Comptrollers of Army Accounts

Comptrollers of Army Accounts were British public officials first appointed on 10 June 1703, by the Lord High Treasurer, Lord Godolphin; there were two Comptrollers (assisted by a Secretary and eight clerks). Initially under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, they were instead made accountable to the Treasury in 1708.[1]

Role

The Comptrollers were established to audit the accounts of all army Paymasters and regiments, to keep an account of all weapons, tents and provisions issued to each regiment (to ensure that each regiment was duly charged for what it received) and to inspect all muster rolls.[2] To begin with, they also had responsibility for inspecting the clothing contracts entered into by each regiment but in 1708 this duty was handed over to a separate Clothing Board established under the Board of General Officers.

In 1783 the role of the Comptrollers was extended, to cover 'the examination of the Provision and Store accounts of the Commissariat Department'.

In 1785 the two Comptrollers of Army Accounts were made ex officio members of the new Audit Board (the Commissioners for Auditing Public Accounts). In 1806 the Comptrollers were separated from the Audit Board; their responsibilities and powers were again extended and a third Comptroller was appointed (however, when he died in office in 1830, he was not replaced). By 1833 they were described as: "Comptrollers of all extraordinary military expenditure (except that connected with the Ordnance department) and auditors of the provision and store accounts of all Commissariat and other officers in charge of stores (except ordnance) on foreign service".[1]

Demise

In 1835 the office of the Comptrollers of Army Accounts was dissolved and its responsibilities given to the Commissioners of Audit.[2]

List of Comptrollers[3]
From To Name Notes
1703 1707 Sir Joseph Tredenham
1703 1704 William Duncombe
1704 1708 Arthur Moore
1708 1756 Sir Philip Meadows
1708 1711 Thomas Brodrick
1711 1730 The Hon. James Bruce
1730 1747 Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton
1747 1776 Stephen Fox, 1st Baron Ilchester created Earl of Ilchester 17 June 1756
1756 1775 James Cresset
1775 1783 Henry Bunbury
1776 1780 Thomas Bowlby
1780 1780 Christopher D'Oyly (appointment gazetted but declined)[4]
1780 1802 Sir John Dick Ex officio Commissioner of Audit from 1785
1783 1794 William Molleson Ex officio Commissioner of Audit from 1785
1794 1811 John Martin Leake Ex officio Commissioner of Audit until 1805
1802 1817 John Erskine Ex officio Commissioner of Audit until 1805
1806 1830 John King
September 1811 October 1811 John Charles Herries
1811 1835 Colonel John Drinkwater
1815 1823 Anthony Rosenhagen Member of the Board from 1817[1]
1823 1826 The Hon. James Henry Keith Stewart
1826 1835 Lt-Col Sir William Lewis Herries KCH
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References
  1. Drinkwater, Lt-Col John (1835). Statements respecting the late Departments of the Comptrollers of the Army. London: William Nicol.
  2. Roper, Michael (1998). The Records of the War Office and Related Departments, 1660-1964. Kew, Surrey: Public Record Office.
  3. Sainty, J. C. "Comptrollers of Army Accounts". Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  4. "D'OYLY, Christopher". The History of Parliament. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
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