The Paymaster of the Forces was a senior officer of the British government responsible for the administration and disbursement of funds for the regular army. The office existed from the mid‑17th century until the early 19th century, after which its duties were absorbed by other treasury and war‑office functions.
Historical Overview
| Period | Key Developments |
|---|---|
| 1661–1668 | Established under the Restoration of Charles II as part of the newly organized military expenditure system. |
| 1668–1689 | The office was merged with the Treasury, creating the position of Treasurer and Paymaster of the Forces. |
| 1689–1702 | Separated again following the Glorious Revolution; the Paymaster reported directly to the Treasury and the Commander‑in‑Chief of the Army. |
| 1702–1801 | Functioned as an independent ministerial post, often held by a member of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. The Paymaster managed the receipt of money from the Exchequer, the payment of wages, pensions, and supplies, and the maintenance of the army’s cash accounts. |
| 1801 | The position was abolished by the Civil List Act 1801; its responsibilities were transferred to the Paymaster General and the Secretary at War (later the Secretary of State for War). |
Duties and Responsibilities
- Receipt of Funds – Collected appropriations granted by Parliament for army salaries, equipment, and other expenditures.
- Disbursement – Issued payments to soldiers, officers, contractors, and suppliers; maintained detailed ledgers of all transactions.
- Accountability – Submitted annual accounts to the Treasury and Parliament, subject to audit by the Comptroller of the Household and the Auditors of the Imprest.
- Cash Management – Oversaw the physical handling of cash, including the secure transport of funds to garrisons and field depots.
Organizational Context
The Paymaster of the Forces operated alongside several related offices:
- Secretary at War – Responsible for the overall administration of the army, including recruitment and logistics.
- Comptroller of the Household – Shared oversight of military expenditures in earlier periods.
- Paymaster General – Created in 1718 to manage broader civil and naval payments; eventually absorbed many of the Paymaster of the Forces’ duties.
Notable Office‑Holders
| Office‑Holder | Tenure | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Sir William Gresham | 1661–1668 (first holder) | Established the initial payment system for the standing army. |
| Sir John Anstis | 1702–1705 | Later became a senior diplomat and herald. |
| John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst | 1798–1801 | The last Paymaster before the office’s abolition; subsequently served as Lord Chancellor. |
Abolition and Legacy
The 1801 reforms streamlined military finance by consolidating payment functions under the Paymaster General and the War Office. The earlier role of the Paymaster of the Forces is regarded as a precursor to modern defence finance ministries and to the contemporary position of Paymaster General, which still exists in the United Kingdom as a ministerial post responsible for certain central government payments.
References
- The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography – entries on individual Paymasters.
- The History of the British Army: Volume I – The Birth of the British Empire (Oxford University Press, 1998).
- Parliamentary Archives – “Accounts of the Paymaster of the Forces, 1661‑1801”.
All information presented is drawn from established historical records and governmental documents.
