Page in the Presence

[Laura-Jen]

Can anyone help, i have an ancestor who was a page in the presence in the mid 1700's.
What exactly would his job have enatiled??
Was it a prestigious role?
How would he have become on?

[hughar]

It's a Royal Household post still in existence today. See http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/WorkingfortheRoyalHousehold/PeopleProfiles/ColinCrosbyInvestitureClerk.aspx
where it is mentioned in the third paragraph of the middle column.

[hughar]

Also if you do a search in Google Books for "page of the presence" (with the quote marks) you will find lots of references in early books.

[DebbieLou]

Are you refering to John Collyer? The National Archives can provide copies of his appointments and his livery warrants - providing him with cloth for his livery. His job wasn't so glamorous! The pages of the presence lit the fires and candles in the presence chamber. As a supplement to their wages they were entitled to the candle ends!