Comptroller of the Household

The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient 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 the 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.[1]

History

Sir Edward Rogers, 'Controller to Queen Elizabeth' in the 1560s, holding his white staff of office

"Comptroller" is an archaic 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".

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.

In modern times, the Comptroller has become a less prominent position in British politics. The holder is one of the Government whips in the House of Commons, and their responsibilities for the Royal Household are now largely ceremonial. The role has been occupied by Mike Freer since 17 December 2019.

Known incumbents

15th century

1399–1400: Sir Robert Lytton[2]
1402–1413: John Spencer[3]
after 1413: Sir Robert Babthorpe[4]
1432–c1450: Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley[5]
1460: Thomas Charlton[6]
1461–?1470: Sir John Scott
1471–1475: Sir William Parr[7][8][9]
1475–1481: Sir Robert Wingfield[8]
1481–1483: Sir William Parr[7][8][9]
1483–1485: Sir Robert Percy of Scotton[8]
1485–1489: Sir Richard Edgecumbe[10]
1489?–1492: Sir Roger Tocotes[10]
1492–1494: vacant
1494–1506: Sir Richard Guildford[10]

16th century

1507–1509: Sir John Hussey[10]
1509–1519: Sir Edward Poynings[10]
Sir Thomas Parr[7]
1519–1521: Sir Thomas Boleyn[10]
1521–1532: Sir Henry Guildford[10]
1532–1537: Sir William Paulet[10]
1537–1539: Sir John Russell[10]
1539–1540: Sir William Kingston[10]
1540–1547: Sir John Gage[10]
1547–1550: Sir William Paget[10]
1550–1552: Sir Richard Wingfield[10]
1552–1553: Sir Richard Cotton[10]
1553–1557: Sir Robert Rochester[10]
1557–1558: Sir Thomas Cornwallis[10]
1558–1559: Sir Thomas Parry[10]
1559–1568: Sir Edward Rogers[10]
1568: Anthony Crane[11]
1568–1570: vacant
1570–1590: Sir James Croft[10]
1590–1596: vacant
1596–1602: William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury[10][11]

20th century

1905–1909: Master of Elibank
1909–1912: The Earl of Liverpool
1912–1915: The Lord 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
1945: George Mathers
1945: Leslie Pym
1945–1946: Arthur Pearson
1946: Michael Stewart
1946–1951: Frank Collindridge
1951–1954: Roger Conant
1954–1955: Tam Galbraith
1955–1957: Hendrie Oakshott
1957–1958: Gerald Wills
1958–1959: Edward Wakefield
1959–1961: Harwood Harrison
1961–1964: Robin Chichester-Clark
1964–1966: Charles Grey
1966–1967: William Whitlock
1967–1968: William Howie
1968–1970: Ioan Evans
1970: Walter Elliot
1970–1972: Reginald Eyre
1972–1973: Bernard Weatherill
1973–1974: Walter Clegg
1974–1978: Joseph Harper
1978–1979: James Hamilton
1979–1981: Spencer le Marchant
1981–1983: Anthony Berry
1983–1986: Carol Mather
1986–1988: Robert Boscawen
1988–1989: Tristan Garel-Jones
1989–1990: Alastair Goodlad
1990: Sir George Young, 6th Baronet
1990–1995: David Lightbown
1995–1997: Timothy Wood
1997–2008: Tommy McAvoy

21st century

2008–2010: John Spellar
2010–2013: Alistair Carmichael
2013–2015: Don Foster
2015–2016: Gavin Barwell[13]
2016–2017: Mel Stride
2017: Christopher Pincher
2018: Christopher Heaton-Harris
2018-2019: Mark Spencer
2019: Jeremy Quin
2019–Present: Mike Freer

Notes

Astington, John (1999). English Court Theatre, 1558–1642. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-521-64065-7.
LITTON, Sir Robert (d.c.1415), of Wennington, Essex History of Parliament
SPENCER, John (d.1417), of Banham, Norf. and Burgate, Suff. History of Parliament
Rawcliffe, Carol (1993), "Waterton, John (d.1417/18), of Waterton, Lincs. and Bramley, Surr.", in J.S. Roskell (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, retrieved 15 December 2017
The history of the house of Stanley, etc p.41
"Charlton, Sir Thomas". Oxford DNB. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
"Parr, William (1434-1483?)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
The Household of Edward IV, Manchester University Press ND Google ebook
The DNB gives Sir William Parr as Comptroller of the Household from 1471 to 1483; Household of Edward IV gives Parr's office dates as 1471–1475 and again in 1481–1483
Green Cloth officeholders Archived 28 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine Institute of Historical Research
Kinney, Arthur F. (1973). Titled Elizabethans: A Directory of Elizabethan Court, State, and Church Officers, 1558-1603. North Haven, Connecticut: Shoe String Press.
J. Palmer, A Biographical History of England (1824), 86–87
"Gavin Barwell given ancient Government role after holding on to Croydon Central seat". Your Local Guardan. Newsquest. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.

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References

(incomplete)

Comptroller Etymology OnLine
Database of Court Officers Loyola University Chicago
Whips from 1970 Political Science Resources

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[1] Astington, John (1999). English Court Theatre, 1558–1642. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-521-64065-7.

[2] LITTON, Sir Robert (d.c.1415), of Wennington, Essex History of Parliament

[3] SPENCER, John (d.1417), of Banham, Norf. and Burgate, Suff. History of Parliament

[4] Rawcliffe, Carol (1993), "Waterton, John (d.1417/18), of Waterton, Lincs. and Bramley, Surr.", in J.S. Roskell (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, retrieved 15 December 2017

[5] The history of the house of Stanley, etc p.41

[6] "Charlton, Sir Thomas". Oxford DNB. Retrieved 1 December 2011.

[dnb-7] "Parr, William (1434-1483?)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[household-8] The Household of Edward IV, Manchester University Press ND Google ebook

[note-9] The DNB gives Sir William Parr as Comptroller of the Household from 1471 to 1483; Household of Edward IV gives Parr's office dates as 1471–1475 and again in 1481–1483

[off-10] Green Cloth officeholders Archived 28 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine Institute of Historical Research

[Kinney_73-11] Kinney, Arthur F. (1973). Titled Elizabethans: A Directory of Elizabethan Court, State, and Church Officers, 1558-1603. North Haven, Connecticut: Shoe String Press.

[12] J. Palmer, A Biographical History of England (1824), 86–87

[13] "Gavin Barwell given ancient Government role after holding on to Croydon Central seat". Your Local Guardan. Newsquest. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.