Keeper of the Queen's Swans

The Keeper of the King's/Queen's Swans was a late medieval-founded office in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of England, later Great Britain and ultimately the United Kingdom. He was earlier called the King's/Queen's Swanmaster. The office existed to perform Swan-Upping marking and health-checking carried out using Thames skiffs on many of the non-tidal reaches of the River Thames in latter years from Sunbury-on-Thames passing Windsor, Berkshire to Henley on Thames. In 1993 it was replaced by two separate offices: Warden of the Swans and Marker of the Swans.

History

The keeper's office dates from the 13th century.[1] He was supported by three swanherdsmen. The principal duties of this official team of four people were to conduct the annual Swan-Upping on much of non-tidal reaches of the River Thames including Windsor.[2]

It was abolished in 1993, when it was replaced by two new offices, the Warden of the Swans and the Marker of the Swans.

List of Keepers of the King's and Queen's Swans
  • Sir William ANDREWS of Lathbury, Bucks, 1620s (d.1625)
  • Thomas Alexander Roberts, 1807–after 1825[3][4]
  • J. K. Abnett
  • Thomas R. Abnett, 1893– (in office 1900[5])
  • Frederick Thomas Turk, MVO, 1923–1963
  • Cpt. Frederick John ('John') Turk, MVO, 1963–1993[6]

References
  1. Peel, J.H.B. (1967). Portrait of the Thames (from Teddington to the source). Hale. p. 58. ISBN 9780709107484. Retrieved 1 May 2019. The present Keeper of the Queen's Swans holds one of the most venerable offices in the kingdom; how venerable is not precisely known, but the office probably existed as early as the thirteenth century. Its full style was Master of the King's Game of Swans.
  2. Wheals, Brian Brenchley (1984). Theirs Were But Human Hearts: A Local History of Three Thameside Parishes. H.S. Publishing. p. 65. ISBN 0-9509053-0-5.
  3. "Transport: Knights Harbinger and Masters of the Barges". British History Online. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  4. The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland and the Colonies: For the Year .... 1825. W. March. 1825. p. 1-PA118. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  5. Whitaker's Almanack 1900, page 87.
  6. Englefield, D.J.T. (1985). Whitehall and Westminster: Government Informs Parliament : the Changing Scene. Longman. p. 48. ISBN 9780582902725. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
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