The Master of the Buckhounds (or Master of the Hounds) was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. The role was to oversee a hunting pack; a buckhound is smaller than a staghound and used for coursing the smaller breeds of deer, especially fallow deer. The position was abolished by the Civil List Act 1901.
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History
Hunting had played a role among England's royalty. The specific role of master of the hounds was first mentioned during the reign of Edward III. At this time it was a hereditary position held by the Brocas family. This tradition faded in the 17th century along with the feudal system, and the monarch instead selected the master of the hounds.
In later years, it was a political office and appointed by the Prime Minister, so the holder changed with every new government. In later years the position was always held by a nobleman who had rendered service to the party in control.
Hereditary Masters of the Buckhounds
The "hereditary" mastership was a serjeanty associated with the Manor of Little Weldon. It was held in the Brocas family until 1633, when it was sold to the Watson family.
Osborne Lovel (temp. Hen. I)
William Lovel
Hamon le Venour
William Lovel
John Lovel (died 1316)
Thomas de Borhunte (died 1340)
William Danvers (died 1361)
Sir Bernard Brocas (died 1395)
Sir Bernard Brocas (died 1400)
William Brocas (died 1456)
William Brocas (died 1484)
John Brocas (died 1492)
William Brocas (died 1506)
George Warham and Ralph Pexsall (1512–1514)
Ralph Pexsall (died 1540)
Sir Richard Pexsall (died 1571)
Sir John Savage (until 1584)
Sir Pexsall Brocas (died 1630)
Thomas Brocas (until 1633)
Lewis Watson, 1st Baron Rockingham (died 1653)
Edward Watson, 2nd Baron Rockingham (died 1689)
Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham (until 1706)
The pack of the Hereditary Master was merged with that of the Privy Master in 1706 and the office ceased.
Masters of the (Privy) Buckhounds
The Privy Buckhounds were created in 1528 by King Henry VIII to provide for a hunting pack overseen by a Royal appointee rather than a hereditary officer.
1528: George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
1536: vacant
1538: Sir Richard Long
1546: vacant
1550: Sir Thomas Darcy
1551: John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick
1552: Lord Robert Dudley
1553: vacant
1572: Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
1588: vacant
1596: Sir Henry Grey
1603: Sir Thomas Tyringham
1612: Sir Timothy Tyrrell, Sr.
1633: Sir Thomas Tyringham
1636: Robert Tyrwith
1651: vacant
19 September 1660 John Cary
31 March 1685 Col. James Grahme
9 September 1689 Jacques de Gastigny
6 July 1698 Reinhard Vincent Graf von Hompesch
8 March 1702 vacant