Out-Ranger of Windsor Forest
Encyclopedia
The Out-Ranger of Windsor Forest was an official post associated with the royal forest
of Windsor.
The nominal duties of the out-ranger were to preserve any deer which escaped the bounds of Windsor Forest. (Under forest law, the Sovereign owned all the deer within a royal forest, even though they might not be crown property.) In practice, the office was a sinecure
.
The first known appointment to the position was that of Denzil Onslow
in 1686 or 1694. He was deprived of his office in 1711 when the Junto Whigs were crushed. In 1715, the office was granted to Denzil's great-nephew Hon. Thomas Onslow
. While it provided an emolument for him, the principal purpose of the appointment was to force Thomas to vacate his seat as Member of Parliament
for Guildford
, under the terms of the Place Act 1707. By removing him from the House of Commons
, he could now stand in the by-election
for Surrey
, which had been vacated when his father Richard
was made a Teller of the Exchequer. (Richard was about to be made a peer, hence his failure to stand in the by-election himself.) Two years later, when Thomas succeeded to his father's barony, Denzil Onslow again received the office for the same reason, vacating his seat at Guildford to successfully contest Surrey. This presaged the use of other offices of profit
under the Crown as a means of resignation from the British House of Commons
, which became formalized in the offices of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds and Steward of Northstead.
Denzil held the office until his death in 1721. Brigadier Richard Munden was appointed in 1722, but died in September 1725. He left his financial affairs considerably entangled, and the underkeepers who performed the duties of the office had to petition for the arrears of their salaries. He was succeeded by John King, 2nd Baron King
, who had a grant of the office for life in 1726; his brother Peter King, 3rd Baron King succeeded him in 1740, but the office was again granted to an Onslow in 1754.
George Onslow
was the second cousin once removed of Thomas, who had held the office until 1717. He held the office until the beginning of 1763, when Fox
purged the government of Newcastle
's supporters. It went to Lord Charles Spencer
, who lost it on the fall of the Bute Ministry
and was replaced by Benjamin Bathurst. Bathurst, in turn, was displaced by the Rockingham
administration. The office now passed to Col. George Onslow
, first cousin to the previous George, who received a grant of it for life for supporting the ministry. Upon his death, it was given to Viscount Cranley
, the son of the first George Onslow, who held it until its abolition in the early 19th century.
A small lodge named Fan Grove on the edge of Windsor Forest was formerly the property of the out-ranger. It was used as a residence by Admiral Sir Richard Onslow, 1st Baronet
, younger brother of Col. George Onslow.
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
of Windsor.
The nominal duties of the out-ranger were to preserve any deer which escaped the bounds of Windsor Forest. (Under forest law, the Sovereign owned all the deer within a royal forest, even though they might not be crown property.) In practice, the office was a sinecure
Sinecure
A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
.
The first known appointment to the position was that of Denzil Onslow
Denzil Onslow (of Pyrford)
Denzil Onslow was a British Whig politician. Through advantageous marriages, he obtained a country estate and became prominent in Surrey politics of the Hanoverian era, although his nephew Arthur Onslow, as Speaker, judged that Denzil knew "no more of the business [of the House of Commons] than...
in 1686 or 1694. He was deprived of his office in 1711 when the Junto Whigs were crushed. In 1715, the office was granted to Denzil's great-nephew Hon. Thomas Onslow
Thomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow
Thomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow commissioned the building of Clandon Park in the 1730s.He became 2nd Baron Onslow on the death of his father, Richard Onslow, in 1717...
. While it provided an emolument for him, the principal purpose of the appointment was to force Thomas to vacate his seat as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Guildford
Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
, under the terms of the Place Act 1707. By removing him from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, he could now stand in the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for Surrey
Surrey (UK Parliament constituency)
Surrey was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament until 1832....
, which had been vacated when his father Richard
Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow
Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow PC was a British Whig Member of Parliament, known as Sir Richard Onslow, 2nd Baronet from 1688 until 1716. He served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1708 until 1710 and as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1714 until 1715...
was made a Teller of the Exchequer. (Richard was about to be made a peer, hence his failure to stand in the by-election himself.) Two years later, when Thomas succeeded to his father's barony, Denzil Onslow again received the office for the same reason, vacating his seat at Guildford to successfully contest Surrey. This presaged the use of other offices of profit
Office of profit
An office of profit is a term used in a number of national constitutions to refer to executive appointments. A number of countries forbid members of the legislature from accepting an office of profit under the executive as a means to secure the independence of the legislature and preserve the...
under the Crown as a means of resignation from the British House of Commons
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
, which became formalized in the offices of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds and Steward of Northstead.
Denzil held the office until his death in 1721. Brigadier Richard Munden was appointed in 1722, but died in September 1725. He left his financial affairs considerably entangled, and the underkeepers who performed the duties of the office had to petition for the arrears of their salaries. He was succeeded by John King, 2nd Baron King
John King, 2nd Baron King
John King, 2nd Baron King, FRS was an English politician. He was Member of Parliament for Launceston from 1727 to 1734 and for Exeter from 1734 until he succeeded to the peerage in 1735....
, who had a grant of the office for life in 1726; his brother Peter King, 3rd Baron King succeeded him in 1740, but the office was again granted to an Onslow in 1754.
George Onslow
George Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow
George Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow PC , known as The Lord Onslow from 1776 until 1801, was a British peer and politician....
was the second cousin once removed of Thomas, who had held the office until 1717. He held the office until the beginning of 1763, when Fox
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, of Foxley, MP, PC was a leading British politician of the 18th century. He identified primarily with the Whig faction...
purged the government of Newcastle
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman, whose official life extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He is commonly known as the Duke of Newcastle.A protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, he served...
's supporters. It went to Lord Charles Spencer
Lord Charles Spencer
Lord Charles Spencer PC was a British politician and courtier.-Background:Spencer was the second son of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, and the Hon. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Trevor, 2nd Baron Trevor...
, who lost it on the fall of the Bute Ministry
Bute Ministry
-The Ministry:-See also:* Great Britain in the Seven Years War* Cider Bill of 1763...
and was replaced by Benjamin Bathurst. Bathurst, in turn, was displaced by the Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
administration. The office now passed to Col. George Onslow
George Onslow (British Army officer)
George Onslow was a British politician and army officer, the eldest son of Richard Onslow and his second wife Pooley, and the nephew of Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House of Commons....
, first cousin to the previous George, who received a grant of it for life for supporting the ministry. Upon his death, it was given to Viscount Cranley
Thomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of Onslow
Thomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of Onslow was an English nobleman and courtier who succeeded to his title in 1814. Originally the Honourable Tom Onslow, he was styled Viscount Cranley from 1801 to 1814...
, the son of the first George Onslow, who held it until its abolition in the early 19th century.
Salary and perquisites
The office was originally unsalaried, but after its revival in 1715, it paid £600 per year, of which about £200 had to be dispersed to pay under-keepers. Another source gives the salary as £500 per year, increased to £900 around 1776. It had grown to £1,200 per year when the office was abolished.A small lodge named Fan Grove on the edge of Windsor Forest was formerly the property of the out-ranger. It was used as a residence by Admiral Sir Richard Onslow, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Onslow, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Onslow, 1st Baronet GCB was an English naval officer who played a distinguished role at the Battle of Camperdown.-Naval career:...
, younger brother of Col. George Onslow.
List of Out-Rangers
- Denzil OnslowDenzil Onslow (of Pyrford)Denzil Onslow was a British Whig politician. Through advantageous marriages, he obtained a country estate and became prominent in Surrey politics of the Hanoverian era, although his nephew Arthur Onslow, as Speaker, judged that Denzil knew "no more of the business [of the House of Commons] than...
1686 or 12 April 1694 – 1711 - unknown 1711 – 1715
- Thomas OnslowThomas Onslow, 2nd Baron OnslowThomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow commissioned the building of Clandon Park in the 1730s.He became 2nd Baron Onslow on the death of his father, Richard Onslow, in 1717...
21 November 1715 – 1717 - Denzil OnslowDenzil Onslow (of Pyrford)Denzil Onslow was a British Whig politician. Through advantageous marriages, he obtained a country estate and became prominent in Surrey politics of the Hanoverian era, although his nephew Arthur Onslow, as Speaker, judged that Denzil knew "no more of the business [of the House of Commons] than...
18 December 1717 – 27 June 1721 - Brig. Richard Munden 1722 – 19 September 1725
- John King, 2nd Baron KingJohn King, 2nd Baron KingJohn King, 2nd Baron King, FRS was an English politician. He was Member of Parliament for Launceston from 1727 to 1734 and for Exeter from 1734 until he succeeded to the peerage in 1735....
1 July 1726 – 10 February 1740 - Peter King, 3rd Baron King 18 April 1740 – 22 March 1754
- George OnslowGeorge Onslow, 1st Earl of OnslowGeorge Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow PC , known as The Lord Onslow from 1776 until 1801, was a British peer and politician....
13 April 1754 – 1763 - Lord Charles SpencerLord Charles SpencerLord Charles Spencer PC was a British politician and courtier.-Background:Spencer was the second son of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, and the Hon. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Trevor, 2nd Baron Trevor...
29 January 1763 – April 1763 - Benjamin Bathurst 7 May 1763 – July 1765
- Col. George OnslowGeorge Onslow (British Army officer)George Onslow was a British politician and army officer, the eldest son of Richard Onslow and his second wife Pooley, and the nephew of Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House of Commons....
1765–1792 - Thomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of OnslowThomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of OnslowThomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of Onslow was an English nobleman and courtier who succeeded to his title in 1814. Originally the Honourable Tom Onslow, he was styled Viscount Cranley from 1801 to 1814...
1792–1827?