Ordnance Surveyor 1538-1854

A provisional list compiled by J C Sainty, May 2002

Appointments to this office were made by the crown by letters patent under the great seal. Tenure was originally for life. Nicholls was appointed during good behaviour in 1660. From 1669 grants were during pleasure. The patent salary was 2 shillings a day. The office lapsed after the death of Maule in 1854.

For the sake of completeness the surveyors who served during the Interregnum are inserted at the appropriate point in the list.

Chronological list of Ordnance Surveyors

  • 1538 Johnson, Henry
    Gt. 5 Feb. 1538 (Letters and Papers of Henry VIII,, xiii, 133(26)); d. by 23 Jan. 1549 (CPR 1547-8, p. 353).
  • 1549 Anthony, Anthony
    Gt. 23 Jan. 1549 (CPR 1547-8, p. 353); surr. 1 Feb. 1560 (ibid.).
  • 1560 Anthony, Anthony
    Iden, Henry
    Gt. in surv. 15 Feb. 1560 (CPR 1558-60, p. 282); Anthony d. by 25 June 1565 (CPR 1563-6, p. 324(1823)); Iden d. 2 Dec. 1568 (CPR 1569-72, p. 4(24)).
  • 1568 Pynner, Thomas
    Gt. in reversion after Henry Iden 25 June 1565 (CPR 1563-6, p. 324(1823); succ. 2 Dec. 1568 (d. of same); surr. 10 Apr. 1570 (CPR 1563-6, p. 324(1823)).
  • 1570 Jurden, William
    Gt. 13 Apr. 1570 (CPR 1569-72, p. 4(24)); surr. 6 Dec. 1582 (ibid.).
  • 1582 Jurden, William
    Powell, John
    Gt. in surv. 7 Dec. 1582 (C 66/1235); vac. by 21 June 1595 (gt. to Partridge).
  • 1595 Partridge, William
    Gt. 21 June 1595 (C 66/1426); d. 21 June 1598 (History of Parliament 1558-1603, iii, 184).
  • 1599 Davies, John (ktd. 12 July 1599)
    Gt. 3 Feb. 1599 (C 66/1497); forfeited by 17 July 1602 (C 66/1570, gt. to John Linewray).
  • 1602 Linewray, John (ktd. 10 July 1604)
    Gt. 17 July 1602 (C 66/1570); d. 11 June 1606 (E 403/1704, 10 Mar. 1608).
  • 1606 Earth, Joseph
    Gt. in reversion after John Linewray 26 Feb. 1606 (C 66/1685); succ. 11 June 1606 (d. of same); d. 5 Sept. 1609 (E 403/1708, 2 Mar. 1610).
  • 1606 Dallison, Sir Roger, Kt.
    Gt. in reversion after Joseph Earth 1 July 1606 (C 66/1698); did not succeed.
  • 1609 Kaye, Sir John, Kt.
    Gt. in reversion after Joseph Earth 10 July 1608 (C 66/1761 no. 22); succ. 5 Sept. 1609 (E 403/1708, 2 Mar. 1708); d. 1 May 1624 (E 403/1735, 20 Oct. 1624).
  • 1615 Kaye, John
    Gt. in reversion after Sir John Kaye 6 Oct. 1615 (C 66/2061 no. 17); did not succeed.
  • 1624 Kaye, Richard
    Gt. in reversion after Sir John Kaye 13 Apr. 1621 (C 66/2258 no. 2); succ. 1 May 1624 (E 403/1735, 3 Mar. 1625); d. 28 Nov. 1624 (ibid.).
  • 1625 Brett, Sir Alexander, Kt.
    Gt. 27 Sept. 1625 (C 66/2356 no. 9); d. 29 Oct. 1627 (Calendar of State Papers Domestic 1627-8, p. 423).
  • 1627 Bludder, Sir Thomas, Kt.
    Gt. 3 Dec. 1627 (C 66/2427 no. 2); surr. by 8 Apr. 1628 (C 66/2409 no. 25).
  • 1628 Harris, Sir Paul, Kt. (succ. as 2nd Bart. Jan.
    1629)
    Gt. 8 Apr. 1628 (C 66/2409 no. 25, letters patent of 4 Chas. I enrolled in error on patent roll of 3 Chas. I); last occurs 13 Mar. 1640 (E 403/1753, payment to Francis Coningsby).
    [D. July 1644 (Complete Baronetage, i, 216].
  • 1630 Sydenham, Sir Ralph, Kt.
    Gt. in reversion after Sir Paul Harris 9 June 1630 (C 66/2537 no. 18); did not succeed.
  • By 1643 Payler, George
    Received quarterly allowance in person or by deputy Mar. 1643-Dec. 1658 (WO 54/16-19).
  • By 1660 Palmer, Elia
    Occurs 1660 (Calendar of State Papers Domestic 1660-61, p. 100).
  • 1660 Nicholls, Francis
    Gt. 22 June 1660 (C 66/2933 no. 42); d. by 28 July 1669 (Calendar of State Papers Domestic 1668-9, p. 429).
  • 1669 Moore, Jonas (1) (ktd. 28 Jan. 1673)
    Gt. 13 Nov. 1669 (C 66/3111 no. 7); d. 25 Aug. 1679 (DNB).
  • 1675 Moore, Jonas (2) (ktd. 9 Aug. 1680)
    Gt. in reversion after Sir Jonas Moore (1) 8 Feb. 1675 (C 66/3171 no. 6); succ. 25 Aug. 1679 (d. of same); d. 13 July 1682 (O.E.G. Hogg, Notes on Board of Ordnance, p. 130).
  • 1682 de Gomme, Sir Bernard, Kt.
    Gts. 29 July 1682 (C 66/3230 no. 5), 2 Apr. 1685 (C 66/3268 no. 6); d. 23 Nov. 1685 (DNB).
  • 1685 Sheer, Sir Henry, Kt.
    Gt. 2 Dec. 1685 (C 66/3271 no. 16); vac. by 19 July 1689 (gt. to Charlton).
  • 1689 Charlton, John
    Gt. 19 July 1689 (C 66/3328 no. 22); rev. 29 June 1702 (C 66/3431 no. 16).
  • 1702 Bridges, William
    Gt. 29 June 1702 (C 66/3431 no. 16); d. 30 Oct. 1714 (Calendar of Treasury Books, xxx, 461).
  • 1714 Richards, Michael
    Gt. 2 Dec. 1714 (C 66/3499 no. 3); d. 5 Feb. 1722 (DNB; Historical Register (Chronological Diary) (1722), vii, 12).
  • 1722 Armstrong, John
    Gts. 10 Feb. 1722 (C 66/3547 no. 3), 12 Aug. 1727 (C 66/3570 no. 13); d. 25 Apr. 1742 (DNB).
  • 1742 Lascelles, Thomas
    Gt. 30 Apr. 1742 (C 66/3608 no. 9); rev. 10 Apr. 1750 (C 66/3630 no. 7).
  • 1750 Frederick, Charles
    Gts. 10 Apr. 1750 (C 66/3630 no. 7), 11 Mar. 1761 (C 66/3673 no. 18); rev. 13 May 1782 (C 66/3795 no. 12).
  • 1782 Pelham, Hon. Thomas
    Gt. 13 May 1782 (C 66/3795 no. 12); rev. 20 May 1783 (C 66/3804 no. 10).
  • 1783 Courtenay, John
    Gt. 20 May 1783 (C 66/3804 no. 10); rev. 22 May 1784 (C 66/3813 no. 12).
  • 1784 Luttrell, Hon. James
    Gt. 22 May 1784 (C 66/3813 no. 12); d. 23 Dec. 1788 (History of Parliament 1754-90, iii, 67).
  • 1789 Berkeley, Hon. George Cranfield
    Gt. 20 Apr. 1789 (C 66/3847 no. 12); rev. 10 July 1795 (C 66/3915 no. 7).
  • 1795 Ross, Alexander
    Gts. 10 July 1795 (C 66/3915 no. 7), 8 Oct. 1801 (C 66/3998 no. 4); rev. 22 Nov. 1804 (C 66/4031 no. 7).
  • 1804 Hadden, James Murray
    Gt. 22 Nov. 1804 (C 66/4031 no. 7); rev. 20 July 1810 (C 66/4104 no. 12).
  • 1810 Moorsom, Robert (ktd. 2 Jan. 1815)
    Gt. 20 July 1810 (C 66/4104 no. 12); rev. 16 Mar. 1820 (C 66/3218 no. 6).
  • 1820 Burgh, Sir Ulysses Bagenal, Kt. (succ. as 2nd
    Baron Downes 3 Mar. 1826)
    Gt. 16 Mar. 1820 (C 66/4218 no. 6); rev. 18 May 1827 (C 66/4320 no. 14).
  • 1827 Owen, Sir Edward William Campbell Rich, Kt.
    Gt. 18 May 1827 (C 66/4320 no. 14); rev. 1 Apr. 1828 (C 66/4336 no. 8).
  • 1828 Taylor, Sir Herbert, Kt.
    Gt. 1 Apr. 1828 (C 66/4336 no. 8); rev. 16 Apr. 1829 (C 66/4350 no. 7).
  • 1829 Fane, Sir Henry, Kt.
    Gt. 16 Apr. 1829 (C 66/4350 no. 7); rev. 15 Jan. 1831 (C 66/4382 no. 14).
  • 1831 Maberley, William Leader
    Gt. 15 Jan. 1831 (C 66/4382 no. 14); rev. 4 Dec. 1832 (C 66/4412 no. 3).
  • 1832 Fox, Charles Richard
    Gt. 4 Dec. 1832 (C 66/4412 no. 3); rev. 30 Dec. 1834 (C 66/4447 no. 26).
  • 1834 Somerset, Lord Robert Edward Henry
    Gt. 30 Dec. 1834 (C 66/4447 no. 26); rev. 25 Apr. 1835 (C 66/4455 no. 5).
  • 1835 Donkin, Sir Rufane Shaw, Kt.
    Gts. 25 Apr. 1835 (C 66/4455 no. 5), 22 July 1837 (C 66/4507 no. 10); d. 1 May 1841 (DNB).
  • 1841 Fox, Charles Richard
    Gt. 11 May 1841 (C 66/4629 no. 10); rev. 13 Sept. 1841 (C 66/4639 no. 11).
  • 1841 Peel, Jonathan
    Gt. 13 Sept. 1841 (C 66/4639 no. 11); rev. 14 July 1846 (C 66/4785 no. 15).
  • 1846 Fox, Charles Richard
    Gt. 14 July 1846 (C 66/4785 no. 15); rev. 3 July 1852 (C 66/4970 no. 18).
  • 1852 Berkeley, Sir George Henry Frederick, Kt.
    Gt. 3 July 1852 (C 66/4970 no. 18); rev. 18 Jan. 1853 (C 66/4981 no. 18).
  • 1853 Maule, Hon. Lauderdale
    Gt. 18 Jan. 1853 (C 66/4981 no. 18; d. 1 Aug. 1854 (F. Boase, Modern English Biography, ii, 802).

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References

C 66
Chancery patent rolls
CPR
Calendar of Patent Rolls
CTB
Calendar of Treasury Books
E 214
Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: modern deeds, series D
WO 54/16-19
Ordnance: Quarter books 1643-58

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