A sweet question.

I stumbled across this intriguing gravestone in the aisle of St Michael and All Angels [Mickleham, Surrey] last week. It was the reference to his "Majesties Confectionary Office" which made me stop and give it a second look. Once I had established that the monarch we're talking about was Charles II it sent  me down a bit of a rabbit hole. History can be frustrating sometimes because it simply doesn't offer up the answers to the questions you have. I don't really know where I could gain a better understanding of what role Peter Delahay played, but what I have established is that there was a street named after him in London [ceased to exist in 1915]  and the house he owned is still standing [incredibly it's only had 5 owners]. With what little information I have managed to turn up he was a Groom of the Confectionary in 1668 so one assumes that he must have done well and progressed upwards to the post of yeoman. There seem to have been many different yeomans for different offices within the court [there was one for pastry!] and I am guessing that his job entailed some sort of overseeing of the confectioner's work rather than making the confections [this term seems to have meant fruit, sweets and puddings] himself and perhaps the control of the purse strings.

Having been brought up in France Charles II was very keen on the cuisine of his adopted homeland and brought his Francophile influence to bear upon the dishes served at court. I was fascinated to read that he had a penchant for icecream, but whoever made it was not popular when he revealed the secrets of how it was made to those beyond the Royal Circle. Chocolate had also become immensely popular at this time, but it would have been drunk not eaten. It was considered to be an aphrodisiac so maybe that was the appeal for Charles running a wife, several mistresses and a number of casual liaisons all that same time. With all that bumping of uglies going on he would have needed the extra energy😈 One article said he's spent £229 10s & 8d out of the royal purse on the stuff alone in 1669!!

If anyone knows anymore about the "yeoman of the confectionary office" please do let me know in the comments.

Arilx