomas Boleyn
1521–1532: Sir Henry Guildford
1532–1537: Sir William Paulet
1537–1539: Sir John Russell
1539–1540: Sir William Kingston
1540–1547: Sir John Gage
1547–1550: Sir William Paget
1550–1552: Sir Richard Wingfield
1552–1553: Sir Richard Cotton
1553–1557: Sir Robert Rochester
1557–1558: Sir Thomas Cornwallis
1558–1559: Sir Thomas Parry
1559–1568: Sir Edward Rogers
1568: Anthony Crane
1568–1570: vacant
1570–1590: Sir James Croft
1590–1596: vacant
1596–1602: William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury
17th century
1602–1604: Sir Edward Wotton
c1604: William Pitt
1616–1618: Sir Thomas Edmonds
1618–1622: Sir Henry Cary (so created 1620)
1622–1627: Sir John Suckling
1627–1629: Sir John Savile, created a baron in 1628.
1629–1639: Henry Vane the Elder
1639–1641: Sir Thomas Jermyn
1641–1643: Sir Peter Wyche
1643–1646: Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton
1660–1662: Sir Charles Berkeley
1662–1666: Sir Hugh Pollard, 2nd Baronet
1666–1668: Sir Thomas Clifford
1668–1672: Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport
1672–1687: William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard
1687–1688: Henry Waldegrave, 1st Baron Waldegrave
1689–1702: Thomas Wharton, 5th Baron Wharton
18th century
1702–1704: Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Baronet
1704–1708: Sir Thomas Mansell, Bt
1708: Hugh Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Cholmondeley
1708–1709: Sir Thomas Felton, 4th Baronet
1709–1711: Sir John Holland, 2nd Baronet
1711–1712: George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne
1713–1714: Sir John Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet
1714–1720: Hugh Boscawen
1720–1725: Paul Methuen
1725–1730: Daniel Finch, Lord Finch
1730–1754: Sir Conyers Darcy
1754–1756: Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough
1756: John Hobart, Lord Hobart
1756–1761: Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe
1761: Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis
1761–1762: Lord George Cavendish
1762–1763: Humphry Morice
1763–1765: Lord Charles Spencer
1765–1774: Thomas Pelham
1774–1777: Sir William Meredith, 3rd Baronet
1777–1779: George Onslow, 4th Baron Onslow
19th century
1804–1812: Lord George Thynne
1812–1830: Lord George Beresford
1830–1834: Lord Robert Grosvenor
1834–1835: Hon. Henry Lowry-Corry
1835–1841: George Byng
1841: Lord Marcus Hill
1841–1846: George Dawson-Damer
1846–1847: Lord Marcus Hill
1847–1851: William Lascelles
1851–1852: George Phipps, Earl of Mulgrave
1852: George Weld-Forester
1853–1856: Archibald Douglas, Viscount Drumlanrig
1856–1858: Valentine Browne, Viscount Castlerosse
1858–1859: George Weld-Forester
1859–1866: Granville Leveson Proby, Lord Proby
1866–1868: Charles Yorke, Viscount Royston
1868–1874: Lord Otho FitzGerald
1874–1879: Lord Henry Somerset
1879–1880: Hugh Seymour, Earl of Yarmouth
1880–1885: William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington
1885–1886: Lord Arthur Hill
1886: Edward Marjoribanks
20th century
1905–1909: Alexander William Charles Oliphant Murray, Master of Elibank
1909–1912: Arthur Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
1912–1915: Geoffrey Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 18th Baron Saye and Sele
1915–1916: Charles Henry Roberts
1916–1919: Sir Edwin Cornwall
1919–1921: George Frederick Stanley
1921–1924: Harry Barnston
1924: John Allen Parkinson
1924–1928: Sir Harry Barnston
1928–1929: Sir William Cope
1929–1931: Thomas Henderson
1931: Goronwy Owen
1931–1932: Walter Rea
1932–1935: Sir Frederick Penny, Bt
1935: Sir Victor Warrender, Bt
1935: George Bowyer
1935–1937: Sir Lambert Ward
1937: Sir George Frederick Davies
1937–1939: Charles Waterhouse
1939–1940: Charles Kerr
1940–1942: William Whiteley
1942–1945: William John