Lord Chamberlain's Department: Office of Robes: Letter Books

The records in this Office of the Robes series cover the reigns of William IV and Victoria.

The correspondence copied into these volumes falls into two main categories. Firstly, that concerning the provision of goods and services. These include grants and refusals of royal warrants, letters to trades and crafts persons, and regular statements of account of expenses incurred made to the Treasury. There is also correspondence concerned with dress etiquette.

The second category is correspondence with the Treasury concerning the salaries, allowances, fees etc, of the officials of the office, as well as their duties, grading and status. Changes in personnel are also covered. Similar information was also provided for enquiries into those offices on the Civil List Establishment.

Topics

Clothing

Government finances

Pay and pensions

The Office of Robes had its origin in the Wardrobe of Robes in the twelfth century, and was charged with the care of the monarch's clothes and the accessories thereto; also the robes of state. It was closely allied to the Office of the Great Wardrobe. The officials of the Office varied from reign to reign, but the head was always a master of the robes, or mistress in the case of a queen.

The officials under William were a master, groom, clerk and necessary woman, though the last was replaced by a messenger in 1836. Victoria maintained this structure, but added several more personal posts, such as dressers, wardrobe maids and a furrier.

William IV principally employed a tailor, a glover, a hatter and a furrier, as well as a sword cutler, a perfumer and a stationer. There are also accounts of specific craftsmen. Victoria expanded greatly on this, adding, for example, milliners, bonnet makers, silk and lace makers, providers of stays, corsets and shawls, embroiderers, florists, plumassiers, jewellers, and suppliers of pins and needles.