The Groom Porter was an office at the royal court of the monarch of Britain, who had "the Inspection of the King's Lodgings, and takes care that they are provided with Tables, Chairs, Firing, &c. As also to provide Cards, Dice, &c. when there is playing at Court: To decide Disputes which arise in Gaming". He was also responsible for "oversight of common Billiards Tables, common Bowling Grounds, Dicing Houses, Gaming Houses and Common tennis Courts and power of Licensing the same within the Citys of London and Westminster or Borough of Southwark."[1]
The title may originally have referred to the keeper of the king's furnishings in his bedchamber. It was a position in the royal household, and therefore had certain privileges associated with it.[2] In 1702 the remuneration was raised to £680 per year, which it remained until it was abolished with other sinecure offices at court in 1782.[1] Eventually, the term became used for the owner, or operator of a gaming hall.[3]
Nicholas Fortescue (died 1549), in a will made in 1544 describes himself as Groom Porter of the King's most Honourable Chamber. Will proved 26 September 1549.[4] He is the grandfather of Sir Nicholas Fortescue the Elder.[5]
The Office of Works was established in the English royal household in 1378 to oversee the building and maintenance of the royal castles and residences. In 1832 it became the Works Department forces within the Office of Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works and Buildings. It was reconstituted as a government department in 1851 and became part of the Ministry of Works in 1940.
The table of years in literature is a tabular display of all years in literature for overview and quick navigation to any year.
Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a title in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain. A Lord of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household; the term being first used in 1718. Lords and Gentleman of the Bedchamber's duties originally consisted of assisting the monarch with dressing, waiting on him when he ate, guarding access to his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship. Such functions became less important over time but provided proximity to the monarch and the holders were thus trusted confidants and often extremely powerful. The offices were in the gift of The Crown and were originally sworn by Royal Warrant directed to the Lord Chamberlain.
The table of years in poetry is a compact directory of all "years in poetry" pages—decades and centuries prior to 1500.
References
1 2 3 'Hunting, sporting and gaming: Groom Porters and Masters of the Tennis Courts', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660-1837 (2006), pp. 224–225. porter. Date accessed: 7 November 2008.
↑ Will of Nicholas Fortescue, Groom Porter of the King's Chamber, Westminster, Middlesex (P.C.C. 1549, Populwell quire).
↑ G.K. Fortescue, 'Fortescue, Sir Nicholas, the elder (1575?–1633), chamberlain of the exchequer,' Dictionary of National Biography (1885-1900), Vol. 20 (Wikisource).
↑ J.G. Nichols (ed.), The Diary of Henry Machyn, Camden Society Old Series XLII (London 1848), pp. 108–114. Machyn calls him 'master Lecknolle'.
↑ 'Reign of Mary, XXII: Letter of Robert Swift to the Marquess of Shrewsbury, 22 June 1556', in E. Lodge, Illustrations of British History, Biography and Manners, 2nd Edition, 3 vols (John Chidley, London 1838), I, pp. 265–68 (Internet Archive), citing source: Talbot Papers, Vol. P, fol. 279.
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